There are 7 risk factors for my type of breast cancer and I have 6 of the 7.
1) I am over 50. 2) I am obese. 3) My breasts are dense. 4) I started menstruating at age 10 1/2 and completely finished at 54. 5) I delivered my only child at age 36. 6) I took birth control pills for over 30 years. 7) Started at age 18 and until I was 53.
Risk Factors
Doctors have established a genetic link in about 5% of breast cancer cases, so a family history of cancer can put one at risk. Other common factors include:
- Age: About 80% of breast cancers affect women over 50.
- Obesity: Women who have a body mass index (BMI) over 30 are more likely to develop cancer. The risk is even greater if the excess weight was gained after menopause.
- Early menstruation/late menopause: Women who got their periods before age 12, or enter menopause after 55, are more at risk of developing breast cancer. This may be because the breasts are exposed to estrogen for a longer period.
- Late pregnancy: Breast cancer is more common in women who have their first full-term pregnancy after age 30. It isn’t clear why, but studies show that early pregnancies may prevent the genetic mutations caused by estrogen exposure.
- Radiation exposure: Women who have received radiation treatments to the chest, particularly when during breast development, are more likely to get breast cancer later on.
- Medications: Women who have been on hormone therapy or birth control pills for four or more years have a higher risk of breast cancer.
- Breast density: Breasts are considered “dense” when there is a high ratio of tissue to fat. Women with dense breasts are more likely to get breast cancer, although doctors aren’t sure why.
Cancer Types
Cancer is a class of diseases in which cells divide without control or order. The over-division of cells results in a structure known as a tumor. Not all tumors are cancerous. In order to be classified as a Cancer, a tumor must destroy adjacent tissues.
Non-cancerous (benign) tumors do not invade into surrounding tissues, and they do not spread to other parts of the body (metastasis).
There are more than 200 different types of cancer, each with a unique variety of signs and symptoms, diagnostic and staging features, and treatment options.
Most cancer types are subcategorized into a variety of oncology classifications. Learn more about theOncology Classifications of Cancer.
Cancer is a class of diseases in which cells divide without control or order. The over-division of cells results in a structure known as a tumor. Not all tumors are cancerous. In order to be classified as a Cancer, a tumor must destroy adjacent tissues.
Non-cancerous (benign) tumors do not invade into surrounding tissues, and they do not spread to other parts of the body (metastasis).
There are more than 200 different types of cancer, each with a unique variety of signs and symptoms, diagnostic and staging features, and treatment options.
Most cancer types are subcategorized into a variety of oncology classifications. Learn more about theOncology Classifications of Cancer.
Cancer Symptoms
Cancer patients experience a wide variety of symptoms. Each cancer’s symptoms depend on the type and stage of the malignancy (cancerous growth), and the patient’s overall health. Some cancers produce no specific symptoms, underlining the importance of regular cancer screenings, as well as risk factor minimization. Learn more about the Symptoms of Cancer.
Cancer Stages
Cancer staging is determined by the size, location, and behavior of a cancer. A cancer’s “stage” is a descriptor, or identity (usually a Roman Numeral between I and IV) that influences the treatment and outlook (prognosis) of the cancer. Learn more about the Stages of Cancer.
Cancer Treatment
The various stages of cancer require unique treatment strategies. Treating late-stage cancers, for example, may involve a variety of therapies and treatment modalities aimed at reducing the cancer’s symptoms. Treating early-stage cancers, on the other hand, may involve a simple curative procedure.
Cancer treatment differs depending on the unique characteristics of each cancer and patient. The appropriate treatment strategy relies on a number of factors, including the type, size, and location of the cancer, as well as the patient’s medical history and overall health.
There are several standard treatment modalities available for cancer, such as chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. These treatment modalities are designed to complement an array of cancers and physical scenarios. Many cancer patients also incorporate alternative therapies into their cancer treatment plan. Talk to your doctor about the best treatment strategy for you. Learn more about Cancer Treatment
Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death affecting North American women. Around the globe, breast cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer death. This disease also affects men, but breast cancer is diagnosed 100 times less frequently in men than it is in women.
