1. What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that originates from breast tissue. Malignant tumor itself is a group of cancer cells which invade the surrounding tissues; it can also spread to other parts of the body which are not directly related to the affected area.

2. How does it occur?

This disease is caused by the mutation or abnormal changes in our genes which trigger the overgrowth of cancerous cells. What normally happens in our body is that when old cells die, they are replaced with new ones. If a genetic mutation occurs, the cells rapidly grow and multiply out of control to form a tumor. The malignant tumor is what we call cancer.

3. What are the warning signs?

One of the most common symptoms of the disease is the presence of a lump in the breast. Abnormal lumps can also be found in the lymph nodes of the armpit. Other symptoms include the change in size, shape, and tenderness of the breast, inversion of the nipple, skin dimpling, and bloody or clear discharge from the nipple.

4. I have breast cancer history in my family. Can I inherit the disease?

Every woman or man can be affected by the disease regardless his or her family history. Although indeed family history increase your risk of getting the cancer, in fact, only 10-15% of all breast cancer cases are believed to be caused by inherited gene mutation. About 80% of women who are diagnosed with the disease do not have family history of the disease.

5. What factors can increase my risk of getting the cancer?

The disease may be caused by many factors including sex, age, race, as well as childbearing and breastfeeding. Women aged 55 or older or those who give birth for the first time after the age of 30 have higher chance of getting the cancer. In the U.S., Caucasian women are also more prone than African American women. On the other hand, women from Native American, Asian, and Hispanic origins have lower risk.

6. Does it also occur in men?

The disease can also occur in men, although very rarely. However, breast cancer cases in men tend to be more serious due to late diagnosis.

7. I am diagnosed with this cancer recently. Can it be cured? What are my odds of surviving?

The chance of survival from the disease depends greatly on what stage it is at. The earlier it is detected, the more likely it can be cured. Thanks to modern medical technology, new diagnostic techniques offer more accurate diagnosis. A patient may undergo treatments such as hormone therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery depending on the type and stage of the cancer.

By David Dodiros

Yet another reason to make some changes in the way you live, especially if you're worried about breast cancer survival rates. A new model created estimates that alterations to lifestyle habits like losing weight, getting more exercise and drinking less alcohol - all within our direct control - could see a reduction in the number of breast cancer cases.

Earlier models of breast cancer risk were based on factors that a woman could not change - family history, and aging for example, so they weren't able to pinpoint the effect of lifestyle choices a woman might make.

The model was developed with data from a case controlled study based in Italy that included 5,000 women and accounted for three risk factors that might be changed:
- alcohol consumption
- being active
- body mass index (BMI)

And five that are impossible (or difficult) to change:
- family history
- employment
- reproductive history
- biopsy history
- education.

Using the model, the researchers saw that it predicted improvements in the risk factors able to be modified - bringing a 1.6% drop (equal to 16,000 less cases) in the mean 20 year risk for a female population aged 65.

There was over a 3% reduction for those who had a family history of disease, and an impressive 4.1% drop for those who had the most risk factors that could not be changed.

The team recognizes that calling for women to make all these lifestyle changes might be unrealistic. And we can't assume these results apply to subjects in nations beyond Italy. Still, these findings will help create public health programs that encourage women to adopt lifestyle changes to keep themselves healthy.

The good news is that the findings will also help medical professionals counsel women on the risk reduction she might achieve by making some simple behavior changes.

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in the United States. In 2010 alone, 201,000 U.S. women were diagnosed with dangerous, disfiguring breast cancer, with just under 40,000 dying as a result of the disease.

Over the course of a lifetime, your own risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is one in eight. Today our awareness of the toll of this devastating disease has become mainstream, modern research helping improve not only the diagnosis but the treatment of breast cancer as well. Survival rates have gone up thanks to earlier detection, better treatments and an all around improved understanding of the disease itself.

Still, if you're worried about your own risk, this model shows that there are changes you can make to help yourself.
- Reduce your alcohol intake to a maximum of one drink a day.
- Do what you can to get your BMI in the normal range, and
- Be active (150 minutes/week of moderate activity) on a regular basis.

You'll also want to have the screenings recommended for you, at the right age, and report any change (or lump) in your breasts to your doctor, even if you've just had an exam or normal mammogram.

