AshleyMommyto2
04-21-2009, 09:40 AM
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, other than skin cancer, and the second deadliest cancer in U.S. women; lung cancer is the deadliest. Approximately 182,460 cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2008, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Though an estimated 40,480 women will die from breast cancer, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., according to the ACS.
Fortunately, the number of deaths caused by breast cancer has declined significantly in recent years, with the largest decreases in younger women—both Caucasian and African American. These decreases are probably the result of earlier detection and improved treatment.
~Common types of breast cancer~
• Mucinous carcinoma (colloid carcinoma). A rare type of invasive breast cancer, mucinous carcinoma is formed by mucin-producing cancer cells. Prognosis for this type of invasive breast cancer is generally better than for other more common types.
• Medullary carcinoma. This type of breast cancer accounts for five percent of all breast cancers and involves a distinct boundary between tumor tissue and normal tissue. It also differs from other forms of invasive ductal cancers in that it contains large cancer cells and immune system cells throughout the tumor. The prognosis for this type of cancer is generally better than for other invasive forms.
• Tubular carcinoma. Tubular carcinoma is characterized by tubular structures ringed with a single layer of cells. Only two percent of all breast cancers fall into this category. The prognosis is usually good.
• Invasive Paget's disease. A rare breast cancer in the ducts beneath the nipple accounting for only one percent of cases, invasive Paget's disease starts with an itchy, eczema-like rash around the nipple. Paget's disease can be associated with a noninvasive or invasive underlying mass. For noninvasive cases, it is believed that the cells have migrated from the ducts of the nipple to the nipple's epidermis, though this is still under study.
• Inflammatory carcinoma. This aggressive type of breast cancer accounts for one to three percent of all cases. Skin over the breast appears acutely inflamed and swollen because skin lymph vessels are blocked by cancer.
~Diagnosis~
There are three main ways to detect abnormalities in your breasts that may be cancerous: breast self-examination, mammograms and regular breast exams by your health care professional. Other imaging studies such as ultrasound and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) can also help find cancer in the breast. As a result of new guidelines released by the ACS in March 2007, MRI together with a yearly mammogram is now recommended for women with the highest risk of developing breast cancer (see the list above for risks that are considered to be higher than average). MRI scans are more sensitive than mammograms at detecting an abnormality in women with dense breasts. The two tests together give health care professionals a better chance of finding breast cancer in its early stages, when it is the most treatable. The new guidelines recommend that high-risk women begin getting MRIs and mammograms at age 30, unless their health care professionals suggest a different age.
~Treatment~
The treatment you and your health care professional choose will depend upon many things. Treatment often includes surgical, radiation and medical therapy.
The most common surgical treatment for invasive cancer is lumpectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy technique. (Described below.) Dissection of axillary lymph node (a large group of lymph nodes located in various places) and modified radical mastectomy, are other common surgical treatments for invasive cancer.
In addition to surgery, adjuvant therapy is used to kill any cancer cells that may have spread. In deciding whether adjuvant treatment is necessary, your doctor takes into account the extent (stage) and nature of your disease, general health and other prognostic factors.
The choice of the type of adjuvant therapy depends on many factors, such as whether the cancer cells contain hormone receptors (estrogen and progesterone), Her2/neu expression, the grade of tumor and the size of tumor and lymph nodes. Most women receive some form of adjuvant therapy.
Adjuvant therapy usually begins between two and 12 weeks after surgery. It includes chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy, as well as radiation therapy.
~Pregnancy and Breast Cancer~
As many as four percent of breast cancers occur during pregnancy or within the first year after giving birth. Changes in the breast during pregnancy and lactation may make detection difficult. Pregnancy also limits the treatment options for breast cancer.
Surgery remains an option, however, with special care taken during anesthesia, but radiation must be delayed until after the pregnancy because of its dangerous effects on the developing fetus.
However, chemotherapy can be given in the second or third trimester. Or, for women who want to save their breasts, chemotherapy can be given before surgery and radiation delayed until after delivery.
~Questions To Ask Your Dr. ~
1. What is my risk for developing breast cancer?
2. My mother had breast cancer. Will I develop it, too?
3. What can I do to reduce my risks for developing breast cancer?
4. What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
5. How is breast cancer diagnosed?
6. Are breast self-exams really worth doing? Will you show me how to do one?
7. How often and when should I do a breast self-exam?
8. What is a clinical breast exam? How often do I need to have one?
9. What is a screening mammogram? Should I have one? Does it hurt?
10. Are low-cost or free mammograms available? I'm not sure I can afford one.
11. Can breast cancer be treated? What treatments are available?
12. I've been taking birth control pills for years. Do they increase my risk for developing breast cancer?
13. Does postmenopausal hormone therapy cause breast cancer?
All Information was taken from: http://www.healthywomen.org
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, other than skin cancer, and the second deadliest cancer in U.S. women; lung cancer is the deadliest. Approximately 182,460 cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2008, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Though an estimated 40,480 women will die from breast cancer, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., according to the ACS.
