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Breast Cancer Treatment Options: Facing Your Fears And Moving Ahead

After breast cancer diagnosis, time is of the essence to ensure recovery. Digest the news; then start learning, so you’re comfortable with your informed choices for breast cancer treatment.
Building Your Team
Before choosing surgery, you build a breast cancer treatment team. You need surgeons, oncologists, anesthesiologist, and radiologist. If you’re able, you are the leader of this team. You have to live with the choices made.
Breast surgeon – recommends and performs breast surgery such as mastectomy or lumpectomy under general anesthesia, and a sentinel node biopsy.
Oncologist – also recommends which surgical option is best. Recommends chemotherapies and follows treatment.
Anesthesiologist – usually on hospital staff, unless you want to choose your own.
Radiologist – performs the sentinel node biopsy (where 2-3 lymph nodes in the armpit or breast are surgically removed) is also on hospital staff.
Plastic surgeon – performs reconstruction if you want it, during or well after mastectomy.
Radiation oncologist – manages radiation therapy. Wait till after surgery to find.
First Breast Cancer Treatment: Surgery
Lumpectomy – usually recommended when there is a single, small lump. The lump and the margin around it are surgically removed under general anesthesia.
* Advantage: You have a small scar, usually.
* Disadvantages: You undergo radiation therapy afterwards; because radiation can cause lumps, you may have more biopsies in the future.
Mastectomy – removes breast tissue, comprised mainly of fat, under general anesthesia. Surrounding tissues are undisturbed.
* Advantages: You need no further biopsies on that side; you probably avoid radiation therapy if cancer is detected early.
* Disadvantages: You have asymmetry, and this may temporarily affect sex life or self-image. With psychological adjustment or reconstruction, these disadvantages can disappear.
Breast reconstruction – during/after a mastectomy using techniques such as DIEP, where abdominal fat and skin are transferred to the chest, to shape a new breast. This is not cosmetic surgery; it’s part of treatment.
* Advantages: feeling and looking restored; getting a tummy tuck and a breast lift on the other breast.
Breast Cancer Treatment After Surgery
The oncologist considers the information from the various tests. The oncologist stages the cancer, and recommends various breast cancer treatments. The oncologist can refer you to a psychologist or support group to allay anxiety about treatment.
Radiation therapy – usually started after recovery from lumpectomy. It is precisely administered to the breast (and perhaps lymph nodes) in order to kill cancerous cells, while avoiding damage to the rest of the body. Sessions are a few minutes, once a day, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks.
* Short-term side effects: fatigue, breast soreness, redness, swelling.
* Long-term side effects: breast shrinkage, tanning, lumpiness.
Chemotherapy – started after all radiation is complete. Drugs which kill or disable cancer cells are given cyclically, with time off between treatments, for 3 to 6 months. The chemotherapy visit usually is outpatient, lasting 1 to 6 hours. Some drugs are taken orally at home, sometimes as a permanent regime.
* Side effects: hair loss, nausea/vomiting, nerve or muscle pain, infection, weight gain, fatigue, difficulty sleeping.
Hormone Therapy – taken orally at home; both treats and prevents recurrence in some cases.
Exercise, diet and lifestyle changes help recovery significantly.
Survival After Therapy
With 2 million breast cancer survivors in America, breast cancer is beatable. Breast cancer treatment requires internal fortitude to reach recovery. You emerge with relief, gratitude and hope.

For more information on breast cancer try visiting http://www.breastcanceranalysis.com – a website that specializes in providing breast cancer related information and resources including information on breast cancer treatment.
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Warning Signs of Breast Cancer and Reoccurence of Breast Cancer Signs

Warning Signs of Breast Cancer and Reoccurence of breast cancer signs

There are different signs and symptoms of breast cancer. One of the first signs or symptoms is feeling a lump in the breast. This lump will feel different then the other breast tissue around it. It is known that more then eighty percent of women discover lumps by checking themselves. A physician can detect breast cancer by giving you a mammogram.

Lumps that are found in lymph nodes located in areas such as the armpits or collarbone can also prove to be breast cancer. Other signs and symptoms of breast cancer may be changes in breast size and changes in the shape of the breast, skin dimpling, nipple discharge and nipple inversion.

