Natural Health

Archive for the ‘Breast Cancer’ Category

According to the National Cancer Institute, there were more than 2.5 million women in 2006 who had a history of any type of breast cancer, and have managed to survive the ordeal. To give you an idea about just how serious this disease is, take a look at some other statistics:

- Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer (next to lung cancer) in both men and women.

- Breast cancer is the 5th most common cause of cancer-related deaths.

- Breast cancer is 100 times more frequent in women than in men – although the survival rate is equal in both sexes.

As you may already know, breast cancer is a type of cancer which starts in the cells of the breasts in both men and women. Although it does occur more frequently in women, the severity of the illness is just as serious where men are concerned.

Here, we will try to learn a few more things about women’s breasts that you may not necessarily have known about. How do these facts about women’s breasts affect the probability of having breast cancer? Read on to find out.

7 Things You Probably Didn’t Know about Breasts

As mentioned earlier, what we will provide you with is a list of the top 7 things that you probably didn’t know about breasts. Half of these facts do not necessarily have anything to do with breast cancer, but half of them are related to the incidence of this serious disease. Take a look at the following list:

1. A woman’s breasts swell during sex.

Traditionally, a woman’s breasts represent her femininity and it’s also a symbol of motherhood. Now, if you are tangling the sheets with your significant other, do you feel as if your breasts are swelling when you are already sexually aroused? There is a basis to this and it actually does in fact physically swell. According to the British Medical Journal, women do experience up to 25% of swelling in their breasts when they are indulging in sexual activity. This is caused by the feeling of arousal and the hormonal surge in a woman’s body. In addition, swollen breasts become the body’s natural way of boosting its seductive powers from a man’s point of view.

2. Breastfeeding can actually help you lose weight.

Whether you’re a first-time, second-time or third-time mom, you will notice significant changes in your body during your entire pregnancy – especially when it comes to your breasts. During the pregnancy stage, the breasts become larger in size due to lactation. But did you know that if you do go for breastfeeding over feeding your baby with formula milk, it can actually help you lose weight? [Breastfeeding benefits]. According to the studies conducted by Dewey, Heinig and Nommsen of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who breastfeed from about three to six months have experienced a significant amount of fat loss in their own bodies. The weight loss may continue six months after your baby is born.

3. Women who are 50 years and up have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

Perhaps the number one reason why there are fewer and fewer deaths associated with breast cancer is awareness on the part of the general women’s population. [Breast cancer awareness] Early diagnosis is actually the number one preventive measure that can be taken to fight death caused by breast cancer. So the earlier the condition is detected, the better the chances of survival rate. But did you know that as you age, you would have a higher risk of developing the big C on your breasts? This is due to the fact that as women age, cellular mutation is on an increasing pattern. Whether or not you have a family history of breast cancer, you should be more concerned about the possibility of developing the disease by the time that you hit your 50’s.

4. Consuming milk may actually lead to breast cancer.

Sure, giving your milk to your baby when you are lactating may help you lose weight – but did you know that consuming milk yourself may actually lead to breast cancer? The types of milk which are on the safe side include rice milk, goat’s milk and almond milk. On the other hand, those which are highly suspected of causing breast cancer include soy milk which contains isoflavones. This is a plant-like estrogen which imitates the estrogen in humans – so drinking a lot of soy milk is not recommended by the experts. If you have breast cancer, the goal is to keep the estrogen level low, and the recommended intake of isoflavones is only about 100 milligrams a day.

5. The healthier you are, the better it would be for the health of your breasts.

These days, it is quite easy to succumb into leading a sedentary lifestyle because everything seems to be easily within reach. There seems to be a link between obesity and breast cancer – which is exactly the reason why you should try to remain as healthy as you can for the benefit of your breast health and also your overall health. Eating a lot of fruits and veggies, foods with antioxidants and having a proper exercise and diet program are the preventive measures that you can apply to prevent having breast cancer in the future. [Breast cancer diet]. Another way to live a cancer-free life is by avoiding alcohol as much as you can. There may be just a tiny link connecting these two – but the link is there just the same.

6. Women who religiously self-examine their breasts are no less likely to die of breast cancer, as compared to women who do not perform a breast self exam.

For the longest time now, women have been lead to believe that they should conduct a breast self exam every month. A few years ago, the American Cancer Society has already tagged self-breast exams as being optional rather than a necessity. A new way of doing things is with TLC or touch, look and check. This is the new rule of thumb that you need to live by, according to the British breast cancer foundation called Breakthrough Breast Cancer. What you need to do is be aware of how your breasts feel normally. The minute that you feel a change, track it and if it does not go away, that is the time that you should seek the help of your doctor.