Breast cancer develops when cells displaying uncontrolled growth, invasion, and/or metastasis arise in the breast. In conversational usage, the word “breast” is used to identify the part of a woman’s body that contains the mammary glands (glands that produce milk to feed infants). In medical usage, the word “breast” identifies the upper portion of the human torso.
Learn more about the symptoms of breast cancer, breast cancer stages and breast cancer treatment. You can also check out the National Breast Cancer Foundation for more info.
Men and women have breasts that arise from the same embryological tissue. During puberty, estrogen and other sex hormones promote breast development in females. As a result, the adult female breast is a more prominent structure than the male breast.
Breast Cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death affecting North American women. Around the globe, breast cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer death. This disease also affects men, but breast cancer is diagnosed 100 times less frequently in men than it is in women.
Breast cancer develops when cells displaying uncontrolled growth, invasion, and/or metastasis arise in the breast. In conversational usage, the word “breast” is used to identify the part of a woman’s body that contains the mammary glands (glands that produce milk to feed infants). In medical usage, the word “breast” identifies the upper portion of the human torso.
Learn more about the symptoms of breast cancer, breast cancer stages and breast cancer treatment. You can also check out the National Breast Cancer Foundation for more info.
Men and women have breasts that arise from the same embryological tissue. During puberty, estrogen and other sex hormones promote breast development in females. As a result, the adult female breast is a more prominent structure than the male breast.
Breast Cancer Risk Factors
Most risk factors associated with the various types of breast cancer, such as age and gender, cannot be avoided. Other risk factors, such as tobacco use, lack of exercise, and a poor diet, are the effects of lifestyle choices.
Breast cancer’s single greatest risk factor is being female. Other than this unavoidable quality, most breast cancers are diagnosed in the absence of any recognizable risk factors.
Common risk factors of breast cancer include:
- Gender: Women are almost 100 times more likely to develop this disease than men.
- Age: Approximately 80% of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50. Women over the age of 85 have a 1 in 8 chance of developing the disease.
- Family History: If you have a mother, sister, or daughter who developed breast cancer before age 50, your chances of developing the disease are doubled. Statistics also indicate that your breast cancer risk is elevated if you have any extended relatives, male or female, who have been diagnosed with the disease. In spite of familial risks, most breast cancer diagnoses are attributed to random, non-inherited cancer.
- Radiation Exposure: One of the side effects of radiation treatment, or radiotherapy, is elevated cancer risk. This risk is more serious if you received the treatment during breast development (adolescence).
- Obesity: Statistics indicate that obese women are more likely to develop breast cancer than women of a healthy weight.
- Pregnancy Late in Life: Women who have their first full-term pregnancy after age 30 are more likely to develop breast cancer.
- No Pregnancy: Women who have never become pregnant are more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Ethnicity: Caucasian women develop more breast cancers than women of any other race or ethnicity. Black women, however, are the most likely to die as a result of breast cancer.
- Tobacco Use: Studies have produced mixed results regarding the link between breast cancer and smoking, but limiting your exposure to tobacco smoke will undoubtedly improve the quality of your health.
- Early Menstruation: Women who began menstruating before age 12 are more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Late Menopause: Women who enter menopause after age 55 are more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Birth Control: Some evidence suggests that breast cancer development may be related to the long-term use of birth control pills.
- Alcohol Consumption: Studies suggest that women who drink more than one alcoholic beverage per day are 20% more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Breast Density: Breasts that are described as “dense” can make breast cancer diagnosis more difficult. Dense breast tissue looks solid and white (similar to a tumor) in most imaging tests, such as an x-ray. Furthermore, dense breast tissue can be difficult to distinguish from a tumor during a mammogram.
- Hormone Therapy: Menopausal symptoms are often treated with a hormone combination of estrogen and progesterone. This hormone treatment may elevate your breast cancer risk.
