Breast Cancer Information

2006-05-30T15:43:00.000-12:00

Thanks for taking care of your self.

What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that grows in one or both of the breasts. Breast cancer usually develops in the ducts or lobules of the breast. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women (after lung cancer). Although African-American women have a slightly lower incidence of breast cancer after age 40 than white women, they have a slightly higher incidence rate of breast cancer before age 40. However, African-American women are more likely to die from breast cancer at every age. Breast cancer is much less common in males.

How a tumor forms?
Occasionally, cells are replaced by abnormal cells, which grow in an uncontrolled way. As a result, there is an abnormal growth or lump of cells that form a tumor. As they increase in size, benign tumors can present as a lump in the breast.

Types of breast tumors
There are two types of breast tumors: no cancerous tumors (benign) and cancerous tumors (malignant).
Benign breast tumors are not cancerous and are made of tumor cells that don't spread outside the breast in which they appear.
Malignant breast tumors are cancerous and are made up of cells that have the ability to spread from the breast to other parts of the body. Because of their spread and growth in other organs, malignant breast tumors can interfere with normal body function and be life-threatening.
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Risk factors for breast cancer

Risk factors are the things that raise your chance of getting a disease. There are various risk factors that may contribute to the development of breast cancer. Some have a stronger link to breast cancer than others. The following are some of the most significant risk factors for developing breast cancer.

· Gender. Approximately half of all women who develop breast cancer have no identifiable risk factor other than being female and aging. This means it is very important for every woman to be aware of this disease and to try to ensure that they find it early. Although men do get breast cancer, the main risk factor is being female.

· Age. Besides being female, the greatest risk factor for breast cancer is age: older women are much more likely to get breast cancer. Breast cancer is much less frequent among younger women, the earliest diagnoses usually being made at around 25 years.

· Personal history of breast cancer. Having had breast cancer puts a woman at higher risk for developing it again.

· Family history of cancer. The risk of breast cancer increases if a woman has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter) who had breast or ovarian cancer.

· High breast tissue density. The higher the breast tissue density, the greater the risk for breast cancer. Breast tissue density is generally higher when the breast has more ducts and lobules versus fat.

· Breast hyperplasia. Hyperplasia is an increase in the growth of cells in a tissue, such as breast tissue. Breast hyperplasia can be detected only by taking a sample of the breast tissue and examining it under a microscope. Breast hyperplasia increases a woman's chance of developing breast cancer.

· Long-term estrogen exposure. Breast cancer is clearly related to the sex hormones. In some types of breast cancers, the presence of the female sex hormone estrogen causes the cancer cells to grow and divide rapidly. During puberty, estrogen levels dramatically increase. During menopause, estrogen levels decrease. The longer the time the breasts are exposed to estrogen, the higher the risk of developing breast cancer. Therefore, breast cancer risk may be higher in women who started menstruating before age 12 or in women who went through menopause after age 55. Risk may also be higher in women who have taken oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Since estrogen strengthens bones, women with high bone mass may have a higher risk of breast cancer.

· Menopausal hormone replacement therapy. Risk may also be higher in women who have taken certain types of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) over several years or more. This type of therapy should not be confused with hormonal treatment, which is used to treat some breast cancers.

· Not having children or having first child after age 30. These factors may increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, because estrogen levels are lower during pregnancy. Not breast-feeding may also be a risk factor.

· Radiation exposure. Prior radiation to the chest area increases the risk for breast cancer.

· Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. Women of this heritage may have an increased risk due to possible inherited gene mutations (such as in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes).

· Genetics. There are inherited genetic alterations that increase the risk of breast cancer. Alterations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are found in about 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases. Women with alterations in these genes have up to an 85% chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime.

Other possible risk factors for breast cancer may include:
· Diet. A good, balanced diet is important. There is some evidence to suggest that animal fat can increase the risk of breast cancer. Being overweight may also increase breast cancer risk. In addition, research suggests that too much alcohol can increase the risk of breast cancer. Women who drink one or more alcoholic beverages per day may be more likely to develop invasive breast cancer than women who do not drink alcohol.