7. Wearing an underwire bra may be one of the many causes of breast cancer.

Sure, there are a lot of myths about how carcinogens are highly suspected when it comes to being the reasons for developing breast cancer. But the one thing which you may be doing on a regular basis that can actually cause such a disease to develop is wearing underwire bras. Basically, in order for you to prevent cancer from happening, you do need to have a healthy lymphatic system. When you wear bras which have underwire in them, the circulation of the blood in the armpit area gets cut off. As a result, your lymph nodes cannot properly eliminate the cancer-causing waste materials accumulated in the body – and this could be one of the reasons why your underwire bra is highly suspected when it comes to breast cancer development.

Now that you already have an idea about some of the common and not-so-common things that you know about a woman’s breasts, you can take the precautionary measures in order to prevent breast cancer from developing in your body.

All in all, early detection of breast cancer, taking precautionary measures and being aware of the changes in your body are the things that you need to be armed with, if you want to win the fight against breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a malignant (cancerous) growth that begins in the tissues of the breast. Over the course of a lifetime, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is a cancer of the breast tissue, which can occur in both women and men. Breast cancer may be one of the oldest known forms of cancer tumors in humans.Worldwide, breast cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, and colon cancer). Breast cancer kills more women in the United States than any cancer except lung cancer. Today, breast cancer, like other forms of cancer, is considered to be a result of damage to DNA. How this mechanism may occur comes from several known or hypothesized factors (such as exposure to ionizing radiation, or viral mutagenesis). Some factors lead to an increased rate of mutation (exposure to estrogens) and decreased repair (the BRCA1, BRCA2 and p53) genes. Alcohol generally appears to increase the risk of breast cancer.

Breast cancer can also occur in men, although it rarely does. Experts predict 178,000 women and 2,000 men will develop breast cancer in the United States. There are several different types of breast cancer. First is Ductal carcinoma begins in the cells lining the ducts that bring milk to the nipple and accounts for more than 75% of breast cancers. Second is Lobular carcinoma begins in the milk-secreting glands of the breast but is otherwise fairly similar in its behavior to ductal carcinoma. Other varieties of breast cancer can arise from the skin, fat, connective tissues, and other cells present in the breast. Some women have what is known as HER2-positive breast cancer. HER2, short for human epidermal growth factor receptor-2, is a gene that helps control cell growth, division, and repair. When cells have too many copies of this gene, cell growth speeds up.

Causes of Breast Cancer

Simply being a woman is the main risk for breast cancer. While men can also get the disease, it is about 100 times more common in women than in men. The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older. Nearly 8 out of 10 breast cancers are found in women age 50 or older. About 5% to 10% of breast cancers are linked to changes (mutations) in certain genes. The most common gene changes are those of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have this disease. The relatives can be from either the mother’s or father’s side of the family. Woman with cancer in one breast has a greater chance of getting a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast. This is different from the first cancer coming back Many experts now believe that the main reason for this is because they have faster growing tumors. Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian women have a lower risk of getting breast cancer. Certain types of abnormal biopsy results can be linked to a slightly higher risk of breast cancer.Women who have had radiation treatment to the chest area (as treatment for another cancer) earlier in life have a greatly increased risk of breast cancer

Some pregnant women were given the drug DES (diethylstilbestrol) because it was thought to lower their chances of losing the baby. Recent studies have shown that these women (and their daughters who were exposed to DES while in the uterus), have a slightly increased risk of getting breast cancer. Use of alcohol is clearly linked to a slightly increased risk of getting breast cancer. Women who have 1 drink a day have a very small increased risk. Those who have 2 to 5 drinks daily have about 1½ times the risk of women who drink no alcohol. The American Cancer Society suggests limiting the amount you drink.Being overweight is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, especially for women after change of life and if the weight gain took place during adulthood. Also, the risk seems to be higher if the extra fat is in the waist area. Breast-feeding and pregnancy: Some studies have shown that breast-feeding slightly lowers breast cancer risk, especially if the breast-feeding lasts 1½ to 2 years. This could be because breast-feeding lowers a woman’s total number of menstrual periods, as does pregnancy. Women who began having periods early (before 12 years of age) or who went through the change of life (menopause) after the age of 55 have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

1. Lumps.

2. Rash.

3. Breast Pain.

4. Cysts.

5. Nipple Discharge.

6. Inverted Nipple.

Treatment of Breast Cancer

1. Hormonal therapy (with tamoxifen).

2. Chemotherapy.

3. Radiotherapy.

4. Surgery.

Its incidence is in rise in the developing countries, may be due to the life style changes. Breast Cancer Ribbon TattoosThis cancer, the most accessible cancer; has generated much interest in the recent past in understanding its process of development, the genetics and developing more effective treatment modalities. The surgery has evolved from maximum dissection to minimal and more conservative approach. Newer chemotherapeutic drugs are coming up as well as more precision radiotherapy. Approach to breast cancer has become essentially multidisciplinary in the last decade or two. Here we will search literature to add more knowledge to our existing views on this cancer. The views expressed in it may not be conclusive, may be in a trial phase and does not anyway supersede the opinion of treating doctor of a patient.