Inflammatory breast cancer is also known as IBC. Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer may include pain, swelling, an orange peel texture to the skin, a warm feeling to the breast and redness of the breast. When cancer cells invade the small lymph vessels in the skin of the breast this presentation resembles skin inflammation known as inflammatory breast cancer.

Another symptom of breast cancer is Paget’s disease of the breast. It is a syndrome that presents skin changes like redness and flaking skin of the nipple. As this advances symptoms may include itching, tingling, sensitivity, pain and burning and on occasion discharge from the nipple. About half of women that are diagnosed with Paget’s will also have a lump in the breast.

Occasionally breast cancer can spread beyond the area where it was detected becoming a metastatic disease. Depending on the location of this metastasis, metastatic breast cancer can cause symptoms.

Common sites of metastasis may include the liver, lung, bone, and brain. Breast cancer can cause unexplained weight loss, fever and chills. Pain in the joints and bones, jaundice and neurological symptoms can sometimes be manifestations of metastatic breast cancer.

These certain symptoms can also be manifestations of other types of illnesses. In many cases most breast disorder symptoms do not turn out to be breast cancer. But the appearance of any signs or symptoms should be taken very seriously, because of breast cancer being able to strike at any age.

Breast cancer is often a problem that is clouded with myths, false information and fear. It doesn’t have to be this way at all.
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Know the Symptoms of Breast Cancer

A number of conditions other than breast cancer can cause your breasts to change in size or feel. Breast tissue changes naturally during pregnancy and your menstrual cycle. Other possible causes of no cancerous (benign) breast changes include fibrocystic changes, cysts, fibro adenomas, infection or injury.Change in the size, shape, or feel of the breast or nipple — for example, you may have redness, dimpling, or puckering that looks like the skin of an orange. Fluid coming from the nipple — may be bloody, clear-to-yellow, or green, and look like pus.Breast self-exam should be part of your monthly health care routine, and you should visit your doctor if you experience breast changes. If you’re over 40 or at a high risk for the disease, you should also have an annual mammogram and physical exam by a doctor. The earlier breast cancer is found and diagnosed, the better your chances of beating it.Gene changes: Changes in certain genes increase the risk of breast cancer. These genes include BRCA1, BRCA2, and others. Tests can sometimes show the presence of specific gene changes in families with many women who have had breast cancer. Health care providers may suggest ways to try to reduce the risk of breast cancer, or to improve the detection of this disease in women who have these changes in their genes.The most serious cancers are metastatic cancers. Metastasis means that the cancer has spread from the place where it started into other tissues distant from the original tumor site. The most common place for breast cancer to metastasize is into the lymph nodes under the arm or above the collarbone on the same side as the cancer. Other common sites of breast cancer metastasis are the brain, the bones, and the liver.Sometimes there are no symptoms of breast cancer when it is in the early stages. If you notice a lump, or are experiencing anything unusual, you must report the symptoms to your doctor as soon as possible. Performing a monthly self breast exam is the one of the best ways to notice any changes in your breasts.The doctor will examine the breasts using visual inspection and palpation. Visual inspection looks for changes in breast contour, new dimpling, nipple inversion, discharge, moles, puckering or persistent sores. Palpation is using the pads of the fingers to press down and feel the tissue around the breasts for any unusual lumps. Benign (non-cancerous) lumps may feel different from cancerous ones, but most times it is very difficult to determine whether a lump is cancerous without further testing.Unusual pain in the breast or in the armpit: Know your cyclical pains, and note if breast pain occurs in tune with the monthly period, and in both breasts. While uncomfortable, if it is normal to you, it may not be worrisome. But if you have pain which occurs off-cycle or in only one breast or armpit, get it checked out. Keeping a good record of your cycles will help you understand hormonal changes in your breasts, and also helps your doctor and nurse determine what may be happening in your body.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer – Who is at the Risk?

