Information on Breast Cancer

Information on Breast Cancer

Author: Joyce Turner

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.

Breast cancer incidence is much higher in industrialised Western countries, whether in Europe or North America, than in developing countries. North American women have the highest incidence of in the world. Among women in the U.S., is the most common cancer and the second-most common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer).  Women in the U.S. have a 1 in 8 (12.5%) lifetime chance of developing invasive and a 1 in 35 (3%) chance of causing their death. In 2007, was expected to cause 40,910 deaths in the U.S. (7% of cancer deaths; almost 2% of all deaths)

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 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.

Breast cancer is the number one disease that women in the United States fear the most, and for compelling reasons. It is the leading cause of death among women between 40 and 55 years of age and is the second overall cause of death among women (exceeded only by lung cancer). Unfortunately, it is also on

Experiment seeks blood test for breast cancer (Reuters)
Reuters - An experimental approach that looks for the DNA leaking out from dead and dying cells may provide a route to a blood test for breast cancer, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
Breast Cancer Patients Often Confused by Genomic Testing (HealthDay)
HealthDay - MONDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors need to do a better job of explaining genomic test results to breast cancer patients, say U.S. researchers.
Certain Bone Drugs May Lower Breast Cancer Risk (HealthDay)
HealthDay - FRIDAY, March 5 (HealthDay News) -- Some types of bone-building drugs used to prevent and treat osteoporosis might reduce the risk of breast cancer, according to new research.
Freezing Technique May Stop Breast Cancer (HealthDay)
HealthDay - FRIDAY, March 5 (HealthDay News) -- Freezing breast tumors helped stop the spread of the cancer in mice, a new study has found.
Radiation Most Effective Soon After Breast Cancer Surgery (HealthDay)
HealthDay - THURSDAY, March 4 (HealthDay News) -- For women who have had breast cancer surgery, the question of whether or not to wait before receiving radiation therapy has been answered by new research that suggests that the longer women wait, the greater the chance of cancer recurrence.
Plant-focused diet may curb breast cancer risk (Reuters)
Reuters - Diets high in vegetables, fruits and soy might cut the risk of developing breast cancer by 30 percent, new research suggests.
Preventive Mastectomy in Opposite Breast Boosts Survival Only Slightly (HealthDay)
HealthDay - THURSDAY, Feb. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Women with breast cancer who choose to have a preventive mastectomy on their disease-free breast do reduce their risk of cancer in that breast, studies have shown.
Access to Mammograms Drops After Guidelines Change (HealthDay)
HealthDay - TUESDAY, Feb. 23 (HealthDay News) -- In some states, access to mammograms for women ages 40 to 49 has decreased since new breast cancer screening guidelines were released in November by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, according to a new survey.
Bitter Melon Extract May Slow, Stop Breast Cancer (HealthDay)
HealthDay - TUESDAY, Feb. 23 (HealthDay News) -- A popular nutritional supplement -- extract of bitter melon -- may help protect women from breast cancer, researchers say.
Mammogram Plus MRI Cost-Effective in High-Risk Women (HealthDay)
HealthDay - TUESDAY, Feb. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Annual screening with both mammography and MRI appears to be a cost-effective way to improve life expectancy in women at high risk for breast cancer, U.S. researchers say.

the rise worldwide. According to the American Cancer Society, this year about 175,000 new cases of invasive and about 43,300 deaths from will occur among women in the USA.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy affecting women in North America and Europe. Close to 200,000 cases of were diagnosed in the United States in 2001. is the second leading cause of cancer death in American women behind lung cancer. The lifetime risk of any particular woman getting is about 1 in 8 although the lifetime risk of dying from is much lower at 1 in 28. Men are also at risk for development of breast cancer, although this risk is much lower than it is for women.

Breast cancer is more easily treated and often curable if it is found early. Monthly breast self-examinations should begin at age 20. Recommended screening methods include breast self-examination and mammography.

The most serious cancers are metastatic cancers. Metastasis means that the cancer has spread from the place where it started into other tissues distant from the original tumor site. The most common place for to metastasize is into the lymph nodes under the arm or above the collarbone on the same side as the cancer. Other common sites of metastasis are the brain, the bones, and the liver.

Death rates from have been gradually declining and continue to decline. These decreases are likely due both to increased awareness and screening and improved treatment methods.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/information-on-breast-cancer-384505.html

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