Notch pathway in cell division and its inhibitors: The primitive cells during development of baby and also later in life are capable of differentiating to one or other cell types. This recruitment of daughter cells and their multiplication is largely controlled by what is called a Notch pathway. These primitive cells are called the stem cells; can form e.g. bone cell, muscle cell and heart cell etc. This notch pathway is also responsible for regulated tissue growth i.e. no excess or no less; through communication between the cells. It can be likened to cells having sensors on their outer membrane, represented by notch a protein. The communication may be something like this: one cell will say to its neighbor cell; “Hi, I am dividing to muscle cell; you need not go in that line”, “Oh yeah, you carry on; I am going in the line of breast cells”, would be the reply. Again to have controlled growth close contact between the cells is required. The Notch would be keeping close contact between cells, may be in a way something like this;”Hello my dear neighbor come closer and closer, do not go away.”

Any derangement in this notch may give rise to uncontrolled growth of cells. In cancer, there are stem cells which divide continuously to give rise to a visible tumor. These stem cells are resistant to conventional chemotherapy and could be the cause of recurrence of cancer, at least in some 1% of breast cancers; which also makes a large number. So the Notch inhibitors can be instrumental in controlling some cases of breast cancer recurrence, when used in addition to chemotherapy. “The Notch pathway regulates self-renewal of stem cells and research indicates that it also regulates cancer stem cell self-renewal, the impact of using a Notch inhibitor was to sensitize a significant proportion of otherwise treatment-resistant cancer stem cells. This supports the notion that a select sub-population of cells in breast cancer is largely responsible for disease recurrence and cancer spread.” I quote from a study’s lead author, Jenny Chang, M.D., professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. She and her team implanted mice with human breast cancer biopsy material that included breast cancer stem cells, and then gave them a Notch inhibitor (MRK-003) or a placebo. MRK-003 significantly reduced formation of clusters of tumor cells called mammospheres, when compared with placebo.

Role of spices like turmeric and piperine: As Reported by HealthDay News, 2009 December 11, breast stem cells appear to be sensitive to certain spices. When researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center applied curcumin and piperine to breast cancer cells, they noted that the number of stem cells (but not normal cells) decreased. Curcumin is a component of turmeric, and piperine is found in black pepper. Both of these dietary compounds have been studied previously for their effects against cancer, but this is the first study to evaluate their effects on stem cells.

Alcohol and cancer: Even a few glasses of wine or cocktails a week may increase the risk of recurrence for breast cancer survivors, researchers found. Women who averaged three to four or more drinks per week were 34% more likely to have a recurrence, than those who drank less than once a week; according to an observational study led by Marilyn L. Kwan, PhD, of Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif. Likewise, breast cancer-specific mortality risk rose to 51% for the regular drinkers among breast cancer survivors; Kwan’s group reported at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. After a breast cancer diagnosis, women who drink alcohol should consider cutting back, they recommended.

Amplification of fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 in breast cancer: Shiang CY, Qi Y, Wang B, Lazar V, Wang J, Fraser Symmans W, Hortobagyi GN, Andre F, Pusztai L., Department of Breast Medical Oncology, USA, studied that: fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR-1) is amplified in 10% of human breast cancers. A FGFR-1 small molecule inhibitor may have direct anti-proliferative effects in addition to its’ anti-angiogenic effects. According to Kristjansdottir K, Dizon D.Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA, a human epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (HER)-dimerization inhibitor that represent a novel class of agents, aimed at blocking HER2 from pairing with other receptors of the HER family, may play a role in the management of HER2-positive breast cancers. Trastuzumab is one of the drugs of this group.

Effect of osteoporosis inhibitor drugs on breast cancer: Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, led by Brufsky, concluded that zoledronic acid, a bisphosphonate, is safe and effective for use by postmenopausal women with breast cancer; who are being treated with aromatase inhibitors. Bone mineral density increased 6.2 percent in women taking zoledronic acid, compared with 2.4 percent in the control group. Fractures were also reduced slightly in the treatment group. It may be effective in inhibiting spread of the disease to bone.