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. While the majority of new breast cancers are diagnosed as a result of an abnormality seen on a mammogram, a lump or change in consistency of the breast tissue can also be a warning sign of the disease.There are two main types of breast cancer:•Ductal carcinoma starts in the tubes (ducts) that move milk from the breast to the nipple. Most breast cancers are of this type.Lobular carcinoma starts in parts of the breast, called lobules, that produce milk.Breast Cancer SymptomsSo what are the symptoms of breast cancer? At first, you may notice no symptoms of breast cancer at all. Once the cancer begins to grow, it can be detected in several ways. Check for lumps or thickening near the breast and underarms. A change in the size or shape of your breast may be symptom of breast cancer. If you notice a discharge from you nipple, please consult your physician. This too can by a symptom of breast cancer. Anything else abnormal such as a change in color or feel should be mentioned to your physician. It may not be breast cancer, but it is better to be safe than sorry.Breast cancers in their early stages are usually painless. Often the first symptom is the discovery of a hard lump. Fifty percent of such masses are found in the upper outer quarter of the breast. The lump may make the affected breast appear elevated or asymmetric. The nipple may be retracted or scaly. Sometimes the skin of the breast is dimpled like the skin of an orange. In some cases there is a bloody or clear discharge from the nipple. Many cancers, however, produce no symptoms and cannot be felt on examination. They can be detected only with a mammogram.An early diagnosis of breast cancer is associated with a higher survival rate. Therefore, it is vital to be able to recognize the signs of breast cancer. Symptoms of breast cancer can include: Clear or bloody liquid discharge from nippleNipple retraction or indentationChange in size and shape of breastsA flattening or indentation on the skin of the breast indicating a change in the underlying tissue. A change in the look or feel of the skin of the breast, areola or nipple such as warmth, swelling, redness or scalinessRedness or scaling of the breast’s skin. Unusual dimpling in the breast. Discharge from the nipple. This can be dark and bloody or clear in nature.

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Breast Cancer Signs: Distinct Indicators to Facilitate Diagnosing the Disease

Understanding and being able to detect breast cancer signs are crucial for early detection of the disease and higher success rates. As the most common cancer amongst women in the U.S., breast cancer is a brazen reality and on the rise. Fortunately, it’s also a disease with a high cure rate, particularly if it’s detected early.
To learn about known breast cancer signs and symptoms and how to detect them in your own body, keep reading
Lump
Most instances of breast cancer are diagnosed after a woman discovers a lump in her breast. This is the most common method of detecting breast cancer and the clearest sign or symptom of the disease.
Whether during a routine self breast examination or simply by accident, a woman will notice or feel a bump that feels significantly different than the surrounding breast tissue. To learn how to do a self breast examination, try the Breast Self Exam (BSE) tutorial on the Komen website, komen.org.
Changing Breast Shape, Skin Texture or Size
A drastic change in a breast’s skin texture, shape or overall size can be a clear indicator of breast cancer. Many breast cancer victims also see a dimpling or wrinkling of the skin.
Soreness and Skin Irritation
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare form of breast cancer, but it does occur in about 1% of women diagnosed with the disease. The symptoms typically present themselves through itchiness, swelling, soreness, redness and a heat that resonates throughout the breast.
Paget’s Disease of the Breast
Paget’s disease is what is considered a secondary or complex symptom of breast cancer. Essentially, the skin of the breast and/or nipple feels and appears as though it’s afflicted by eczema. The skin is flaking, itchy, irritated and red.
Loss of Appetite
Not all breast cancer patients experience a decreased appetite and subsequent weight loss, but many do. Cancer is a disease that can often affect the entire body, even if it’s localized. Often, patients’ diets are adversely affected.
Anxiety, Stress and Depression
Though not as thoroughly documented as other physical symptoms, many breast cancer patients report experiencing higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression even before they were diagnosed. While most doctors won’t make a positive determination on this evidence alone, it can be a helpful indicator.
Family History
If any of your immediate family members or several members of your extended family have been diagnosed with breast cancer, then you need to let your doctor know. You should also commit to monthly self breast exams and annual mammograms.
From Symptoms to Diagnosis
If you’re experiencing any or all the above symptoms, then you may want to consult with your doctor. Remember, the sooner breast cancer is detected, the better your long-term prognosis.
The American Cancer Society recommends conducting a monthly self breast exam and an annual mammogram to detect breast cancer signs like a lump or skin changes. A self exam is simple, quick, and an effective means of catching a potentially serious problem early.