By Kirsten Whittaker

In the U.S., over 90 percent of breast cancer diagnoses happen during the early breast cancer stages. Early detection is good news for the patient as it often translates to effective treatment.

Other disease characteristics, like hormone receptors and lymph nodes, can aid in prognosing results and help doctors and patients choose the right treatment.

Although breast cancer is on the rise in North America and the UK, the mortality rate is decreasing. This decline in mortality is credited to an increased number of women obtaining mammograms, improved evaluation techniques, and effective ancillary treatments.

Thus if the majority of diagnosed breast cancer cases are discovered during the preliminary stages, what effect does that have on patients and what are the best treatment courses?

The Early Stages of Breast Cancer
Earlier breast cancer stages are called TNM stages 1, 2 and 3a. This scoring system approximates how far the carcinoma has advanced. Most instances of early-stage breast cancer are curable through surgery, radiation therapy or systemic therapy. The survival rate for patients diagnosed this early have a 5-year success rate of over 75%.

Normal Treatment Reactions
Treatment reaction generally hinges on lymph node engagement, the size and grade of any tumors, the age of the patient, hormone (estrogen and progesterone) receptors, and the status or condition of biologic markers like HER2/neu.

Lymph Node Indicators
Lymph nodes are an effective way to predict the effects of breast cancer. Essentially, the more positive lymph nodes that are present, the lower the patient's survival rate and the higher the chances of relapse. Commonly, patients with earlier stage breast cancer are classified into those presenting negative nodes, 1 to 3 positive lymph nodes, 4 to 9 positive nodes, or 10 and more nodes.

Tumor Size
If a patient exhibits negative lymph nodes and a tumor that is smaller than 1cm, the prognosis is often very good. Most doctors use tumor size as an effective and critical indicator during the early stages of this disease.

The Grade of Tumor
As the grade of the tumor increases, so does the potential relapse rate?

Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors
Estrogen and progesterone receptors within the tumor are also used to prognosticate breast cancer during the earlier stages. Generally, those patients with a receptor-positive form of breast cancer tend to have a better prognosis and survival rate than those who don't.

HER2/neu as an Indicator
HER2/neu is what's called a marker - it's a biological element typically present in the body or within the tumor in about 25% of all breast cancer cases. When HER2/neu levels are high, that usually translates to a more aggressive variety of breast cancer and a worse prognosis.

Age of the Patient
Generally, patients who are older (50 and up) have a better prognosis than patients under the age of 35.

Breast Cancer Facts
The breast cancer signs and symptoms can be widely different for every woman. Some experience lumps, some experience skin changes that appear quite drastic and other women get no definite signs of breast cancer.

Some women experience similar signs and symptoms of breast cancer when it may just be a simple infection or maybe a cyst. All women of all ages – from teens upwards – should check their breasts for unusual lumps and bumps. If you think you find a lump or your breasts feel and look different, it is best to get an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible.

The prognosis of a diagnosis for breast cancer can sometimes take many weeks and can include many different types of testing to undergo. This can be extremely frustrating and quite an upsetting time in any woman’s life. You can sit down with your doctors and formulate some kind of plan for treatment which will be specifically tailored just for you.

There are a few myths surrounding breast cancer and the breast cancer facts.

Some people believe that breast cancer only becomes a risk when you are older.

Some people also believe that if breast cancer doesn’t run in the family they won’t actually get breast cancer. It is thought that nearly 80 percent of women who have had breast cancer have no family history of the disease.

It was reported years ago that antiperspirants can put women at risk of developing breast cancer. This is unfounded and has never been proved that a link between using antiperspirants and breast cancer even exists. It has also been reported that using birth control pills can contribute to a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. There are many studies done over time that show no founded link between the two. One of the studies combined all the information received from all of the other studies and found a very slight increase. This increase was over time, but was not significant enough actually prove the link.

There has also been a lot of press about the association of high fat foods and the risk of breast cancer. While eating high fat foods isn’t good for health, there is no definitive research that the link between eating fatty foods and breast cancer actually exists. This could be a misinterpretation of the link between obesity and breast cancer which does actually exist and has been proven many times. If you make a lifestyle choice and eat lots of high fat foods, you will eventually become overweight and possibly obese. This will then in turn, increase your risk of developing breast cancer at a later date.