Definition

Breast cancer is cancer that forms in the cells of the

breasts. Breast cancer can occur in both men and
women, but it's far more common in women.
After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common
cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. But
breast cancer rates have fallen in recent years,
though doctors aren't certain why. Still, for many
women, breast cancer is the disease they fear most.
Public support for breast cancer awareness and research
funding has helped improve the diagnosis and
treatment of breast cancer. Breast cancer survival
rates have increased and the number of deaths has
been declining, thanks to earlier detection, new
treatments and a better understanding of the disease
 Symptoms
• Signs and symptoms of breast cancer may
include:
1.A breast lump or thickening that feels
different from the surrounding tissue
2.Bloody discharge from the nipple
3.Change in the size or shape of a breast
4.Changes to the skin over the breast, such
as dimpling
5.Inverted nipple
6.Peeling or flaking of the nipple skin
7.Redness or pitting of the skin over your
breast, like the skin of an orange
Causes
Cancer begins as a cluster of abnormal cells. Over •
time, the abnormal cells continue to change in
appearance and multiply, evolving into
noninvasive (in situ) cancer or, eventually,
invasive cancer. Invasive cancer can spread to
other areas of the body through the bloodstream
. or the lymphatic system
A Risk Factors
1. Being female. Women are much more likely than
men are to develop breast cancer
2. Increasing age.
3. A personal history of breast cancer.
4. A family history of breast cancer.
5. Inherited genes that increase cancer risk.
6. Radiation exposure.
7. Obesity. Being overweight or obese increases your
risk of breast cancer.
8. Drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol may increase
the risk of breast cancer.
Tests and Diagnosis
Tests and procedures used to diagnose breast cancer include:
1. Mammogram.
2. Breast ultrasound.
3. MRI.

Tests and procedures used to stage breast cancer may include:

1. Blood tests, such as a complete blood count
2. Mammogram of the other breast to look for signs of cancer
3. Chest X-ray
4. Breast MRI
5. Bone scan
6. Computerized tomography (CT) scan
7. Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

•
Calcifications are
small calcium
deposits in the
breast that show up
as white spots on a
mammogram.
Large, round, well-
defined
calcifications (left
column) are more
likely to be
noncancerous
(benign). Tight
clusters of tiny,
irregularly shaped
calcifications (right
column) may
indicate cancer.
A core needle
biopsy uses a
long, hollow
tube to extract
a core of
tissue. Here, a
biopsy of a
suspicious
breast lump is
being done.
The core is
sent to a
laboratory for
testing.
Treatment and Drugs
Breast cancer surgery
Operations used to treat breast cancer include:
1. Removing the breast cancer (lumpectomy).
2. Removing the entire breast (mastectomy).
3. Removing one lymph node
4. Removing several lymph nodes
During a lumpectomy, your
surgeon makes an incision
large enough to remove the
tumor and a margin of healthy
tissue surrounding the tumor.
The rest of your breast remains
intact.

One type of mastectomy is a

modified radical mastectomy,
which involves removing the
entire breast, including the
breast tissue, skin, areola and
nipple, and most of the
underarm (axillary) lymph
nodes (see the shaded area).
Drugs
Targeted drugs
Targeted drug treatments attack
specific abnormalities within cancer
cells. Targeted drugs approved to
treat breast cancer include:
1. Trastuzumab (Herceptin).
2. Bevacizumab (Avastin).
3. Lapatinib (Tykerb).
External beam radiation
uses high-powered
beams to kill cancer cells.
Beams of radiation are
precisely aimed at the
breast cancer using a
machine that moves
around your body.

During external beam

radiation therapy, you're
positioned on a table and
a large machine moves
around you sending
beams of radiation into
precise points in your
body.
Prevention
• Breast cancer prevention for women
with an average risk
Making changes in your daily life may help
reduce your risk of breast cancer. Try to
• Ask your doctor about breast cancer
screening.
• Become familiar with your breasts
through breast self-exams.
• Exercise most days of the week.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
This way to prevent breast cancer

To perform a breast
self-exam, use a
circling, massaging
motion with your
fingers. A breast
self-exam can help
you become
familiar with the
normal changes in
your breasts.