Vitamin D and cancer: Researchers say that vitamin D in high doses may have a beneficial effect in preventing breast cancer. High-dose vitamin D significantly reduced muscle and joint pain in breast cancer patients treated with the aromatase inhibitor like anastrozole. Weekly vitamin D supplementation led to significant improvement in pain and mobility after two months, said Antonella Rastelli, MD, of Washington University at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Breast cancer genetic evolution decoded: In the metastatic cancer, 32 protein-altering mutations were found that were not present in healthy tissue from the same woman, according to Samuel Aparicio, BM BCh, PhD, MRCPath, of the British Columbia Cancer Agency, and colleagues. Then, using the same approach, they looked back at cancer tissue taken from the same woman during treatment nine years earlier to see which variants were present then. Five variants, in the genes ABCB11, HAUS3, SLC24A4, SNX4, and PALB2 were common in the DNA of the primary tumor. They had previously been unknown to researchers. Another six in the genes KIF1C, USP28, MYH8, MORC1, KIAA1468, and RNASEH2A were found in between 1% and 13% of the primary tumor cells. There were 19 that were not detected and two were undetermined, the researchers said. This shows that genetic mutation takes place in the course of the disease.

Regular exercise reduces cancer risk: Regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise may reduce breast cancer risk for postmenopausal women, researchers found. Postmenopausal women who maintained more than seven hours per week of higher intensity activity over the 10-year period prior to entry into the study, were 16% less likely to develop breast cancer (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.93), according to Tricia M. Peters, M.Phil, and colleagues of the National Cancer Institute. It may be that some cancer genes are switched off in exercising population. The same effect has also been seen in case of colon cancer, published in a recent article.

Ginseng appears to help breast cancer patients: The traditional Chinese herb ginseng may improve survival and enhance the quality of life of breast cancer patients, an observational study suggested. Compared with those who never used ginseng, breast cancer patients in China who took it regularly before their diagnosis had a disease specific mortality that was 30% lower, three to four years later; said Xiao-Ou Shu, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues, of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, published online by the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Breast density and cancer risk: All post-menopausal women should be screened for breast cancer risk by assessing breast density combined with other risk factors, researchers say. They found that breast density was strongly associated with breast cancer. To reduce breast cancer risk overall, they advised, physicians should recommend exercise, weight reduction, a low-fat diet, and reduced alcohol intake. But they also noted that eating fruits and vegetables was not associated with a decreased risk. Still, the researchers concluded that breast density combined with other risk factors is a viable assessment of risk.

Breast feeding and cancer: Breast feeding can significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer, according to a study by Cancer Research UK. The increase in the disease in developed countries is due to women having fewer children and breast feeding for shorter periods of time, the study says.

Metformin under evaluation for cancer treatment: The glucose-lowering drug metformin, used as first line drug in obese type 2 diabetes is showing anticancer activity, reported by “The Lancet”. There has been possible association between obesity and different cancers. Itmay be possible in future to know more about action of metformin. The data come from the studies being conducted in both the diabetes and oncology research communities, according to experts who spoke at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

Soy safe for breast cancer survivors: Soy consumption appears to be safe, and potentially even protective, for women with breast cancer despite fears about estrogen-like effects, according to a population-based study by the researchers. Benefits of soy appeared to increase with intake up to 11 g of soy protein or 40 mgs. of soy isoflavone per day.

Lymphatic chemotherapy: Platinum based drugs used in chemotherapy have many side effects. Researchers have found out that lymphatic route of administration of these drugs may be less toxic than vascular route. When these and some other chemotherapeutic agents are administered subcutaneously gets better concentrated in the lymphatic tissue, which is the most common path of spread of cancerous cells to other organs from the primary.

hormone receptor status: The estrogen receptor(ER) status has much predictive value, and tissue expressing ER in patients of post menopausal status are more likely to be benefited from its inhibitor drugs like tamoxifen.

High precision Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy has become an integral part of multidisciplinary approach to breast cancer treatment. It has undergone tremendous modification to cause least possible damage to the surrounding tissue through delivery of high precision radiotherapy.

Surgery related changes: Surgery has changed from maximum tissue removal to minimal tissue removal and more conservative in approach i.e. from radical mastectomy to lumpectomy or quadrantectomy. Intra-operative frozen section biopsy to determine disease free margin in the tissue to be left with, has facilitated conservation of breast; so also, an intra-operative radiation detecting probe that detects radiation from the cancerous tissue, pre-injected with radio-active substances that accumulates specifically in the cancerous cells. Breast reconstruction has become very attractive option in the recent days adding confidence to the working cancer survivors.

Investigations: Fine needle aspiration cytology FNAC), ultrasound (USG), mammogram, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) are some of the armors in the hands of health care personnel, to boost their ability for early diagnosis; and thereby providing effective treatment.

