What is breast cancer?
Breast Cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow out of control in one or both breasts. They can invade nearby tissues and form a mass, called a malignant tumor. The cancer cells can spread (metastasize) to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body.
Breast cancer is many women's worst fear. But experts have made great progress in treating cancer. If it is found early, breast cancer can often be cured, and it is not always necessary to remove the breast.
What causes breast cancer?
Doctors do not know exactly what causes breast cancer. But some things are known to increase the chance that you will get it. These are called risk factors. The main risk factors for breast cancer include:
• Aging. Most breast cancer occurs in women older than 50, and the risk is greatest in women older than 60.2
• Family history of breast cancer. You have a higher risk if a close family member, especially your mother or sister, has had breast cancer.
• Female hormones. Your risk is higher if you have used hormone replacement therapy for more than 4 years, started your period before age 12, or began menopause after age 55.1
• Gene changes. Women who inherit certain genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2 are more likely to have breast cancer.
Some other things are known to increase your risk, such as being overweight or inactive or drinking alcohol. But many women who have risk factors do not get breast cancer. And many women who get breast cancer do not have any known risk factors.
What are the symptoms?
Breast cancer often causes:
• A change in the way the breast feels. The most common symptom is a painless lump or thickening in the breast or underarm.
• A change in the way the breast looks. The skin on the breast may dimple or look like an orange peel. There may be a change in the size or shape of the breast.
• A change in the nipple. It may turn in. The skin around it may look scaly. Clear or bloody fluid may come out of the nipple.
Treatment Overview
Breast cancer is usually treated with surgery, medications, and radiation therapy. Because of improved screening methods, diagnosis at an early stage, and improved treatment techniques, the number of deaths from breast cancer has been steadily declining over the past few years. Decisions about how to treat breast cancer are based on a combination of factors that include specific information about the cancer, your preferences, and your health.6
When making decisions about treatment for your breast cancer, you and your doctor will consider:
• The size and location of your breast cancer (stage).
• How aggressive the breast cancer is.
• Whether your breast cancer has receptors to the hormones estrogen and progesterone, called estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor (ER/PR) status.
• Whether your breast cancer cells contain human epidermal growth factor (HER-2/neu).
• Whether your breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in your underarm area (axilla).
October 2007
Sources:
Healthwise, American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, and Health Day
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