Breast Cancer Prevention Still Needs More Attention

Breast cancer prevention is important for women to learn about, especially since breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in women. The American Cancer Society’s web site reports that over two-hundred thousand women were diagnosed with this disease in 2006 and there are over two million women in the United States who have received treatment for breast cancer. With numbers this staggering, preventing cancer should be a priority for all women.
The first and easiest step in breast cancer prevention is knowing what you are up against. This means learning all about the risk factors that may affect you. Family history and genetic make-up are two risk factors women cannot control, but must be aware of when it comes to prevention. If your mother, grandmother or even sister has been diagnosed with breast cancer, your risks go up too.
The choices you make in life also become risk factors. Women who take oral contraceptives could have a greater chance of developing this deadly disease. Having children before the age of thirty can put women at a higher risk for breast cancer. Although some risk factors are easier to control than others, familiarizing oneself with plenty of information will only make fighting cancer easier for you.
There are certain medications available to women who fall under high risk factors for breast cancer. The drug Tamoxifen has been used in the United States for over twenty-five years to help in the fight for breast cancer prevention. The drug is taken once daily as a pill and interferes with the female hormone estrogen, preventing it from attaching itself to cells in the breast tissue.
This medication can also be used to treat women already diagnosed with breast cancer because it can slow down or cease the growth of cancerous cells. Tamoxifen has even been associated with helping prevent a recurrence in women who previously suffered from breast cancer.
A more common way to prevent breast cancer is through mammograms. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast and is the most common form of prevention. Women who are over forty years of age should get mammograms on a yearly basis. For women in their twenty’s and thirty’s, the American Cancer Society’s web site recommends getting clinical breast exams at least every three years from a medical professional.
This test is performed using the tips of the fingers to check the entire breast area and under the arm. In addition to mammograms and clinical breast exams, women should also perform breast self exams each month to recognize any signs of lumps or abnormalities in the tissue.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is able to help women who fall within the lower poverty levels, are uninsured or underserved gain access to screenings for breast cancer. This program is called the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. The CDC’s web site touts it has served more than two million women under this program since its inception in 1991.
In 2000, Congress expanded this service by opening it up to women who are on Medicaid. This breast cancer control act, formally titled the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act, is a way to help women, who may have little access to quality health care, have a chance at breast and cervical cancer prevention.
For anyone who has suffered from breast cancer, maintaining prevention is critical. It should be just as important for those who never have experienced this disease. Breast cancer prevention is about learning your genetic make-up and if anyone in your family suffered from cancer.
Prevention is also about making healthier lifestyle choices by eating right, exercising and avoiding cigarettes. Be smart and make the right decisions to ensure you will have a long and healthy life.

Andi Michaels has worked in healthcare and now runs health related websites on topics including controlling cancer as well as sites on lung conditions
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Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer may help save your life. When the disease is discovered early, you have more treatment options and a better chance for a cure. Most breast lumps aren’t cancerous. Yet the most common sign of breast cancer for both men and women is a lump or thickening in the breast. Often, the lump is painless.

Changes in the skin of the breast include redness, changes in texture, and puckering. These changes are usually caused by skin diseases but occasionally can be associated with breast cancer.

Between ages 41 – 58, there may be a small bit of non-bloody leakage from the nipples of both breasts. This leakage is usually due to hormonal changes and is not worrisome. However, if the fluid is leaking from only one nipple, is a new discharge, or is bloody, there are several tests that can be done to discover what is causing it. Ask your doctor for a professional opinion on your next steps.

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. While the majority of new breast cancers are diagnosed as a result of an abnormality seen on a mammogram, a lump or change in consistency of the breast tissue can also be a warning sign of the disease.

Breast discharge is a common problem and is rarely a symptom of cancer. Discharge is most concerning if it is from only one breast or if it is bloody. In any case, all breast discharge should be evaluated.

Sometimes there are no symptoms of breast cancer when it is in the early stages. If you notice a lump, or are experiencing anything unusual, you must report the symptoms to your doctor as soon as possible. Performing a monthly self breast exam is the one of the best ways to notice any changes in your breasts.

