Breast Cancer

Screening and Prevention

Dr Walter Agyeman
Airport Clinic
Breast Cancer
WHY TALK ABOUT BREAST CANCER?
Breast cancer:
How common is it?

• The 2nd most common

cancer in women in the U.S.
• 2nd leading cause of cancer-related
death in women
• A woman has about a one in eight chance of
being diagnosed with breast cancer in her
lifetime
• Death rates have been steadily going down
since 1989.
 The Breast
• The female breast is made up mainly of:
• Lobules–the milk-producing glands
• Ducts–tiny tubes that carry the milk from the
lobules to the nipple
• Stroma–fatty tissue and connective tissue
surrounding the ducts and lobules, blood
vessels, and lymphatic vessels
The Breast
 Breast Cancer
• Cancer is the growth of abnormal cells. The
cells can invade and damage normal tissue.
• Breast cancer can start in any part of the
breast. Two common types:
• Invasive (or infiltrating) ductal carcinoma or
IDC
• Invasive (or infiltrating) lobular carcinoma or
ILC
Symptoms of breast disease
Symptoms of breast cancer
 Cause of Breast Cancer
• We do not know the cause of most breast
cancers. Most likely cause is related to
changes in the genetic material (DNA) in our
cells. DNA changes are often related to our
lifestyle, but some can be due to age and
other factors.
 Risk Factors
• Risk factors are anything that can increase or
decrease a persons=‘s chance of getting a
disease, such as cancer.
• There are many known risk factors for breast
cancer. Some of these cannot be changed, but
some can.
 Risk Factors
• Female Gender
• Aging- 50-70, *40-50 years

• Genes – BRCA 1 , BRCA 2,

 Risk Factors
• Family history of breast cancer. Women who
have a close relative with the disease have a
higher risk of breast cancer.
• Personal history of breast cancer. A woman
with cancer on one breast has an increased
chance of developing a new cancer in the
other breast or in another part of the same
breast
 Risk Factors
• Previous chest radiation
• Recent use of hormonal contraceptives
• Chemical/DES exposure
• Post-menopausal hormone therapy.
• Race- Africans and African American women
 Risk Factors
• Not having children or having them later in life
(after age 30) puts a woman at a slightly
higher risk
• More menstrual cycles- Early menarche or
delayed menopause
• Not breastfeeding
• Obesity
• Alcohol and Smoking
 Breast Cancer Screening
• Screening refers to testing to find cancer or other
diseases early in people who have no symptoms.
• It can help find cancers when they are small and
have not spread- when they are treatable.
• Breast Cancer Screening is done with
1. Regular breast examinations
2. Mammograms and Ultrasound
3. In some cases, breast MRI
 Clinical Breast Exam
• A clinical breast exam is an exam of your
breast by a health care professional
• A self breast examination is also useful if it is
well done.
Breast self exam
 Mammogram
• A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast.
• For a mammogram, the breast is pressed
between 2 plates to flatten and spread the
tissue. It produces a picture of the breast
tissue.
 Breast MRI
• For certain women at high risk for breast
cancer, a screening MRI is recommended
along with a yearly mammogram.
• MRI uses magnets and radio waves to make
detailed, cross sectional pictures.
 Recommendations for Breast Cancer
Detection
• Women aged 40+ should have a screening
mammogram every year
• Women aged 55+ should have biennial
screening or continue annual screening
 Prevention
• There is no sure way but here are things you
can do to help reduce your risk and to help
increase the odds that if you do get breast
cancer, it is found at an early treatable stage
Save the Breasts
 What you can do to Save them
• Be physically active and limit sedentary
behaviour
• Limit alcohol
• Regular breast examinations
• Get yearly breast cancer screening tests
• Talk with a doctor about your breast cancer
risk
 Treatment
There are several modalities
• Surgery
• Radiotherapy
• Chemotherapy
• Hormonal therapy
• immunotherapy
• Thank you for your attention