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Breast Cancer - 101


The cancer is a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably invading near by tissue and spreading to other parts of the body via blood stream or lymphatic system.

Similarly, in breast cancer, a single cell begins to divide and grow abnormally. This is the most common kind of cancer in women. Besides being women, age is the other important factor for developing breast cancer. The breast is made up of lobes and ducts. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes, which have many smaller sections called lobules. Lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk. The lobes, lobules, and bulbs are linked by thin tubes called ducts.

The breast cancer is classified into:

-Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
-Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
-Inflammatory breast cancer
-Recurrent breast cancer

The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the cells of the ducts. Cancer that begins in the lobes or lobules is called lobular carcinoma and is more often found in both breasts than are other types of breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer is an uncommon type of breast cancer in which the breast is warm, red, and swollen. Recurrent breast cancer that has come back after it has been treated. Early detection through regular breast self-exams and a regular program of mammogram and physical exams show excellent results in curing it. Breast self exam is the process developed by the American cancer society for women to examine the breasts monthly. This process can reveal breast problem. Any swelling or unusual lumps or hardness in the breast is the indication of breast disease and a reason to rush to your doctor.

There are various factors, which increases the chance of getting disease as a breast cancer. Like:

1) Older age
2) A mother or sister with breast cancer.
3) Drinking alcoholic beverages.
4) Being white.
5) Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest.

Women who have an altered gene related to breast cancer and who have had breast cancer in one breast have an increased risk of developing breast cancer in the other breast. These women also have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, and may have an increased risk of developing other cancers.

Tests related to detect and diagnose breast cancer are:

1) Mammogram - In which X ray is done of the breast.

2) Biopsy - The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer. If a lump in the breast is found, the doctor may need to cut out a small piece of the lump.

3) Estrogen and progesterone receptor test: A test to measure the amount of estrogen and progesterone (hormones) receptors in cancer tissue. If cancer is found in the breast, tissue from the tumor is examined in the laboratory to find out whether estrogen and progesterone could affect the way cancer grows. The test results show whether hormone therapy may stop the cancer from growing.

There are different 4 types of treatment option for breast cancer patients:

1) Surgery- Most patients with breast cancer have surgery to remove the cancer from the breast.

2) Radiation therapy - Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells.

3) Chemotherapy -Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing.

4) Hormone therapy - Hormone therapy is a cancer treatment that removes hormones or blocks their action and stops cancer cells from growing. Hormones are substances produced by glands in the body and circulated in the bloodstream.

For latest information about Breast Cancer please visit medicineworld.org. You can get more information through dedicated breast cancer message board, breast cancer support forum at bcancer.com


MORE RESOURCES:

BBC News

Breast cancer gene-free baby born
BBC News, UK - 3 hours ago
The first baby in the UK tested before conception for a genetic form of breast cancer has been born. Doctors at University College London said the girl and ...
Birth of first British baby to be genetically screened for breast ... Times Online
Baby born free of cancer gene AFP
Britain's first cancer-free designer baby born after being ... Daily Mail
Marie Claire.co.uk - Monsters and Critics.com
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TopNews

Hauptman closer to breast cancer cure
Bizjournals.com, NC - Jan 7, 2009
Breast cancer remains the second-leading cause of cancer death in women. Though there are different types, more than 75 percent of all breast cancer tumors ...
Structure Of Key Breast Cancer Target Enzyme Unraveled Science Daily (press release)
Structure Of Key Breast Cancer Target Enzyme Unraveled Examiner.com
Tremendous breast cancer WIVB
WKBW-TV - Chemistry World
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TriCities.com

Even with Breast Cancer, Healthy Diet Counts
Medfinds, WA - 4 hours ago
By Suzanne Dixon, MPH, MS, RD Healthnotes Newswire (January 8, 2009)—For women with a history of breast cancer, information on healthy nutrition for cancer ...
Healthy Diet Can’t Hurt, May Help Breast Cancer Patients Cancer Consultants
Budget crisis may shut Adelphi breast cancer hotline Newsday
Race May Not Affect Survival of Women with Triple Receptor ... Cancerpage.com
TriCities.com - The Jewish Chronicle
all 28 news articles


Scientists developing breast cancer 'vaccine'
Foster's Daily Democrat, NH - 5 hours ago
Thomas Kieber-Emmons, director of basic breast cancer research at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, said the vaccine was developed over a ...


Researchers study breast cancer, bone marrow link with trial
Desert Valley Times, UT - 1 hour ago
GEORGE - At first, Chris Gunn was reluctant to participate in a clinical trial for breast cancer that required the removal of some bone marrow. ...


Breast cancer in men often detected late
Reuters - Jan 7, 2009
Among 244 men with breast cancer, only 57 underwent preoperative mammography or sonography, and that was because of clear signs of a problem: 54 had a ...
Breast Cancer in Men: One In 100 eMaxHealth.com
Healthy Living: detoxing your system, and screening for breast cancer KSBY
Breast Cancer Detection KARK
Examiner.com - Beaumont Enterprise
all 14 news articles


UK's first breast cancer gene screen baby born
Reuters UK, UK - 52 minutes ago
LONDON (Reuters) - The first baby girl in Britain to have been screened before conception for a genetic form of breast cancer has been born, doctors said on ...


Canada.com

Newly identified gene plays major role in breast cancer metastasis ...
HemOncToday, NJ - 22 hours ago
“This is probably one of the first examples of a novel class of dual functional breast cancer genes that cause both metastasis and chemoresistance,” said ...
Study links breast cancer spread, gene Baltimore Sun
Gene Linked to Poor Breast Cancer Outcomes Ivanhoe
Researchers Find Breast Cancer Gene, Spur Hope for New Drugs Bloomberg
Science Daily (press release) - Princeton University The Daily Princetonian
all 116 news articles


Breast cancer in men often remains undetected
TopNews, Arkansas - 9 hours ago
Breast cancer, which affects one in every hundred men, is often detected at a later stage. Even the mammography detects them as benign. ...


Breast Cancer’s Hidden Side Effect: ImpediMed Aims to Spot Slow ...
Xconomy, MA - 5 hours ago
One of the ugly side effects of breast cancer treatment is lymphedema. This condition can happen when surgeons cut out a tumor in the breast, ...

Breast-Cancer - Google News

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