Carcinoma gene expression and prediction of breast cancer: Breast cancer (BRCA) suppressor gene is responsible for error free repair of Genetic material during cell division. Faulty BRCA may be responsible for breast cancer. According to estimates of lifetime risk, about 12.0 percent of women (120 out of 1,000) in the general population will develop breast cancer sometime during their lives compared with about 60 percent of women (600 out of 1,000) who have inherited a harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2. In other words, a woman who has inherited a harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 is about five times more likely to develop breast cancer than a woman who does not have such a mutation. Breast cancer patients may additionally be tested for carcinoma antigen (CA-125).

We hope to conquer this cancer in the near future, probably more through a genetic manipulation and life style change.

Top Breast Cancer Resource: Breast Cancer Insight Has The Information You Need

Breast cancer resources are important for any sufferers of the disease or their loved ones. Breast Cancer Insight was created in order to serve as the internet’s premier breast cancer resource, providing every visitor with the information they need on the disease in the most clear and succinct language possible.

Dr. Jerry Lang founded Breast Cancer Insight because he recognized the need for a breast cancer resource that was able to give visitors the kind of straightforward information they require. It can be difficult to talk about breast cancer with friends, family and even your doctor but Breast Cancer Insight is able to give you facts on the disease in a completely anonymous and direct manner. We know that being armed with knowledge is key toward prevention, treatment and recovery and have strived to make Breast Cancer Insight the top destination for this type of information.

We’ve compiled as much information as possible about symptoms and early detection of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Insight wants to give our audience the facts on the disease so that they’re able to understand the early warning signs and risk groups associated with it. Our breast cancer resource tells you what you need to know regarding self-examinations, symptoms and more. We’ve also created a guide to the nature of breast cancer itself, providing details on how the disease forms and spreads.

Breast Cancer Insight is also loaded with facts on treatment. Perhaps the most frightening aspect of breast cancer can be trying to determine the proper method of therapy. While we understand that learning about chemotherapy, surgery and other treatments is scary, Breast Cancer Insight wants you to be able to know which options are the most appropriate. We’ve also detailed the potential side effects of treatment routes and tried to give readers an idea of what to expect in the time following any of these methods.

Our breast cancer resource is also a leading community destination for current and former breast cancer sufferers. Breast Cancer Insight always welcomes stories from those that have fought cancer or readers that wish to share their tales of being diagnosed, undergoing treatment and more. We’ve assembled a list of helpful books and other informational guides for sufferers and their loved ones to consider as well. If you have any questions about the disease that aren’t answered to your satisfaction on the website, you’re also able to email Dr. Lang directly through our Q&A section. Breast Cancer Insight will get back to you as soon as possible with the information you require.

Visit Breast Cancer Insight now to discover the internet’s premier breast cancer resource. With our help you can learn more about how to deal with the disease — from prevention and early detection to treatment and recovery. We want to help others to prevent breast cancer or deal with it if it’s been diagnosed and are deeply committed to providing a detailed and helpful breast cancer resource.

For more information on Breast Cancer Insight, the leading breast cancer resource on the web, visit BreastCancerInsight.

Can you trust your culture’s leading authorities? Inflammatory Breast Cancer Rash Can you trust your culture’s government? Can you trust your culture’s private industry?”

We asked those questions in 1995, at the end of our book, Dressed To Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras. Before writing our book, we sent details of our research to the National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, President’s Cancer Panel, American Women’s Medical Association, National Organization for Women, National Women’s Health Network, and National Women’s Health Resource Center. There was no response. Not one. Given the lack of interest, we decided to publish our findings in a book, getting the information directly to the women who needed to hear it. Read the rest of this entry »

Causes Of Breast Cancer – Information You Need To Know

Cancer accounts to a death of 6 million human lives per year. Modern medicine is aging with breath taking advances in cancer care with increasing awareness, preventing, detection, therapy, research and symptom management. Last 15 years has been a revolution. It is likely to fight Cancer out by getting an early detection especially at a pre cancer stage thus yielding best cure with much shorter treatment time, lesser cost, lesser body insult.

Breast cancer is the second most common kind of cancer in women and is characterized by the growth of malignant tumors in the glandular tissues of the breast. While no one knows why some women develop breast cancer and others do not, several variables have been identified as risk factors for breast cancer.

Due to early diagnosis of breast cancer, more women are today surviving breast cancer than ever before. 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 – the most common being the abnormal lump or swelling in the breast, amongst other symptoms.

The cancer found in the cells of the breast is Breast cancer. A mass of breast tissue that is growing in an abnormal and uncontrolled way is a cancerous tumor. A cancerous tumor may attack the surrounding tissues or shed cells into the blood stream or lymph system. After lung cancer, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer found world wide and fifth most common cause of cancer death.

