Cancer Center - Breast Cancer Resources
Breast cancer is a disease in which cancer cells grow in the breast tissue. Cancer occurs when cells in the body (in this case breast cells) divide without control or order. Although most people think of breast cancer as affecting women, men can develop breast cancer as well.
The Importance of Early Detection
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in America. When breast cancer is detected early and treated promptly, suffering and ultimately the loss of life can be significantly reduced. Women are encouraged to ask their doctors and other health care providers about mammography screening. Mammography (an x-ray picture of the breast) is the single most effective method to detect breast changes that may be cancer, long before physical symptoms can be seen or felt. For early stage breast cancer, there are more treatment options, treatment can be less disfiguring and less toxic, and survival is improved.
As women age, their risk of breast cancer increases. For most women, high quality mammography screening should begin at age 40. As risk factors vary in everyone, each woman and her doctor should discuss the plan that's right for her. Most organizations recommend screening every 1 to 2 years; some recommend it take place every year. Screening should continue throughout a woman's lifetime.
A breast biopsy is the removal of a sample of breast tissue so that it can be examined in a laboratory. A breast biopsy can be done in either of two ways:
- Needle aspiration - a needle is inserted into a lump, and fluid and/or tissue is removed for examination
- Open biopsy - an incision is made into the breast, and a piece of tissue or the entire lump is removed for examination
This article reviews four options for women who've had a mastectomy.
If you, a friend, or a family member has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, you will want to read this guide.
A mammogram is the use of low-dose x-rays (radiation) to make a picture of the tissue inside the breast. The resulting picture is called a mammogram.
Mastectomy refers to one of several operations in which some part of the breast is removed. A number of different mastectomy procedures exist including partial mastectomy or lumpectomy, simple mastectomy, modified radical mastectomy, and radical mastectomy.
This article, written by a cancer survivor, lists ideas for helping your friend cope with breast cancer.
;){kind=link}