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| A Breast Cancer Overview |
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For many women in the United States, breast cancer is the most feared disease that they can face. Forming in the cells of the breasts, this second most common form of cancer (its frequency of occurrence is surpassed only by skin cancer) affects millions of women - and even some men - each year. And though there has been a reduction in the rate of breast cancer over the last several years due to increased awareness and breast cancer research, the disease itself remains at the top of nearly every woman's list of potential health concerns.
As with most diseases, early detection is the key to timely treatment and increased survival rates. There are a number of common signs that may indicate breast cancer, including lumps or any change in either the shape or size of the breasts, dimpling of the skin over the breast, skin flaking around the nipple, and even a discharge of blood from the nipple. Women are encouraged to not only receive regular mammograms from their physician, but to frequently perform self-examinations of their own breasts with an eye toward indentifying changes and irregularities.
Researchers have identified breast cancer as a disease that occurs when breast cells begin to grow in an abnormal manner due to rapid cell division. These rapidly growing cells gather to create tumors that can quickly spread throughout the entire breast, and even to other parts of the body. To date, researchers have yet to definitively identify the actual cause of breast cancer, though there have been great strides in the identification of many of the risk factors that can increase a woman's chances of getting this disease.
These risk factors include a range of genetic and environmental causes, which helps to explain why some people who have no identifiable risk factors still get breast cancer and many women who have every risk factor somehow manage to avoid the disease. Around five to ten percent of all breast cancers are believed to be associated with a genetic predisposition to the disease. Researchers have been able to identify several cell mutations that can cause breast cancer, including BRCA1 and BRCA2. Blood tests are useful in detecting these genes where there is a family history of cancer.
In general, the most common risk factors for breast cancer include not only a family history, but other factors such as being female, being more than 60 years old, a prior history of the disease, and family history. In addition, exposure to radiation, being overweight, drinking alcohol, and an early onset of the menstrual cycle can all contribute to an increased likelihood of breast cancer.
For women suffering from this disease, there are a range of treatment options available, and the likelihood of survival has increased dramatically in recent years. For most women, a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and either hormone or radiation treatments are used to remove the cancerous cells and prevent their recurrence. Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer are encouraged to speak to specialists to obtain a second opinion as to the best treatment options for their individual cases.
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