Rather than focusing on breast cancer, Wise Women choose to concentrate on keeping our breasts healthy through wise lifestyle and dietary choices. The following tips may amaze you – read on for Wise Woman ideas on keeping your breasts healthy.

Breast cancer is the number one disease that women in the United States fear the most, and for compelling reasons. It is the leading cause of death among women between 40 and 55 years of age and is the second overall cause of death among women (exceeded only by lung cancer). Unfortunately, it is also on the rise worldwide. According to the American Cancer Society, this year about 175,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer and about 43,300 deaths from breast cancer will occur among women in the USA.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women. Every year, more than 40,000 women die in the U.S. from breast cancer. Early detection with routine breast cancer screening followed immediately with appropriate treatment could prevent many of these deaths. A doctor’s failure to recommend routine breast cancer screening to their female patients and to follow up on abnormal test results may constitute medical malpractice.

Using known risk factors for breast cancer, mathematical models can be developed to help answer important questions. These mathematical models are useful tools for researchers and for patients as follows: Research on risk factors – The Claus risk assessment model was used to discover the subpopulation of people who had an autosomal dominant genetic allele that increased their risk from 10% to 92%.

The emotional trauma brought about by cancer among women brings to light the importance of awareness of what breast cancer really is. Unknown to many, breast cancer is a single disease but a collection of diseases that originates in the ducts and lobules of the female breast. According the American Cancer Society study of 2007, breast cancer ranks next to non-melanoma skin cancer as the most prevalent cancer in women. It is estimated that about 178,000 women each year are affected with the disease with approximately 40,500 probable fatalities.

Breast cancer is a dreadfully alarming illness that is why taking cautious steps to breast cancer prevention is very important. Worldwide 1 woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 29 seconds and every 75 seconds 1 woman in the world dies from breast cancer. Breast cancer is the condition the majority of women fear more than any other disease. This is mainly because they think there is nothing they can do about it; they feel  and do not realize the power of today’s breast cancer prevention strategies. Read the rest of this entry »

Breast Cancer Causes: How To Identify And Prevent Breast Cancer

Identifying breast cancer causes can help health experts and doctors formulate methods for treating such condition. Basically, the cancer starts at the tissues of the breast and the type of breast cancer that one experiences is determined by exactly which part of the breast is affected.

Having knowledge about possible breast cancer causes can help create awareness of what lifestyle choices or other health choices are to be made in order to prevent this condition.

Below are just some of the most common causes of this illness recognized to date.

Breast Cancer Cause # 1: Hereditary Factors

Although it has been known that only 5 to 10 percent of cancerous cells are inherited, several cases of women suffering from breast cancer have inherited them in the family.

A significant number of breast cancer patients (about 20 to 30 percent, with other statistical research reaching up to 50 percent) have reported that a close relative previously had the same disease or had any previous record in their family.

Therefore, health experts have opted not to neglect this factor in terms of analyzing this disease in the hopes of finding an effective cure. Genetic defects in either one of two breast cancer genes can be a culprit.

Breast Cancer Cause # 2: Genetic Mutations

As opposed to inherited genes, genetic mutations are recognized as one of the major causes of this disease. This one can be brought about by various environmental factors such as radiation exposure, which happens when a woman previously had a therapy or treatment.

Those women who have undergone any form of treatment that require their chest area to be exposed to radiation are more likely to develop breast cancer, even when the treatment took place at an earlier age. The risk increases for those who have had such treatment during their adolescent years.

Although it does not guarantee that you will be acquiring the disease if you had undergone such treatment requiring exposure to radiation, it does increase the possibility.

As of now, researchers are furthering their efforts to unlock the relationship between environmental factors and an individual’s genetic make-up.

Breast Cancer Cause # 3: Age and Gender

Health experts have identified and proven that the risk of acquiring this illness increases as you age. Therefore, women over the age of 50 take up majority of the demographics for patients suffering from breast cancer. Moreover, those women over 50 who experience this disease suffer from advanced cases of the disease.

Gender could also play a role since women are 100 times more prone to having breast cancer as compared to men.

Breast Cancer Cause # 4: Exposure to DES (diethylstilbestrol)

Pregnant women used to be administered with a drug called DES since it has been known to reduce the possibility of miscarriage. However, recent studies revealed that this exposed the pregnant women and the child (especially daughters) in the womb to higher risk of developing breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Cause # 5: Use of Birth Control Pills

Women in their premenopausal stage who administer birth control pills are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. This kind of risk though is known to produce short-term effects and the risk is rather small. Since studies are still ongoing, it is best to consult your doctor before using any kind of birth control pills.

