Breast cancer
SCI/162
Breast cancer, men, women even children are affected by this disease. Most of the time there are no symptoms of breast cancer, but signs of breast cancer can include a breast lump or an abnormal mammogram. Statistics show about one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Although breast cancer can develop at any age, breast cancer is most common in men who are 60 years or older. Statistics show about 2,000 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. With children breast cancer is more uncommon; however, breast cancer discerns no age, race or gender. There are six stages of breast cancer (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5). Cancer stage is based on four characteristics: the size of the tumor, if the cancer is invasive or non-invasive, whether cancer is in the lymph nodes, and if the cancer has spread to other body parts. The most common types of breast cancer are: Invasive ductal carcinoma, Ductal carcinoma in situ, Infiltrating lobular carcinoma, and Lobular carcinoma in situ. Invasive ductal carcinoma starts in the ducts of the breast, breaks through the wall of the duct and invades the fatty tissue of the breast. This is the most frequent form of breast cancer. Ductal carcinoma in situ, ductal carcinoma in the earliest stage, cancer has not spread beyond its point of origin. If untreated this may become invasive cancer. With infiltrating lobular carcinoma, cancer begins in the lobules of the breast, but has spread to surrounding tissues or other parts of the body. Lobular carcinoma in situ is cancer only in the lobules of the breast. It is important for people with lobular carcinoma in situ to have habitual clinical breast exams and mammograms. What are the risk factors of breast cancer? Age in general and at the first start of menstruation and first live birth. Relatives such as mother, sisters, and daughters with breast cancer may increase a person’s risk for breast cancer. Other risk factors include (evidence is not...