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What is breast cancer |
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Breast cancer is a disease that develops when abnormal
cells from the breast tissue grow out of control.
Most lumps in the breast
are benign (not cancerous). In general, benign breast lumps do not increase a woman’s
risk of developing breast cancer. Any new lumps found in the breast should be checked
by your health care professional.
In situ refers
to the earliest stage of cancer, when it is limited to a small number of cells and
has not spread.
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- Lobular carcinoma
in situ (LCIS) consists of abnormal cells that begin in the lobules (where
milk is produced) of the breast. LCIS may never spread further.
- Ductal carcinoma in
situ (DCIS) consists of cancer cells that begin in the ducts (tubes that carry
milk from the lobules to the nipple) and have not yet spread to other parts of the
breast. DCIS is best found with a mammogram.
Invasive is a word that describes cancers that have spread
to the surrounding tissue and have the potential to spread to other parts of the
body. The 2 major types of invasive breast cancer are invasive lobular carcinoma
and invasive ductal carcinoma.
- Invasive lobular carcinoma
accounts for about 10% of invasive breast cancers. It begins in the lobules of the
breast.
- Invasive ductal carcinoma
begins in the ducts of the breasts and has begun to spread to other breast tissue.
It accounts for about 80% of invasive breast cancers.
Less common types of breast cancer are inflammatory breast
cancer, mixed tumors, medullary cancer, metaplastic carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma,
Paget disease of the nipple, tubular carcinoma, papillary carcinoma, adenoid cystic
carcinoma, phyllodes tumor, and angiosarcoma. These will not be discussed here,
however, you may refer to the Related Links section of this web page for other sites
that will have extensive lists of the less common types of breast cancers.
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Signs and symptoms of breast cancer
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The symptoms of breast cancer include: A lump or thickening
of the breast Bloody discharge from the nipple Retraction or pulling back of the
nipple into the breast Scaly skin around the nipple, or other changes in skin color
or texture Swelling, redness or the sensation of heat in the breast A lump in the
armpit Unusual, persistent pain or tenderness in the breast, arm or chest wall Talk
with your health care professional about any questions you may have.
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What are the risk factors for
breast cancer? |
Risk factors for breast cancer include:
- Age (Breast cancer can
occur at any age, but the chance of having breast cancer is higher in women age
45 and older.)
- Having a prior personal
history of breast cancer.
- Having a family (mother,
sister or daughter) history of breast cancer, especially if it was detected premenopausally
(before menopause).
- Having had high-dose radiation therapy to the chest (for example, in the treatment of Hodgkin’s disease), especially
if this treatment occurred between the ages of 11 and 30.
- Having your first child
after age 30 or never giving birth to a child.
- Early menstruation (before
age 13) or late menopause (after age 55), both of which result in a woman menstruating
over a longer period of time.
- Having inherited a mutation
in breast cancer susceptibility genes such as BRCA1 or BRCA2.
- Having certain benign
breast conditions return as abnormal biopsy results due to excessive growth of cells
in the tissue.
- Being overweight or gaining
weight after menopause.
- Taking postmenopausal
hormones (or hormone replacement therapy) after menopause.
- Having more than 3 alcoholic
drinks per day.
- Taking birth control pills.
Women have a slightly elevated risk while they are taking the pills. Once they stop,
their risk returns to that of women who never used birth control pills.
Possible risk factors:
- Not eating enough fruits
and vegetables.
- Environmental exposures
(for example, certain pesticides and PCBs).
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