Breast Cancer : Articles

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the tissues of the breast. There are two main types of breast cancer: Ductal carcinoma starts in the tubes (ducts) that move milk from the breast to the nipple. Most breast cancers are of this type; Lobular carcinoma starts in parts of the breast, called lobules, that produce milk. In rare cases, breast cancer can start in other areas of the breast. Many breast cancers are sensitive to the hormone estrogen. This means that estrogen causes the breast cancer tumor to grow. Such cancer is called estrogen receptor positive cancer or ER positive cancer. Some women have what's called HER2-positive breast cancer. HER2 refers to a gene that helps cells grow, divide, and repair themselves. When cells have too many copies of this gene, cells - including cancer cells - grow faster. Experts think that women with HER2-positive breast cancer have a more aggressive disease and a higher risk of recurrence than those who do not have this type.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in American women, accounting for approximately 30 percent of their new cancer cases. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, following lung cancer. In the year 2000, it was estimated that there were more than 180,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed, and over 41,000 breast cancer deaths in the United States. Breast cancer incidence rates were steady through the 1990s, although the number of breast cancer deaths declined, decreasing an average of 1.8 percent per year between 1990 and 1996. Breast cancer can be divided into invasive and noninvasive forms. Noninvasive breast cancer is almost always cured through local control measures (surgery and radiation therapy). Tamoxifen (a selective estrogen-receptor modulator), is used to reduce the risk of a local recurrence in patients treated with breast conservation. Early-stage invasive disease is limited to the breast and axillary lymph nodes, while metastatic disease includes tumors that have spread outside the breast and local lymph nodes. Early-stage invasive breast cancer is curable, although less so than noninvasive disease. The first step in the management of early-stage breast cancer is surgical removal of the tumor. This can be accomplished by lumpectomy (removal of the tumor and a margin of surrounding normal breast tissue) or mastectomy (removal of the entire affected breast). Following lumpectomy, patients should receive radiation to the remaining breast tissue to decrease the risk of recurrence. Studies have shown that patients with small tumors who are treated with breast conservation therapy (lumpectomy and radiation) have equivalent survival rates to patients treated with mastectomy. Ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes are removed in order to determine whether the tumor has spread via the lymphatic drainage. Involvement of the ipsilateral lymph nodes is a marker for increased risk of later distant spread of the tumor. Once the tumor is removed, the size of the tumor, hormonal status (estrogen and progesterone receptor), and lymph node involvement is considered in aggregate to determine the overall risk of distant spread of disease. Patients at high risk for recurrent disease can be given systemic therapy in order to decrease the odds of relapse. Systematic therapy circulates throughout the entire body in order to kill microscopic tumor cells. Conventionally this therapy can consist of chemotherapy, hormonal therapy (if the tumor is estrogen- or progesterone-receptor positive), or both. Chemotherapy is typically given to patients with invasive tumors greater than 1 centimeter in largest diameter or with involved (positive) lymph nodes. Patients with hormone receptor—positive tumors or tumors in which the receptor status is unknown benefit from treatment with tamoxifen for five years. Both of these interventions have been shown to decrease both the patient's annual risk of recurrence and the risk of mortality from breast cancer. Tamoxifen also decreases the risk of a second primary breast cancer in the preserved contralateral breast. Breast cancer can metastasize to other organs in the body. Once breast cancer has been detected in distant sites, it is no longer curable. At that stage, the goal of the treatment is to prolong survival while maintaining quality of life. Patients with hormone receptor—positive tumors who are minimally symptomatic and who have predominantly bone disease can frequently be treated with hormonal therapy. This treatment is taken orally and is generally well tolerated. Patients who have hormone receptor—negative tumors, those who have failed hormone therapy, and those who have symptomatic or rapidly progressive disease are frequently treated with chemotherapy. The specific decisions regarding hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and supportive measures require skill, compassion, and a detailed understanding of the numerous treatment options. Established risk factors for br

Noninvasive breast cancer occurs when cancer cells are only in the ducts. Invasive breast cancer occurs when abnormal cells move out of the ducts or lobules into the surrounding breast tissue. Metastasis occurs when cancer cells move into the lymph nodes or bloodstream and travel to another part of the body.

Breast cancer is the abnormal growth and uncontrolled division of cells in the breast. Cancer cells invade and destroy surrounding normal tissue, and can spread throughout the body via blood or lymph fluid (clear fluid bathing body cells) to start a new cancer in another part of the body.

Breast cancer is caused by the development of malignant cells in the breast. The malignant cells originate in the lining of the milk glands or ducts of the breast (ductal epithelium), defining this malignancy as a cancer. Cancer cells are characterized by uncontrolled division leading to abnormal growth and the ability of these cells to invade normal tissue locally or to spread throughout the body, in a process called metastasis .

Breast cancer is a disease in which abnormal breast cells begin to grow uncontrollably, forming tumors. It often shows up as a breast lump, breast thickening, or skin change.

Breast cancer is a disease in which abnormal breast cells begin to grow uncontrollably, forming tumors. It often shows up as a breast lump, breast thickening, or skin change.

Breast cancer is caused by the development of malignant cells in the breast. The malignant cells originate in the lining of the milk glands or ducts of the breast (ductal epithelium), defining this malignancy as a cancer. Cancer cells are characterized by uncontrolled division leading to abnormal growth and the ability of these cells to invade normal tissue locally or to spread throughout the body, in a process called metastasis.

Treating Breast Cancer: Adjuvant TherapyFor more information, talk to your healthcare team or support network.You and your healthcare provider will discuss your treatment options. Weigh all of your options before deciding which is best for you.

Breast cancer is the abnormal growth and uncontrolled division of cells in the breast. Cancer cells can invade and destroy surrounding tissue, and may metastasize (spread) throughout the body via blood or lymph fluid to other parts of the body.