Breast Cancer Cause # 6: Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy

Several women undergo this therapy to relieve any menopausal symptoms. Since there are no other motivation for undergoing this treatment aside from relief from menopausal symptoms, it is best to consult your doctor on other methods of finding relief to reduce the risks as this is widely known as one of the causes for breast cancer.

Armed with this knowledge, you can now take precautionary steps to avoid the risks of contracting this serious condition.

Breast cancer is traditionally thought of as an exclusively female-related disease. But like breast cancer in women, breast cancer in men is the uncontrolled growth of the cells of the breast tissue.

Breast cancer in men can be just as dangerous as breast cancer in women. More than 1,700 men are diagnosed with male breast cancer each year. But because men often wait to report the symptoms of male breast cancer, the disease is more likely to have spread, leaving many men with less hope that treatment will lead to recovery.

Breast cancer in men accounts for approximately one percent of cases of breast cancer and about 0.2 percent of all malignancies in men, according to The National Cancer Institute. In women, breast cancer represents 26 percent of all cancers. However, all of the types of breast cancer seen in women can also occur in men, although some are quite rare.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that breast cancer in men results in approximately 480 deaths in men compared to more than 40,000 women who die of breast cancer each year.

The survival rate for men is lower than for women. Men have very little breast tissue and do not typically receive mammograms.

Also, men are not taught to do regular breast self-examination. No one knows the exact cause of breast cancer, but risk factors include age, family history of breast cancer, changes in the appearance of the breast and race. Breast cancer is diagnosed more often in White women than Latina, Asian and African American women.

Since breast cancer is 100 times more common among women, the general public does not hear much about breast cancer in men. Many people are unaware that men can develop breast cancer, and neither individual men themselves nor their physicians regularly examine men’s breasts.

Furthermore, when men discover signs of breast cancer, they tend to delay before seeing a physician. This is the main reason why medical researchers have a hard time studying breast cancer in men and the effect it has on the male population. Men do not believe they are susceptible to the disease.

For instance, actor Richard Roundtree, the man who personified masculinity in the iconoclastic blaxploitaion film Shaft, discovered a lump in his right breast in the 1970s. It was cancer.

“When I got the news, I was shocked,” said Roundtree, who has worked with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation which raises breast cancer awareness among women and men, as well as funds for research. “I thought I couldn’t possibly have breast cancer. Men dont get this, Roundtree once said in a USA Today interview. The actor was fortunate to catch his cancer early and received chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and a mastectomy.

Another celebrity to have had male breast cancer is Peter Criss, a founding member of the rock band KISS, who calls himself the luckiest man in the planet. Criss said getting medical treatment early at the first sign of trouble saved his life.

While some men feel embarrassed because of this macho crap, Criss said surviving breast cancer was actually a blessing. He was treated before the tumor could spread and said he speaks out about breast cancer in men during National Breast Cancer Awareness month every October to raise the profile of this rare disease.

Criss, who played drums for KISS and was known as “Catman,” offered this advice to men who spot lumps in their breast: Don’t sit around playing Mr. Tough Guy. Don’t say ‘It’s going to go away.’ It might not and you might not see life anymore and how beautiful that is.”

Most cases of breast cancer in men are detected in men between the ages of 60 and 70, although the condition can develop in men of any age. A man’s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is about one-tenth of one percent, or one in 1,000.

However, men with breast cancer show the same racial disparities in survival as do women with the disease, according to a study conducted at Columbia University. Medicare-age African American men with breast cancer were three times more likely to die from the disease than White men. These findings parallel those of previous studies among women, which have shown higher breast cancer mortality rates for African American women at all ages, according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes between African American and White women have been reduced to access to health care, and other socioeconomic factors. Similar factors may contribute to the poor outcomes observed among African American men with breast cancer.

Among the findings related to African American men, the researchers reported that they were more likely to have later-stage disease and larger tumors than White men; African American men were 48 percent less likely to be referred to a medical oncologist and 56 percent less likely to receive chemotherapy than White men, though neither difference was significant. Five-year survival was about 90 percent among White patients but 66 percent among African American patients.

On the basis of the findings, the researchers concluded that part of the racial disparity in survival may be due to differences in treatment. Under treatment may account for the racial disparity in breast cancer survival among men.

Medical researchers have said further studies will be needed to explain clinical and biological factors contributing to racial disparities in male breast cancer. Because breast cancer in men is rare at less than one percent of cancers in men, obtaining large sample sizes has been a challenge. Most previous studies have been small, single center, retrospective series.

Early signs, however, indicate that the disease is more manageable and has higher successful treatable rates than when found in women. In many ways, the disease appears similarly in both sexes.

