Things to Know About Breast Cancer

Author: robert | Posted: 03.10.2008

The name says it all breast cancer is a disease of the breast; most often affecting women, but men are not immune. Between the chest wall and skin lies a collection of fatty tissues and glands which compose the breast. After the birth of a baby, these glands in a womans breast begin to produce milk to nourish the infant. These glands are composed of somewhere between 1520 lobes each. The milk is then delivered to the nipple by way of special tubes, referred to as ducts. The size of the ducts and glands enlarge as the breast fills with milk. The main factor determining the size and shape of the breast is fatty tissue. If a tumor is ever found to be growing in the breast, it should be checked by a doctor as it might be cancerous.

A malignant tumor (cancerous) is composed of an outofcontrol growth of abnormal cells. Noncancerous (benign) tumors are incapable of spreading through the body.Tumors with the ability to spread through the body are referred to as malignant, or cancerous. When a patient is given a diagnosis of breast cancer, it means a malignant tumor has been found. The first place cancer cells are found in the breast is in the glands or ducts; however, they have been known to develop in other areas as well. European and North American women receive a diagnosis of breast cancer more than any other form of cancer. Over 200,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year. Among American women, only lung cancer outranks breast cancer, making it the second most deadly.

A diagnosis of breast cancer does not necessarily mean a woman will die from the disease. Even though a womans chances of developing breast cancer are 1 in 8, her chances of dying from it are 1 in 28. The greatest risk factor concerning breast cancer is a womans age. Each year of a womans life increases her risk for breast cancer. If she had her first menstrual period at a young age, this will influence her risk. Additional factors affecting a woman include: a history of breast cancer in her family, how old she was at the time of her first pregnancy and the possibility of mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. 310% of breast cancers are related to gene mutations, so if a woman knows there is breast cancer in her family, she is advised to undergo genetic testing as a precaution. By maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and limiting alcohol consumption to no more than five drinks per week, a woman can lower her risk of developing breast cancer. It is also thought that if a woman has her first baby before age 30 and nurses it, plus limits the use of hormone replacement at menopause, she helps lower her chance of developing breast cancer. Finally, if the woman is at high risk of developing breast cancer, she should discuss with her doctor the use of the drug Tamoxifen to see if it would be of benefit to her. By using this drug for a period of five years, it has been shown a woman stands a chance of reducing her risk of developing a tumor by 50%.

Early detection offers a woman her best chance of surviving and curing breast cancer. Selfexams, clinical exams and mammograms are a womans three best aids in early detection. A woman between the ages of 20 and 39 should receive a clinical exam every three years.After her 40th birthday, clinical exams should be on an annual basis. If unsure of how to perform a monthly selfexam, a woman should ask for guidance during her clinical exam. Checking for unusual lumps in the breast is the aim of the selfexam.

If a woman is known to carry either a BRCA 1 or 2 mutation, she is sometimes encouraged to undergo an annual MRI screening. Talk to your doctor about this if you know you have this condition. In the early stages of breast cancer, a doctor normally has a better chance for detection. As breast cancer progresses, signs of its presence may include: change in the size and/or shape of the breast, a lump either in the breast or under the arm, redness of the nipple, the nipple turning inward, ridges in the skin of the breast or nipple discharge. In treating breast cancer, surgery usually always comes into play. The goal of the surgeon is to remove as much of the cancer as possible. If caught early, breast cancer can sometimes be removed through breast conservation therapy, or BCT. Some form of radical mastectomy may be necessary for cancers caught in later stages.

After surgery, chemotherapy treatment is recommended for many patients. This therapy is designed to decrease the chance of the cancer recurring. Anticancer drugs are used during the course of chemotherapy to rid the body of cancer cells which have broken away from the main tumor and spread elsewhere in the body. Patients who undergo chemotherapy generally have developed a higher stage of cancer. Radiation therapy is another form of therapy utilized to treat breast cancer. Highenergy xrays are used to kill cancer cells by this method. Patients undergo radiation therapy.

Under the recommendation of a pathologist, a patient who is shown to have a tumor expressing progesterone and/or estrogen receptors may undergo hormonal therapy. Estrogenblocking drugs are used in pill form for between five and ten years following surgery. A patients chances of experiencing reoccurrence of a tumor expressing estrogen/progesterone receptors is reduced following this therapy.



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