Fortunately, the number of deaths caused by breast cancer has declined significantly in recent years, with the largest decreases in younger women—both Caucasian and African American. These decreases are probably the result of earlier detection and improved treatment.
~Common types of breast cancer~
• Mucinous carcinoma (colloid carcinoma). A rare type of invasive breast cancer, mucinous carcinoma is formed by mucin-producing cancer cells. Prognosis for this type of invasive breast cancer is generally better than for other more common types.
• Medullary carcinoma. This type of breast cancer accounts for five percent of all breast cancers and involves a distinct boundary between tumor tissue and normal tissue. It also differs from other forms of invasive ductal cancers in that it contains large cancer cells and immune system cells throughout the tumor. The prognosis for this type of cancer is generally better than for other invasive forms.
• Tubular carcinoma. Tubular carcinoma is characterized by tubular structures ringed with a single layer of cells. Only two percent of all breast cancers fall into this category. The prognosis is usually good.
• Invasive Paget's disease. A rare breast cancer in the ducts beneath the nipple accounting for only one percent of cases, invasive Paget's disease starts with an itchy, eczema-like rash around the nipple. Paget's disease can be associated with a noninvasive or invasive underlying mass. For noninvasive cases, it is believed that the cells have migrated from the ducts of the nipple to the nipple's epidermis, though this is still under study.
• Inflammatory carcinoma. This aggressive type of breast cancer accounts for one to three percent of all cases. Skin over the breast appears acutely inflamed and swollen because skin lymph vessels are blocked by cancer.
~Diagnosis~
There are three main ways to detect abnormalities in your breasts that may be cancerous: breast self-examination, mammograms and regular breast exams by your health care professional. Other imaging studies such as ultrasound and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) can also help find cancer in the breast. As a result of new guidelines released by the ACS in March 2007, MRI together with a yearly mammogram is now recommended for women with the highest risk of developing breast cancer (see the list above for risks that are considered to be higher than average). MRI scans are more sensitive than mammograms at detecting an abnormality in women with dense breasts. The two tests together give health care professionals a better chance of finding breast cancer in its early stages, when it is the most treatable. The new guidelines recommend that high-risk women begin getting MRIs and mammograms at age 30, unless their health care professionals suggest a different age.
~Treatment~
The treatment you and your health care professional choose will depend upon many things. Treatment often includes surgical, radiation and medical therapy.
The most common surgical treatment for invasive cancer is lumpectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy technique. (Described below.) Dissection of axillary lymph node (a large group of lymph nodes located in various places) and modified radical mastectomy, are other common surgical treatments for invasive cancer.
In addition to surgery, adjuvant therapy is used to kill any cancer cells that may have spread. In deciding whether adjuvant treatment is necessary, your doctor takes into account the extent (stage) and nature of your disease, general health and other prognostic factors.
The choice of the type of adjuvant therapy depends on many factors, such as whether the cancer cells contain hormone receptors (estrogen and progesterone), Her2/neu expression, the grade of tumor and the size of tumor and lymph nodes. Most women receive some form of adjuvant therapy.
Adjuvant therapy usually begins between two and 12 weeks after surgery. It includes chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy, as well as radiation therapy.
~Pregnancy and Breast Cancer~
As many as four percent of breast cancers occur during pregnancy or within the first year after giving birth. Changes in the breast during pregnancy and lactation may make detection difficult. Pregnancy also limits the treatment options for breast cancer.
Surgery remains an option, however, with special care taken during anesthesia, but radiation must be delayed until after the pregnancy because of its dangerous effects on the developing fetus.
However, chemotherapy can be given in the second or third trimester. Or, for women who want to save their breasts, chemotherapy can be given before surgery and radiation delayed until after delivery.
~Questions To Ask Your Dr. ~
1. What is my risk for developing breast cancer?
2. My mother had breast cancer. Will I develop it, too?
3. What can I do to reduce my risks for developing breast cancer?
4. What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
5. How is breast cancer diagnosed?
6. Are breast self-exams really worth doing? Will you show me how to do one?
7. How often and when should I do a breast self-exam?
8. What is a clinical breast exam? How often do I need to have one?
9. What is a screening mammogram? Should I have one? Does it hurt?
10. Are low-cost or free mammograms available? I'm not sure I can afford one.
11. Can breast cancer be treated? What treatments are available?
12. I've been taking birth control pills for years. Do they increase my risk for developing breast cancer?
13. Does postmenopausal hormone therapy cause breast cancer?
All Information was taken from: http://www.healthywomen.org