Breast cancer is characterized by the growth of malignant tumors in the glandular tissues of the breast. Today, more women are surviving breast cancer than ever before. Over two million women are breast cancer survivors. With early detection and prompt and appropriate treatment, the outlook for women with breast cancer can be positive.No one knows why some women develop breast cancer and others do not. Although the disease may affect younger women, 75% of all breast cancer occurs in women age 50 or older. Symptoms of breast cancer are hardly noticeable when it first develops but as the cancer grows, it can cause changes that women should watch for. Other symptoms may include unexplained breast pain, abnormal nipple discharge, changes in breast texture, or changes in the skin on or around the breast.
Breast Cancer Screening
The goal of screening women for breast cancer is to detect cancer in its earliest stage when surgery and medical treatment can be most effective in reducing mortality. There are three methods for breast cancer screening that are currently practiced: X-ray mammography, clinical breast examination and breast self-examination.MRI is also more accurate for detecting cancer in women who carry the breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Mammography
Screening aims to detect breast cancer at a very early stage when cure is more likely. The results of several large studies have convincingly demonstrated that breast cancer screening by mammography reduces mortality by approximately 30% in women older than 50 years. The risks associated with mammography screening for breast cancer include, radiation exposure, false positives, and over-diagnosis. The risk of radiation-induced breast cancer from screening mammography is estimated to be minimal. The excess risk for breast cancer caused by radiation is increased with a younger age of the woman at exposure and increasing cumulative radiation dose. However, the benefits of mammography still significantly outweigh the risk of radiation-induced breast cancer.
Clinical Breast Examination (CBE)
During a clinical breast examination, the doctor checks the breasts and underarms for lumps or other changes that could be a sign of breast cancer. The efficacy of CBE alone in screening for breast cancer is uncertain. Breast Self-Examination (BSE)There are now several epidemiologic studies indicating that survival is increased in women practicing breast self-examination and that cancers detected by breast self-examination tend to be smaller.
treatment
Once breast cancer has been found, it is staged. Standard cancer treatments are generally designed to surgically take out the cancer; stop cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to survive and grow through hormone therapy; use high-energy beams to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors through radiation therapy and use anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer cells through chemotherapy.
For women with early-stage breast cancer, one common available treatment is a lumpectomy combined with radiation therapy. A lumpectomy is surgery that preserves a woman’s breast. If the breast cancer has spread locally – just to other parts of the breast – treatment may involve a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. Because 30% of breast cancers recur, the National Cancer Institute urges all women with breast cancer to have chemotherapy or hormone therapy following surgery, even if there is no evidence that the cancer has spread. Breast Cancer PreventionSeveral drugs are now available to treat or prevent breast cancer. Tamoxifen may be less effective as a preventive agent in women with a strong family of breast cancer.
Raloxifene
Raloxifene hydrochloride is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) that blocks the action of estrogen in the breast and endometrial tissue. The incidence of estrogen receptor positive invasive breast cancer was reduced by 76% among women treated with either dose of raloxifene at 40 months of follow-up time. The side effects of raloxifene include an increased risk of thromboembolic disease, but not an increased risk of endometrial cancer.
source by ezinearticles.com
Breast Cancer Screening
The goal of screening women for breast cancer is to detect cancer in its earliest stage when surgery and medical treatment can be most effective in reducing mortality. There are three methods for breast cancer screening that are currently practiced: X-ray mammography, clinical breast examination and breast self-examination.MRI is also more accurate for detecting cancer in women who carry the breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Mammography
Screening aims to detect breast cancer at a very early stage when cure is more likely. The results of several large studies have convincingly demonstrated that breast cancer screening by mammography reduces mortality by approximately 30% in women older than 50 years. The risks associated with mammography screening for breast cancer include, radiation exposure, false positives, and over-diagnosis. The risk of radiation-induced breast cancer from screening mammography is estimated to be minimal. The excess risk for breast cancer caused by radiation is increased with a younger age of the woman at exposure and increasing cumulative radiation dose. However, the benefits of mammography still significantly outweigh the risk of radiation-induced breast cancer.
Clinical Breast Examination (CBE)
During a clinical breast examination, the doctor checks the breasts and underarms for lumps or other changes that could be a sign of breast cancer. The efficacy of CBE alone in screening for breast cancer is uncertain. Breast Self-Examination (BSE)There are now several epidemiologic studies indicating that survival is increased in women practicing breast self-examination and that cancers detected by breast self-examination tend to be smaller.
treatment
Once breast cancer has been found, it is staged. Standard cancer treatments are generally designed to surgically take out the cancer; stop cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to survive and grow through hormone therapy; use high-energy beams to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors through radiation therapy and use anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer cells through chemotherapy.
For women with early-stage breast cancer, one common available treatment is a lumpectomy combined with radiation therapy. A lumpectomy is surgery that preserves a woman’s breast. If the breast cancer has spread locally – just to other parts of the breast – treatment may involve a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. Because 30% of breast cancers recur, the National Cancer Institute urges all women with breast cancer to have chemotherapy or hormone therapy following surgery, even if there is no evidence that the cancer has spread. Breast Cancer PreventionSeveral drugs are now available to treat or prevent breast cancer. Tamoxifen may be less effective as a preventive agent in women with a strong family of breast cancer.
Raloxifene
Raloxifene hydrochloride is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) that blocks the action of estrogen in the breast and endometrial tissue. The incidence of estrogen receptor positive invasive breast cancer was reduced by 76% among women treated with either dose of raloxifene at 40 months of follow-up time. The side effects of raloxifene include an increased risk of thromboembolic disease, but not an increased risk of endometrial cancer.
source by ezinearticles.com
1 comments:
great blog for breast cancer
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