Most risk factors associated with the various types of breast cancer, such as age and gender, cannot be avoided. Other risk factors, such as tobacco use, lack of exercise, and a poor diet, are the effects of lifestyle choices.
Breast cancer’s single greatest risk factor is being female. Other than this unavoidable quality, most breast cancers are diagnosed in the absence of any recognizable risk factors.
Common risk factors of breast cancer include:
- Gender: Women are almost 100 times more likely to develop this disease than men.
- Age: Approximately 80% of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50. Women over the age of 85 have a 1 in 8 chance of developing the disease.
- Family History: If you have a mother, sister, or daughter who developed breast cancer before age 50, your chances of developing the disease are doubled. Statistics also indicate that your breast cancer risk is elevated if you have any extended relatives, male or female, who have been diagnosed with the disease. In spite of familial risks, most breast cancer diagnoses are attributed to random, non-inherited cancer.
- Radiation Exposure: One of the side effects of radiation treatment, or radiotherapy, is elevated cancer risk. This risk is more serious if you received the treatment during breast development (adolescence).
- Obesity: Statistics indicate that obese women are more likely to develop breast cancer than women of a healthy weight.
- Pregnancy Late in Life: Women who have their first full-term pregnancy after age 30 are more likely to develop breast cancer.
- No Pregnancy: Women who have never become pregnant are more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Ethnicity: Caucasian women develop more breast cancers than women of any other race or ethnicity. Black women, however, are the most likely to die as a result of breast cancer.
- Tobacco Use: Studies have produced mixed results regarding the link between breast cancer and smoking, but limiting your exposure to tobacco smoke will undoubtedly improve the quality of your health.
- Early Menstruation: Women who began menstruating before age 12 are more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Late Menopause: Women who enter menopause after age 55 are more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Birth Control: Some evidence suggests that breast cancer development may be related to the long-term use of birth control pills.
- Alcohol Consumption: Studies suggest that women who drink more than one alcoholic beverage per day are 20% more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Breast Density: Breasts that are described as “dense” can make breast cancer diagnosis more difficult. Dense breast tissue looks solid and white (similar to a tumor) in most imaging tests, such as an x-ray. Furthermore, dense breast tissue can be difficult to distinguish from a tumor during a mammogram.
- Hormone Therapy: Menopausal symptoms are often treated with a hormone combination of estrogen and progesterone. This hormone treatment may elevate your breast cancer risk.
Breast Cancer Outlook
The outlook for breast cancer patients depends on the size, location, and behavior of the tumor, as well as the patient’s overall health. Because breast cancer diagnoses are so common, it is one of the most deadly cancers affecting women around the world.
Approximately 88% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will live for ten years after the diagnosis. Learn more about breast cancer survival rates.
The outlook for breast cancer patients depends on the size, location, and behavior of the tumor, as well as the patient’s overall health. Because breast cancer diagnoses are so common, it is one of the most deadly cancers affecting women around the world.
Approximately 88% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will live for ten years after the diagnosis. Learn more about breast cancer survival rates.
Approximately 88% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will live for ten years after the diagnosis. Learn more about breast cancer survival rates.
Breast Cancer Prevention
It is very difficult to prevent a disease that typically occurs in the absence of risk factors. Here are a few measures that may be observed to help prevent breast cancer:
- Consume Alcohol in Moderation: A clear link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer has been established. To reduce your risk, limit your alcohol consumption to one beverage per day.
- Diet and Exercise: Eat a balanced diet of fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables, as well as meats that are low in fats and nitrates. Find an exercise routine that complements your body and schedule. Healthy diet and exercise will reduce breast cancer risk and improve your overall health.
- Cook with Olive Oil: Olive oils primary component, oleic acid, has been shown to suppress the development of breast cancer. Oleic acid also supports the effectiveness of many anti-cancer drugs.
- Preventive Surgery: This is an extreme measure designed to complement high-risk women:
- Prophylactic Mastectomy: This is the surgical removal of one or both breasts. This option is worthy of consideration if you have already had cancer in one breast or you have received results from genetic tests that indicate a high-level of breast cancer risk.
