Breast Cancer Facts Type, Causes, Signs and Symptoms
Knowledge of breast cancer facts is the start of prevention. It is a complicated form of tumor because it has many different types. Risk factors vary from aging, genetics, diet, presence of hormones to stress.
And it's not only women who get it. Men also do and the types affecting them are distinct.
Prevention steps are recommended especially if you have family members who have been diagnosed with it. Its treatment includes surgery and chemotherapy.
The tumor affects and grows in the tissues of your breasts. When it is a malignant tumor, it invades initially the lymph nodes that are connected to your breasts through lymphatic vessels.
When cancerous cells are already found in your lymph nodes, they may also have already traveled to other organs in your body.
What are the statistics?
It is the most common type of tumor in women, 3 times more common than all gynecologic malignancies. New cases are increasing progressively from a ratio of 1 in 20 women in the 1960s to a ratio of 1 in 7 women today.
It is the second leading cause of death in women, next to lung tumor.
What are the alarming breast cancer facts everyone should know? It has become an epidemic among women because 200,000 new cases are diagnosed each year and about 40,000 women will die from it.
The most interesting and surprising among the facts is it is not an exclusive disease of women. Even men can develop this type of tumor because they also have breasts.
How can a man develop breast tumor?
According to breast cancer facts from the NBC Foundation, about 1,700 men will develop the disease and 450 men will die from it every year. Although it is rare among men, there are 5 types of tumor in the breasts among males.
These are . . .
Ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS),
Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) - the most common in men accounting for 8 out of 10 cases,
Lobular carcinoma in-situ (LCIS),
Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC),
Paget's nipple disease
What are the facts on the different types?
The tumor has 2 major groups: lobular and ductal carcinomas. According to facts, all lobular types are classified as special while ductal carcinomas are divided into special and non-special types.
Both lobular and ductal carcinomas can be very deadly when it is the invasive type. The invasive form is the deadliest. The difference between lobular and ductal carcinomas is the location where the malignancy starts.
Based on breast cancer facts, the disease is different for every age group. Older women tend to develop the less aggressive type. If you get the disease at an early age, the tumor will be more aggressive and invasive.
I have a co-worker who passed away this January 2012 because of metastatic breast cancer. She was only 49 years old. She had the deadly type because even with surgery, aggressive radiation and chemotherapy, the cancerous cells were able to move and penetrate her bones and her liver.
What are the causes?
Aging is one of its known causes. If you’re in your 20s, the possibility of getting the disease is very small. As you grow older, your risk increases and levels off at age 45 then increases significantly after age 50. Half of diagnosed cases are among women more than 65 years old.
The kind of lifestyle you have is also a major factor. Cases in women in their 30s are now on the rise. They drink, smoke, have stressful careers and often eat out in fastfood chains.
What are the facts on the various treatment options?
The best type of treatment depends on the type and the stage of your tumor. There are many breast cancer treatment options that are available and surgery is the most common type of treatment.
Aggressive breast cancers require a combination of chemotherapy and another treatment such as radiation. But then there is no guarantee. My co-worker who willingly subjected herself to such treatments still didn't survive the disease.
What are the facts on the signs and symptoms?
Self-examination is important to prevention. In fact, 70% of cases are discovered through self-examination. When the disease is detected early, your 5 year survival rate is 96%. It is recommended that you examine your breasts regularly and consistently. A lump is usually the first sign. However, keep in mind that not all lumps can be felt, especially when the lump is still very small. Only a mammogram can detect tiny lumps.
Also, be aware that not all lumps are cancerous and not all types exhibit lumps as the sign. You may not feel any lump but you may be diagnosed with the inflammatory type, which is deadly and aggressive.
Early detection is crucial so pay attention to the signs. My co-worker had discovered a small rash in one of her breasts but dismissed it and did not have it checked. When she was diagnosed, the tumor was already stage 3b.
What are the facts on prevention?
Since this type of malignancy can be passed on genetically, prevention measures should be taken if you are at risk for it. You have to protect yourself by making sure you are healthy through your diet, regular physical activity and avoiding too much stress. Olive oil has also been found to prevent aggressiveness of tumors so use it in your cooking and salad because olive oil benefits the cells of your breasts.
