Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer

Medical Reviewing Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

• Introduction to breast cancer
• How is the breast designed?
• What is the cancer process?
• What are risk factors for breast cancer?
• What is the screening process for breast cancer?
• What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
• How is breast cancer diagnosed?
• How is breast cancer staging determined?
• What are the methods for treating breast cancer?
• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy and hormone therapy
• Biological therapy
• Treatment choices by stage
• What about breast cancer reconstruction?
• What about complementary and alternative medicine?
• What about follow-up care?
• What about support for women with breast cancer?
• What research is being done to better understand and prevent breast cancer?
• What resources are available for people with breast cancer?
• Breast Cancer At A Glance
• Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Questions to Ask Your Doctor
• Related breast cancer articles:
  Breast cancer - on WebMD

Breast cancer - on eMedicinehealth

Introduction to breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. While the majority of new breast cancers are diagnosed as a result of an abnormality seen on a mammogram, a lump or change in consistency of the breast tissue can also be a warning sign of the disease. Heightened awareness of breast cancer risk in the past decades has led to an increase in the number of women undergoing mammography for screening, leading to detection of cancers in earlier stages and a resultant improvement in survival rates. Still, breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women between the ages of 45 and 55. Although breast cancer in women is a common form of cancer, male breast cancer does occur and accounts for about 1% of all cancer deaths in men.

Research has yielded much information about the causes of breast cancers, and it is now believed that genetic and/or hormonal factors are the primary risk factors for breast cancer. Staging systems have been developed to allow doctors to characterize the extent to which a particular cancer has spread and to make decisions concerning treatment options. Breast cancer treatment depends upon many factors, including thee type of cancer and the extent to which it has spread. Treatment options for breast cancer may involve surgery (removal of the cancer alone or, in some cases, mastectomy), radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, and/or chemotherapy.

With advances in screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the death rate for breast cancer has declined by about 20% over the past decade, and research is ongoing to develop even more effective screening and treatment programs.

How is the breast designed?

The breasts sit on the chest muscles that cover the ribs. Each breast is made of 15 to 20 lobes. Lobes contain many smaller lobules. Lobules contain groups of tiny glands that can produce milk. Milk flows from the lobules through thin tubes called ducts to the nipple. The nipple is in the center of a dark area of skin called the areola. Fat fills the spaces between the lobules and ducts.

The breasts also contain lymph vessels. These vessels lead to small, round organs called lymph nodes. Groups of lymph nodes are near the breast in the axilla (underarm), above the collarbone, in the chest behind the breastbone, and in many other parts of the body. The lymph nodes trap bacteria, cancer cells, or other harmful substances.

Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/breast_cancer/article.htm