Saturday, October 22, 2005

What You Really Need to Know About Breast Cancer

What You Really Need to Know About Breast Cancer: "What You Really Need to Know About Breast Cancer


Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in the United States (other than skin cancer). Each year, in the United States alone, approximately 220,000 women are told they have breast cancer. Upon hearing this unexpected and overwhelming news, a woman is faced with having to make treatment choices within a very short period of time. While curable if detected early, breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women ages 35 to 54.

Cancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases. Cancer occurs when, for unknown reasons, cells become abnormal and multiply without control or order. All parts of the body are made up of cells that normally divide to produce more cells only when the body needs them. When cancer occurs, cells keep dividing even when new cells are not needed.

There are several types of breast cancer. The most common is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the lining of the milk ducts within the breast. Another type, lobular carcinoma, begins in the lobules where breast milk is produced. If a cancerous tumor invades nearby tissue, it is called invasive cancer.

Cancer cells may spread beyond the breast to other lymph nodes, or the bones, liver or lungs. When breast cancer spreads, it is called metastatic breast cancer even though it is found in another part of the body. For example, breast cancer that has spread to the liver is called metastatic breast cancer, not liver cancer.

Doctors can not always explain why one person gets cancer and another does not. Medical researchers are, however, learning about what happens inside cells that may cause cancer. They have identified changes in certain genes within breast cells that can be linked to a higher risk f"

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