- Prophylactic Oophorectomy: This is the surgical removal of the ovaries. Typically, this procedure is used to prevent or treat ovarian cancer, but it also reduces breast cancer risk.
- Chemoprevention: A class of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) has been shown to reduce breast cancer risk in high-risk women. Examples of these drugs include Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) and Raloxifene (Evista).
It is very difficult to prevent a disease that typically occurs in the absence of risk factors. Here are a few measures that may be observed to help prevent breast cancer:
- Consume Alcohol in Moderation: A clear link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer has been established. To reduce your risk, limit your alcohol consumption to one beverage per day.
- Diet and Exercise: Eat a balanced diet of fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables, as well as meats that are low in fats and nitrates. Find an exercise routine that complements your body and schedule. Healthy diet and exercise will reduce breast cancer risk and improve your overall health.
- Cook with Olive Oil: Olive oils primary component, oleic acid, has been shown to suppress the development of breast cancer. Oleic acid also supports the effectiveness of many anti-cancer drugs.
- Preventive Surgery: This is an extreme measure designed to complement high-risk women:
- Prophylactic Mastectomy: This is the surgical removal of one or both breasts. This option is worthy of consideration if you have already had cancer in one breast or you have received results from genetic tests that indicate a high-level of breast cancer risk.
- Prophylactic Oophorectomy: This is the surgical removal of the ovaries. Typically, this procedure is used to prevent or treat ovarian cancer, but it also reduces breast cancer risk.
- Chemoprevention: A class of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) has been shown to reduce breast cancer risk in high-risk women. Examples of these drugs include Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) and Raloxifene (Evista).
Ductal, Lobular & Medullary Neoplasms
Ductal, lobular, and medullary neoplasms are three of the main types of breast cancer.
Unlike most cancers, they are differentiated according to location rather than the cell or tissue type. Each one develops differently and has a different prognosis and treatment.
The most common type is ductal cancer, which occurs in the lining of the milk ducts. This cancer occurs in two forms: ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which is confined to the milk ducts; and infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC), which invades the surrounding tissue. Ductal cancers account for 70% of all cancer cases.
Lobular cancers occur in the lobules, the small sacs containing milk-producing glands. Like IDC, it can spread to surrounding tissue and eventually to other organs. Because the lobules are located deeper in the breast, lobular cancers are harder to detect in traditional mammograms.
Medullary cancers account for about 5% of cases. They are technically a type of IDC, but are differentiated because they resemble a part of the brain called the medulla. These cancers can be hard to detect in the early stages, but since they are slow-growing, they usually have a better prognosis than other invasive types.
Risk Factors
Doctors have established a genetic link in about 5% of breast cancer cases, so a family history of cancer can put one at risk. Other common factors include:
- Age: About 80% of breast cancers affect women over 50.
- Obesity: Women who have a body mass index (BMI) over 30 are more likely to develop cancer. The risk is even greater if the excess weight was gained after menopause.
- Early menstruation/late menopause: Women who got their periods before age 12, or enter menopause after 55, are more at risk of developing breast cancer. This may be because the breasts are exposed to estrogen for a longer period.
- Late pregnancy: Breast cancer is more common in women who have their first full-term pregnancy after age 30. It isn’t clear why, but studies show that early pregnancies may prevent the genetic mutations caused by estrogen exposure.
- Radiation exposure: Women who have received radiation treatments to the chest, particularly when during breast development, are more likely to get breast cancer later on.
- Medications: Women who have been on hormone therapy or birth control pills for four or more years have a higher risk of breast cancer.
- Breast density: Breasts are considered “dense” when there is a high ratio of tissue to fat. Women with dense breasts are more likely to get breast cancer, although doctors aren’t sure why.
