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Things to Know about Breast Cancer
Early Signs
§ A lump is detected, which is usually single, firm, and most often painless.
§ A portion of the skin on the breast or underarm swells and has an unusual appearance.
§ Veins on the skin surface become more prominent on one breast.
§ The breast nipple becomes inverted, develops a rash, changes in skin texture, or has a discharge other than breast milk.
§ A depression is found in an area of the breast surface.
Risk Factors
§ Early onset of menses and late menopause: Onset of the menstrual cycle prior to the age of 12 and menopause after 50 causes increased risk of developing breast cancer.
§ Diets high in saturated fat: The types of fat are important. Monounsaturated fats such as canola oil and olive oil do not appear to increase the risk of developing breast cancer like polyunsaturated fats; corn oil and meat.
§ Family history of breast cancer: Patients with a positive family history of breast cancer are at increased risk for developing the disease. However, 85% of women with breast cancer have a negative family history!
§ Late or no pregnancies: Pregnancies prior to the age of twenty-six are somewhat protective. Nuns have a higher incidence of breast cancer.
§ Moderate alcohol intake: Greater than two alcoholic beverages per day.
§ Estrogen replacement therapy: Most studies indicate that taking estrogen longer than ten years may lead to a slight increase in risk for developing breast cancer. However, these studies indicate that the positive benefits of taking estrogen as far as reducing the risk for osteoporosis, heart disease and now more recently Alzheimer's and colon cancer, far outweigh the slight increase in risk that may be associated with estrogen replacement therapy.
§ History of prior breast cancer: Patients with a prior history of breast cancer are at increased risk for developing breast cancer in the other breast. This risk is 1% per year or a lifetime risk of 10%. The reason for close clinical follow-up after the diagnosis of breast cancer is not only to detect recurrence of the disease, but also to detect breast cancer in the opposite breast.
§ Female: The mere fact that being female increases the risk of developing breast cancer. However, for every 100 women with breast cancer, 1 male will develop the disease.
§ Therapeutic irradiation to chest wall i.e., for Hodgkins Disease (cancer of lymph nodes): Patients who have had therapeutic irradiation to the chest are at increased risk for developing breast cancer approximately 10 years later and consideration should be given to earlier screening in this population.
§ Moderate obesity: The relationship of breast cancer to obesity is more complex but associated with an increased risk.
Did You Know
§ Every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer.
§ This year more than 211,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected in the United States.
§ One woman in eight who lives to age 85 will develop breast cancer during her lifetime.
§ Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 55.
§ 1,600 men are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 400 are predicted to die.
§ Seventy percent of all breast cancers are found through breast self-exams. Not all lumps are detectable by touch. We recommend regular mammograms and monthly breast self-exams.
§ Eight out of ten breast lumps are not cancerous. If you find a lump, don't panic-call your doctor for an appointment.
§ Mammography is a low-dose X-ray examination that can detect breast cancer up to two years before it is large enough to be felt.
§ When breast cancer is found early, the five-year survival rate is 96%. This is good news! Over 2 million breast cancer survivors are alive in America today.
