Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer is a mutation, mistake in the genetic material, within the cells and it controls the growth of each cell. These genes are in the nucleus which is the "control system." After a while those genes can turn off and on in a cell which disrupts cell divison and creates a tumor or lump. However, having a lump on your breast doesn't mean you have Breast Cancer. It is common to have a lump on your breast, but tumors aren't as common. There are two types of tumors: benign, which isn't cancerous or harmful; and malignant, which is cancerous and harmful to one's body and has the ability to spread or metastasize throughout other parts of the body.


Some statistics about how one can be diagnosed with breast cancer include:

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgAround 90% of breast cancer comes from aging; the other 5-10% is inherited from one's parents but your not born with it.
external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgIn The United States 1 in 8 women get breast cancer
external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgMore than 1 in 4 cancers are breast cancer.
external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgAbout 20-30% of women that have breast cancer have a family history of it.
external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgIn 2008 around 182,480 women and 1,990 men were diagnosed, had a total of 40,930 deaths.



A lot of people support the 60 mile walk to find a cure for Susan G. Komen external image komen.jpg

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of deaths in women today( lung cancer being the first). Also it is the most common cancer among women, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1.3 million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer annually and worldwide about 465,000 will die from the disease. Breast cancer death rates have been dropping steadily since 1990, according to the Society, because of earlier detection and better treatments. Approximately 41,000 breast cancer deaths are expected in 2009.
external image breast1.gif

The majority of breast cancer is a dominant gene and if your mother, sister, or grandmother your chances double.




There are several different types of breast cancer that one can suffer from::


external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgDuctal Carcinoma in-situ (DCIS): It's noninvasive, meaning it hasn't spread out of the milk duct to invade other parts of the breast.

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgInvasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC):The cancer cells form in the lining of your milk duct, then

break through the ductal wall and invade nearby breast tissue. The cancer cells may

remain localized — staying near the site of origin — or spread (metastasize) throughout

the body

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgInvasive Lobular Carcimoa (ILC): IIs a type of breast cancer that begins in the milk-producing glands (lobules) and then invades surrounding tissues

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgPhyllodes Tumor: Very rare type of breast tumor which can be benign or malignant. This type of tumor is called a "sarcoma" because it occurs in the connective tissue (stroma) of the breast

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgAngiosarcoma:Is a rare type of breast cancer which starts in cells that line the blood vessels within the breast or underarm area. It can occur due to breast and upper arm radiation treatments, and is apt to grow and spread quickly

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgOsteosarcoma: Is a cancerous bone tumor that usually develops during the period of rapid growth that occurs in adolescence, as a teenager matures into an adult

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgMetaplastic:Is a form of invasive ductal cancer, meaning that it forms in the milk ducts and then moves into other tissues of the breast

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgAdenoid Systic Carcimona: Is rare and usually not aggressive, this type of breast cancer has a good chance of recovery after treatment

scabs (if scratched) are signs that cancer may be under the surface of the skin, and is

breaking through. Paget's is usually treated with a mastectomy, because the cancer

has by then invaded the nipple, areola, and the milk ducts

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgInflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC): Is a type of breast cancer which is less common than

ductal or lobular breast cancer. It is an advanced, aggressive form of cancer, which is

usually not detected by a mammogram or an ultrasound

An increase in the chances of getting breast cancer occurs when any of the following genes are present in a person:

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgBRCA1

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgBRCA2

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgCDH1

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgPTEN

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgSTK11

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgTP53


When a person has breast cancer, there are several symptoms that could be present:

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgLump in your armpit or breast after menstrual cycle

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgSwelling in the armpit

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgEnormous pain in the breast

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgFlattening indentation of the breast may lead to a tumor

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgChange in size, temperature, and color of the breast

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgBurning of the nipple




The Pink Ribbon is the symbol to represent National Breast Cancer Foundation in October






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Stage 0



Cancer cells remain inside the breast duct, without invasion into normal adjacent breast tissue.
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Stage I



Cancer is 2 centimeters or less and is confined to the breast (lymph nodes are clear).


Stage IIA



No tumor can be found in the breast, but cancer cells are found in the axillary lymph nodes (the lymph nodes under the arm)
OR
the tumor measures 2 centimeters or smaller and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes
OR
the tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters and has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes.


Stage IIB



The tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes
OR
the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes.


Stage IIIA



No tumor is found in the breast. Cancer is found in axillary lymph nodes that are sticking together or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone
OR
the tumor is any size. Cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, which are sticking together or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone.



Stage IIIC



There may either be no sign of cancer in the breast or a tumor may be any size and may have spread to the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast
AND
the cancer has spread to lymph nodes either above or below the collarbone
AND
the cancer may have spread to axillary lymph nodes or to lymph nodes near the breastbone.


Stage IV



The cancer has spread — or metastasized — to other parts of the body.







There are several treatments available today for breast cancer patients. Those treatments include:

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgBreast Surgery:

Quadrantectomy- Removal of the cancer and nearby tissue

Mastectomy: Removal of all of the breast tissue and sometimes part of the chest wall muscle

Lumpectomy Surgery- Removal of the cancerous lump along with a margin of surrounding tissue

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpg Radiation


Chemotherapy - Targets rapidly dividing cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy is considered systemic therapy because it goes everywhere in the body's system. Several common drugs used in chemotherapy for breast cancer include adriamycin, cytoxin, methotrexate, and Taxol.

Hormone Therapy- Breast cancers are frequently dependent on estrogen for their growth. Anti-estrogen hormone therapy starves tumor cells of the estrogen they need to grow, resulting in cancer cell death

One theory is that the death rate will decrease was due to the reduced use of hormone replacement therapy

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpg Biological Therapy

Herceptin, Tykerb, Avastin, and Iressa are drugs used in biological therapy to wipe out the cancer cells in the body's immune system.

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgBone Marrow Transplation:

is a procedure designed to weaken or destroy tissues or cells that cause blood or immune-system diseases, and then to “reset” or replace those tissues or cells to restore healthy function


Risk Factors can be controlled :

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgWeigh

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgDiet

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpg Exercize

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpg Alcohol consumption

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgStress

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgSmoking

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgContraceptives use (birth control)

Risk Facotrs can't be controlled:

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgAge

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgRace

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgRadiation on the chest

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgFamily history

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgPregnancy/ feeding

external image tattoo_large_sm.jpgEstrogen explosure


These pictures show which part of the breast a tumor could be located.


external image breast-cancer-diagram.4.jpg





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http://www.utsa.edu/today/images/graphics/komen.jpg
http://www.menstuff.org/issues/byissue/breastcancer.html

The American Cancer Society
http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/statistics.asp
http://breastcancer.about.com
http://www.seattlecca.org
http://breastcancer.about.com
http://www.thedoctorwillseeyounow.com/articles/womens_health/breastcancer_3/breast1.gif
http://mayoclinic.com/health/breast-cance