Signs and Symptoms
The first sign of breast cancer is usually a painless lump or thickening in the breast. However, when the tumor cannot be physically felt, symptoms usually appear in the later stages. Advanced symptoms include:
- A clear or tainted discharge from the nipple
- Retraction of the nipple
- Reddening of the skin over the breast
- A change in the breast’s contour or texture
Diagnosis and Staging
Many breast lumps can be detected with a self-examination called the palpation technique, which involves feeling for lumps in and around the breasts. A similar method is used in clinical exams for initial screening. When a lump is felt, the doctor uses X-ray mammography, CT and MRI scans, or other imaging techniques to get a better look at the mass.
When possible, invasive biopsies are avoided using a new method called ultrasound computed tomography. This system uses sound waves to create 3D images of the breast, showing a better picture of the tumor. If the results are unclear, however, a needle biopsy may still be performed to confirm the cancer.
After the diagnosis, the next step is determining the extent or stage of the cancer. The stages are as follows:
Stage 0: The cancer is still confined to the tissues or ducts, as is the case with DCIS
Stage I: The tumor is larger, but has not spread to the surrounding tissues and axillary (underarm) lymph nodes
Stage IIA: The tumor has grown to 2cm to 5cm, but has not affected any lymph nodes
Stage IIB: The tumor has spread to one to four lymph nodes, but is still within the 5cm limit
Stage IIIA: The tumor is greater than 5cm and has affected four or more lymph nodes
Stage IIIB: The cancer has affected four to 10 lymph nodes and has penetrated the skin or chest wall
Stage IIIC: More than 10 lymph nodes have been affected
Stage IV: The cancer has spread beyond the breast to distant organs, such as the lungs and liver
Stage I: The tumor is larger, but has not spread to the surrounding tissues and axillary (underarm) lymph nodes
Stage IIA: The tumor has grown to 2cm to 5cm, but has not affected any lymph nodes
Stage IIB: The tumor has spread to one to four lymph nodes, but is still within the 5cm limit
Stage IIIA: The tumor is greater than 5cm and has affected four or more lymph nodes
Stage IIIB: The cancer has affected four to 10 lymph nodes and has penetrated the skin or chest wall
Stage IIIC: More than 10 lymph nodes have been affected
Stage IV: The cancer has spread beyond the breast to distant organs, such as the lungs and liver
Prognosis
The prognosis depends on several factors, but the most important are the location, tumor size, and stage. Invasive ductal and lobular cancers usually have poor prognosis, because they grow faster and are more likely to spread. DCIS and medullary cancers have the highest survival rates.
Treatment
Surgery is the treatment of choice for most types of breast cancer. New technologies have allowed surgical removal of the tumor while minimizing damage to the breast structure. Types of surgery include the following:
- Lumpectomy: only the lump and part of the surrounding normal tissue are removed. This is used for small early-stage tumors that have not spread.
- Partial mastectomy: the doctor removes the tumor, surrounding breast tissue, and some of the underlying chest muscles.
- Simple mastectomy: all of the breast tissue is removed, including the skin, fatty tissue, and milk ducts. This is used for invasive ductal and lobular cancers.
- Modified radical mastectomy: the entire breast is removed, along with some underarm lymph nodes. Unlike radical mastectomy, the chest muscles are left intact, making it possible to reconstruct the breast.
Most surgeries are followed by radiation therapy, a series of treatments involving high-energy X-rays. The rays kill remaining cancer cells and shrink the remaining tumor, if any. Chemotherapy is also used in late stage cancers, where the tumor has spread to distant organs.
Because the cancer first spreads to the axillary lymph nodes, most women also undergo a sentinel lymph node biopsy to check for metastasis after surgery. If cancer is detected in the lymph nodes, the doctor performs an axillary lymph node dissection (removal of the affected lymph nodes) to prevent further spread.
Prevention
The best way to prevent breast cancer is regular mammography, especially for women over age 50. Most risk factors, such as drinking, smoking, and obesity, are easily avoided, so a lifestyle change can greatly lower one’s risk.
If a patient has one or more non-controllable factors (such as age and genetic predisposition), the doctor may suggest clinical procedures to lower the risk. The most common is “chemoprevention,” which involves a class of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). These drugs control the body’s production of estrogen, which is believed to be a major factor in cancer development.
