Breast cancer begins in the cells of the breast and affects mostly women. There are several types of treatment available depending on the individual case, including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, and bone-directed therapy. Symptoms can include a lump in the breast, skin changes, discharge from the nipple, and pain. Mammograms are important for early detection since finding cancer early increases treatment options and survival rates.
1. FACT SHEET TIFFANI CARTER. JENNA DENNIS. BLAKE GINGERICH.
TREATMENT
The six main types of treatment available for w omen diagnosed w ith breast cancer are surgery,
radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, and bone-directed therapy.
Surgery is often needed to remove the tumor fromthe breast. There are tw o different types:
mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery. Radiation therapy is normally given after breast-
conserving therapy and it uses high-energy rays to destroy any remaining cancer cells or to prevent
the cancer fromreturning. Chemotherapy uses oralor intravenous drugs that travelthrough the
bloodstream and kill cancer cells. Targeted therapy is similar to chemotherapy except the drugs
“target” specific changesand usually have less severe side effects. Bone directed therapy is also a
type of drug-related therapy but is used to reduce the risks of pain and fracturesonce the cancer
has spread to the bones. Hormone therapy revolves around estrogen levels and is typically used to
keep the cancer fromreturning. The best type of treatment varies frompatient to patient and
depends on the individual (American Cancer Society, 2016).
BREAST CANCER
OVERVIEW
Breast cancer is a type of tumor that begins in the cells of the breast. It affects mostly women, but
may be found in men as w ell. A w oman's breast is made up of lobules. These lobules produce the
milk and then carry the milk to the nipples. The majority of breast cancer begins in the cells lining
these lobules (American Cancer Society, 2014). While mammograms do not prevent this from
occurring, they can save lives by detecting the cancer as early as possible. The sooner it is
detected, the better. Getting an annual mammogram can increase your chances of survivalby 30%.
These mammograms are quick, only taking about 20 minutes, and cause only minimal discomfort if
any at all. The recommended age for w omen to start getting mammograms is 40 and older since
they are at the highest risk(BreastCancer.org, 2016).
SYMPTOMS
The earlier breast cancer is found, the more available treatment options are and the better those
treatment options w illw ork. Mammograms are used to find the cancer in those w ho are not show ing
any symptoms. How ever, in some rare cases screening cannot detect the cancer. For this reason, it
is best to know what symptoms to look out for, w hich may include (Cancer Treatment Centers of
America, 2015):
Sw elling on parts of breast
Skin irritations or dimples
Pain in the breast or nipple area
Red, scaly, or thickening of skin
Discharge other than breast milk
For more invasive breast cancer, symptoms may include:
Increase in breast over short period of time
Change in the color of the breast
Lumpiness surrounding the nipple
Breast skin pitting (like the skin of an orange)
DEFINITION
“Cancer starts when cells begin to
grow out of control.Cells in nearly
any part of the body can become
cancer, and can spread to other
parts of the body. Breastcancer is
a malignanttumor thatstarts in the
cells of the breast.A malignant
tumor is a group of cancer cells that
can grow and invade surrounding
tissues or spread to distantareas of
the body. This disease occurs
almostentirelyin women.”
: American Cancer Society
DIAGNOSIS
Breastcancer is sometimes found
after symptoms appear,butmany
women with early breastcancer
have no symptoms.This is why
getting the recommended
mammogram is so important.If
something suspicious is found
during a screening exam,or if you
have any of the breastcancer
related symptoms,your doctor can
use one or more methods to find
out if the disease is present.If
cancer is found, other tests will be
done to determine the extent of the
cancer. Medical history, physical
exams,mammograms,breast
ultrasounds,and MRIs are all used
to help detect the presence of
cancer (Moose and Doc Breast
Cancer,2016)
[You Have Room
for Another One
Here!]
Getting Help
If breast cancer is detected in
the first stage, the survival rate
is close to 100%. However, if
left undiagnosed and untreated,
breast cancer usually spreads to
other parts of the body and can
eventually lead to death. This is
why mammograms and early
diagnosis is so important.
For more inf ormation please contact
BreastCancer.Org at 610-642-6550 or v isit
their website at www.breastcancer.org.
2. FACT SHEET TIFFANI CARTER. JENNA DENNIS. BLAKE GINGERICH.
RESOURCES
American Cancer Society. 2014. Breastcancer overview. American Cancer Society.
Retrieved from http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003037-pdf.pdf.
American Cancer Society. 2016. How is breastcancer treated? American Cancer Society.
Retrieved from http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-treating-general-info
BreastCancer.org.2016.Mammography:benefits,risks,whatyou need to know.BreastCancer.org.Retrieved from:
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/mammograms/benefits_risks
Cancer TreatmentCenters of America. 2015.Breastcancer symptoms.Retrieved from
http://www.cancercenter.com/breast-cancer/symptoms/
Moose and Doc BreastCancer. 2016.Progression ofbreastcancer:stages.Moose and Doc.
Retrieved from http://breast-cancer.ca/prog-untreated/