Degree of relativity of the family member with breast cancer affects individual risk. For example, the relative risk of patients with an affected first-degree relative is 1.5-2 times higher when compared to controls without affected family members. Even more significantly, having two first-degree relatives affected (female or male) increases relative risk by more than 4-6 times when compared to patients without this risk factor.

Third, age of the affected relative at time of diagnosis also influences risk. A patient with a mother diagnosed when younger than 60 years is at 2 times increased risk. Finally, bilateral cancer in a first-degree relative may increase risk by more than 6 times.

Breast cancer doesn’t always start as a suspicious lump. Others symptoms may include itchiness near the nipple, dimpled breast skin, an armpit lump, or a swelling, hot sensation in the breast.

Pain doesn’t usually mean cancer. Many healthy women find that their breasts feel lumpy and tender before a period. And some benign breast lumps are painful. Many women get pain in their breasts for a while, which goes after a time. There may be no obvious reason for the pain, even with lots of tests. Most breast pain is not caused by cancer, but some breast cancers do cause pain, so if you are worried, see your GP.

Any changes in the breast should be reported to a doctor without delay. Symptoms can be caused by cancer or by a number of less serious conditions. Early diagnosis is especially important for breast cancer because the disease responds best to treatment before it has spread. The earlier breast cancer is found and treated, the better a woman’s chance for complete recovery.

Bad News – 1 Out of 2 Women Have Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the cells of the breast in men and women. It is diagnosed by the examination of surgically removed breast tissue.
Good News – Breast cancer is NOT a death sentence.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in American women. It is extremely rare in women in their teens or early twenties and uncommon in women under 35.
The first symptom, or subjective sign, of breast cancer is typically a lump that feels different than the surrounding breast tissue. Another reported symptom complex of breast cancer is Paget’s disease of the breast. Although many epidemiological risk factors have been identified, the cause of any individual breast cancer is often unknowable.
Risk
The primary risk factors that have been identified are sex, age, childbearing, hormones, a high-fat diet, alcohol intake, obesity, and environmental factors such as tobacco use, radiation and shift work.
However, in women who take 200 micrograms of folate (folic acid or Vitamin B9) every day, the risk of breast cancer drops below that of alcohol abstainers. Breathing secondhand smoke increases breast cancer risk by 70% in younger, primarily pre-menopausal women.
After taking into account various parameters about their health and family data through an interactive question-answer session, it identifies the risk group of the user and thus helps to detect breast cancer at an early stage.
Still, some benign breast conditions are important because women with these conditions have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Cells
Cells from benign tumors do not spread to tissues around them or to other parts of the body. Cells from malignant tumors can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. When breast cancer cells invade the dermal lymphatics, small lymph vessels in the skin of the breast, its presentation can resemble skin inflammation and thus is known as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC).
The closer to normal cancer cells are, the slower their growth and a better prognosis. This radiation is very effective in killing cancer cells that may remain after surgery or recur where the tumor was removed. However, radiation affects normal cells and cancer cells alike, causing some damage to the normal tissue around where the tumor was.
Healthy tissue can repair itself, while cancer cells do not repair themselves as well as normal cells.
Lymph
Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped collections of immune system cells that are connected by lymphatic vessels. Lymph is a clear fluid that contains immune system cells and waste products.
Stage is the most important, as it takes into consideration size, local involvement, lymph node status and whether metastatic disease is present. Breast cancer can also spread to other parts of the body via blood vessels or the lymphatic system. More recently, the technique of sentinel lymph node (SLN) dissection has become popular, as it requires the removal of far fewer lymph nodes, resulting in fewer side effects.
Research
The preliminary research into flax seeds indicates that flax can significantly change breast cancer growth and metastasis, and enhance the inhibitory effect of tamoxifen on estrogen-dependent tumors. These improvements have had a direct result on the decrease in mortality rates of people diagnosed with breast cancer and would not have been made without ongoing effective research.
Phenomenal research is being done but there is so much more we need to learn.
Family
If you are worried about having a family history of breast cancer, you can speak to your GP about a referral to a breast clinic. 85% of all diagnoses have no family history. While a history of breast cancer in the family may lead to increased risk, most breast cancers are diagnosed in women with NO family history.
If a woman also has a family history of breast cancer in first-degree relatives, her risk may be increased 11-fold.