Things to Know About Breast Cancer

The name says it all breast cancer is a disease of the breast; most often affecting women, but men are not immune. A collection of glands and fatty tissues lying between the chest wall and skin compose the breast. Inside a womans breast, these glands produce milk after the birth of a baby. Special lobes, numbering somewhere between 1520, compose each gland.Tubes (also known as ducts) transfer milk from the glands to the nipple. The glands and ducts increase in size as the breast fills with milk. The main factor determining the size and shape of the breast is fatty tissue. Tumors, which can sometimes grow in the breast, have the potential of being cancerous.

Abnormal cells, growing at an out of control rate, are the building blocks of a cancerous tumor. A tumor that is incapable of spreading through the body is referred to as benign, or noncancerous. A tumor diagnosed as malignant is cancerous and capable of spreading throughout the body. When a patient is given a diagnosis of breast cancer, it means a malignant tumor has been found. Cancer cells normally develop in the ducts or glands; however, it is possible for them to appear in any portion of the breast. Cancer of the breast is the most common cancer diagnosis for women of North America and Europe. 200,000+ cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year. Breast cancer is the second most deadly form of cancer for American women, with lung cancer being first.

Just because a woman develops breast cancer, it does not mean the disease will take her life. The chance of a woman developing breast cancer is 1 in 8; but her chance of dying from it is 1 in 28. A womans great risk factor for breast cancer is her age. A womans risk for breast cancer increases through the years. A woman who started menstruating at a young age has an increased risk. In addition, other factors to consider are whether or not there is a presence of breast cancer in the womans family; how old she was at the time of her first pregnancy and the possibility of mutations on 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. A woman can help reduce her risk of breast cancer if she will maintain a healthy weight, limit her alcohol consumption to no more than five drinks per week and exercise regularly. Other ways a woman might help protect herself from breast cancer is to have her first child before the age of 30, breastfeed the baby for at least six weeks, and avoid prolonged use of hormone replacement when she reaches menopause. On a final note, if a woman is at high risk of developing breast cancer, she should consider discussing the use of a drug called Tamoxifen with her doctor. Using this drug for a period of five years has been shown to help reduce a womans risk of developing a tumor by 50%.

With early detection, a woman stands a greater chance of surviving and curing breast cancer. Three important ways to aid in early detection are with the use of selfexams, clinical exams and mammograms. {{{Between the ages of 2039, a woman should undergo a clinical exam every three years. | A woman between the ages of 20 and 39 is advised to undergo a clinical exam once every three years. | A clinical exam should be part of a womans health care every three years between the ages of 20 and 39. | Between the ages of 2039, women are advised to have a clinical exam once every three years

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