About Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the major threat to
women worldwide, it ranked second in the cause of death in women in
the U.S. Breast cancer 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.
Vast awareness campaign for breast
cancer in the past decades has led to an increase in the number of
women undergoing mammography for screening, create better chance of
survival rate due to early detection.
Still, breast cancer is the most common cause of death in
women between the ages of 45 and 55. Although breast cancer in women
is a common form of cancer,
male breast cancer does occur and accounts for about 1% of all
cancer deaths in men.
Research has yielded much information
about the causes of breast cancers, and it is now believed that
genetic and/or hormonal factors are the primary risk factors for
breast cancer. Staging systems have been developed to allow doctors
to characterize the extent to which a particular cancer has spread
and to make decisions concerning treatment options.
Breast cancer
treatment depends upon many factors, including thee type of cancer
and the extent to which it has spread. Treatment options for breast
cancer may involve surgery (removal of the cancer alone or, in some
cases,
mastectomy),
radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, or
chemotherapy.
With advances in screening,
diagnosis, and treatment, the death rate for breast cancer has
declined by about 20% over the past decade, and research is ongoing
to develop even more effective screening and treatment programs.
Breast Cancer Info
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Statistic in United States shows one in every
eight women develops breast cancer.
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The causes of
breast cancer are not yet fully known although a number of risk
factors have been identified.
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Breast cancer is
diagnosed with self and physician examination of the breasts,
mammography, ultrasound testing, and biopsy.
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There are many
types of breast cancer that differ in their capability of spreading
(metastasize) to other body tissues.
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Treatment of breast
cancer depends on the type and location of the breast cancer, as
well as the age and health of the patient.
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The American Cancer
Society recommends that a woman should have a baseline mammogram
between the ages of 35 and 40 years. Between 40 and 50 years of age
mammograms are recommended every other year. After age 50 years,
yearly mammograms are recommended.
National Cancer
Institute information resources
For more information, the National
Cancer Institute (NCI) services are available to help you.
Telephone
The NCI's Cancer Information Service (CIS) provides accurate,
up-to-date information on cancer to patients and their families,
health professionals, and the general public. Information
Specialists translate the latest scientific information into
understandable language and respond in English, Spanish, or on TTY
equipment. Calls to the CIS are free.
Telephone: 1-800-4-CANCER
(1-800-422-6237)
TTY: 1-800-332-8615
Internet
The NCI's Web site (http://www.cancer.gov) provides information from
numerous NCI sources. It offers current information on cancer
prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, genetics, supportive
care, and ongoing clinical trials. It has information about NCI's
research programs and funding opportunities, cancer statistics, and
the Institute itself.
Many NCI publications can be viewed, downloaded, and ordered from
http://www.cancer.gov/publications on the Internet. In addition,
people in the United States and its territories may order these and
other NCI publications by calling the NCI's Cancer Information
Service at 1-800-4-CANCER.
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