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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and plenty of people are actively working on a cure for the cause. Learning the disease basics is the first step.
Breast cancer is the development of abnormal, rapidly growing cells within the breast tissue. These cells can emerge in the milk ducts (ductal carcinoma), in the breast lobules or milk-producing tissue (lobular carcinoma), or block the lymph vessels in the skin (inflammatory breast cancer.) Invasive ductal carcinoma accounts for more than 80% of all invasive breast cancers. Invasive lobular carcinoma makes up about 10% of cases, and inflammatory breast cancer, the rarest form, accounts for about 1 – 3% of cases. Non-invasive carcinomas (termed carcinomas “in situ”) are considered precancerous situations that should be closely monitored. Breast Cancer Risk FactorsBreast cancer risk factors fall into two categories: inherent (unchangeable) and lifestyle (changeable.) Factors that cannot be changed include: age (the risk goes up as women get older), family and/or personal history of breast cancer, genetic risk factors, race (white women have the highest risk), radiation exposure at a young age, an early menstrual period (before age 12), or a late menopause (after age 55.) Lifestyle factors that increase breast cancer risk include: extended use of birth control pills (4+ years), having children after age 30, postmenopausal hormone therapy, smoking, excessive drinking, and/or being overweight. Symptoms of Breast CancerChanges in the appearance and feel of the breast can indicate breast cancer. Such changes include a lump or thickening in the breast tissue or in the underarm, distortion or indentation of the nipple, or reddening/irritation of the breast skin. Other breast changes include nipple discharge (bloody or clear fluid), pain, or warm/hot skin. Although most breast lumps are not cancerous, it is still important to see a doctor if a lump, or any of the above-mentioned symptoms, are discovered. United States Breast Cancer StatisticsThe facts prove the importance of breast cancer awareness. Breast cancer is the second most common form of carcinoma among women in the U.S., after skin cancer, and it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women (after lung cancer.) The risk of developing invasive breast cancer in a woman's lifetime is 1 in 8. Dying from it happens to 1 in 35 women. Approximately 180,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2008, and approximately 40,000 will die from it this year. For Further Reference:For more information about women's health, see the Women's Health homepage and Article Index.
The copyright of the article Breast Cancer Facts in Breast Health is owned by Jennifer Gerics. Permission to republish Breast Cancer Facts in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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