Symptoms of breast cancer

A painless lump, usually discovered by the patient himself, is by far the most common first symptom of breast cancer in men. Typically, the lump appears right beneath the breast, where breast tissue is concentrated.

A lump, however, is seldom the only symptom. Men are more likely than women to have nipple discharge (sometimes bloody) and signs of local spreading, including nipple retraction, fixation to the skin or the underlying tissues, and skin ulceration.

To improve the prognosis of breast cancer in men, broader efforts are needed to let men know that the disease exists and that, like other cancers, it can be cured or controlled if it is diagnosed and treated promptly.

Risk factors attributed to breast cancer.

- Age

The incidence of breast cancer in men, like in women, increases with age. The average age of men at diagnosis is close to 65, about five years older than the average age for women.

- Ethnicity

Breast cancer affects 14 African American men and eight White men in every million. Some studies also suggest that the prevalence is higher among Jewish males.

- Geography

In Egypt, breast cancer in men represents six percent of all breast cancers, and in Zambia, it accounts for 15 percent. It has been suggested that one contributing factor might be an excess of estrogen produced by parasites. Others have proposed a link with liver disease caused by malnutrition.

- Socioeconomic Status

A recent study comparing male breast cancer patients from five metropolitan areas with men of comparable backgrounds who did not have breast cancer, found that the breast cancer patients were more likely to be college graduates and employed as professionals or managers.

- Heredity

Several researchers have reported two or more cases of breast cancer in men within a single family. Several of these reports have involved two brothers; one involved three brothers; and another described breast cancer in a man, his father and his uncle.

- Hormones

Abnormal hormonal activity, a factor that has been linked to the development of female breast cancer, could play a role in the development of male breast cancer as well. Several disorders with a hormonal component have been associated with an increased risk of male breast cancer, and numerous studies suggest that men with breast cancer display abnormal patterns of hormone metabolism and excretion.

- Treatment

The treatment for male breast cancer is generally similar to the treatment of female breast cancer. The basic therapy for cancer that shows no signs of distant spreading is surgery. In advanced stages, it is hormonal and chemotherapy. The small number of men who develop breast cancer makes it unlikely that large prospective trials can ever be undertaken to compare various therapies. It is possible, nonetheless, that institutions that see more than the usual number of cases could collaborate in developing a fund of reliable information. In the meantime, it is important that individual physicians and surgeons keep careful records to document the cases of the several hundred men who develop breast cancer each year in the U.S.

Breast Cancer Insight [BCI]: A Comprehensive Breast Cancer Resource

Breast cancer is a very sensitive topic for many individuals and finding a good, comprehensive breast cancer resource can be somewhat of a challenging task. This is exactly why Breast Cancer Insight was made available to the web readers. Whether you are looking for information on breast cancer for yourself, or for a family member or friend, it is assured that Breast Cancer Insight will answer your questions and inform you on everything you are looking to learn about this health condition.

Breast Cancer Insight is a very well-built website – the clearly defined sections makes it easy to navigate according to the type of information you are looking for [facts, prevention, symptoms, research information, etc]. You do not have to be a medical expert to understand the readings found on the website either. Breast Cancer Insight is proud to offer readings written by medical experts but in a way that is still understandable for the larger public, in a language that is accessible to all. The information is there and ready to be accessed by anyone who is looking to find more information on breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a severe condition that touches many lives. It can be fatal if left undiagnosed and untreated, and this is where Breast Cancer Insight comes in the equation. With concise and complete Breast Cancer Resource readings on symptoms and treatments, as well as prevention and research, you are sure to find the information you are looking for. BCI even offers links to buy books on breast cancer and information to find support groups and help lines for cancer patients.

The quick links found on the homepage will help you jump to the answers you are looking for: What causes breast cancer? What is a mammogram? Is there a breast cancer gene? and many more. For the experts at Breast Cancer Insight, it is very well known that breast cancer is very scary for most people, if not all, and that no matter if you are the patient or are coping with breast cancer in your family and entourage, you deserve to have your questions answered in an honest and direct way. For this very reason, Breast Cancer Insight offers an online chat room and a Q&A section, where you can type your questions in order to get a quick, professional answer.

Breast Cancer Insight is and will always be a work in progress; information is added regularly, following breast cancer research and such. The key is stay informed and up-to-date with any new discovery and information is to come back often and, most of all, to not be afraid to ask questions that might stay unanswered. The expert team behind BCI will always be more than happy to provide support and help to any individual with concerns related to breast cancer.

For a complete information guide to breast cancer and a comprehensive web-resource on this condition, please visit us at breastcancerinsight.