· Environmental factors. As with many other cancers, being around certain environmental factors, such as radiation, increases the risk of breast cancer. Thus, women who were exposed to high levels of radiation, such as those who had radiation to treat other cancers as a child, are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

· Smoking. Smoking can lead to various types of cancers, and women who smoke have poorer health in general. If you smoke, you should quit now. Not smoking will enable you to handle cancer treatment better.
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Symptoms of breast cancer
In the early stages, breast cancer may not be painful and there may be no symptoms at all. As the cancer grows, you may start to notice changes in the breast or underarm, such as a lump.
Signs and symptoms of breast cancer can include the following:

· Lumps. Breast cancer lumps vary and may be hard or soft and have rounded or uneven edges.
· Swelling of part of the breast
· Skin irritation or dimpling
· Nipple pain or the nipple turning inward
· Redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin
· Nipple discharge other than breast milk
· A lump in the underarm area.

REMEMBER: These signs and symptoms do not necessarily mean that you have breast cancer. However, you should tell your doctor right away about any lump in the breast or underarm area and any changes in the skin of the breast, nipple, or areola (the area around the nipple).

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Detection and diagnosis
Finding breast cancer at an early stage greatly improves the chances of successful treatment. Early detection of breast cancer saves many thousands of lives each year. Some screening tests used for early detection of breast cancer include:

- Mammography
- Clinical breast exam
- Monthly breast self-exam

If screening identifies an abnormality in your breast, the next step is diagnosis, in which your doctor determines if breast cancer is present.

If the doctor determines breast cancer i present, here are some of the test that can be done:

- Blood Tests

- Biopsies and Tumor Marker Testing
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

- Physical Exam
- Bone Scan
- Chest X-Ray
- Computed tomography (CT) scan

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Stages of breast cancer

Early breast cancer
In stage 0, cancer cells are present in either the lining of a breast lobule or a duct but have not spread to the surrounding fatty tissue.

In stage I, cancer has spread from the lobules or ducts to nearby tissue in the breast. At this stage and beyond, breast cancer is considered to be invasive. The tumor is 2 cm or less in diameter (approximately 1 inch or less); the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes.

In stage II, the tumor can range from 2 cm to less than 5 cm in diameter (approximately 1 to 2 inches); sometimes the cancer may have spread to the lymph nodes.

In stage IIIA, the tumor is 5 cm or greater in diameter (approximately 2 inches or greater) and the cancer has spread into the lymph nodes; or the tumor may be of any size where cancer cells have grown extensively into axillary (underarm) lymph nodes.

Advanced breast cancer
In stage IIIB, known as locally advanced cancer, the tumor may be of any size, but has spread into the skin of the breast or tissues of the chest wall. The cancer may or may not have spread to the lymph nodes.

In stage IV, known as metastatic cancer, the disease has spread from the breast to other parts of the body, such as bone, liver, lung, or brain.
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Understanding yourpathology report
After surgery, a pathology report will be sent to your doctor, who will discuss the results with you.
The pathology report describes what was found in the removed tissues. The report will tell you a great deal about the nature of your tumor and whether it has spread to the lymph nodes. This information will help your doctor identify the stage of your disease and the best treatment plan for your cancer.
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Breast cancer treatment
While there are several different ways to treat breast cancer, all options can be divided into two categories — local treatment or systemic treatment.

Local treatment is directed only at the cancer cells in the breast area. Surgery and radiation are the two local therapies for treating breast cancer.

Systemic treatment is the use of medications that travel in the bloodstream to affect or treat cancer cells. Systemic treatments include chemotherapy, hormonal treatment, and novel targeted therapies.

If for any reason you think you have found a lump in your breast. My advise for you is to contact your doctor and have it check, or if you do not have a primary doctor contact the public office of health and cancer prevention on your state and ask for help.
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