Signs and symptoms:
what are the signs of breast cancer?

Unfortunately, the early stages of breast cancer may not have any symptoms. This is why it is important to follow screening recommendations. As a tumor grows in size, it can produce a variety of symptoms including:
• lump or thickening in the breast or underarm
• change in size or shape of the breast
• nipple discharge or nipple turning inward
• redness or scaling of the skin or nipple
• ridges or pitting of the breast skin
if you experience these symptoms, it doesn't necessarily mean you have breast cancer, but you need to be examined by a doctor
the most common sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass. A mass that is painless, hard, and has irregular edges is more likely to be cancerous, but some rare cancers are tender, soft, and rounded. For this reason, it is important that any new breast mass or lump be checked by a health care provider with experience in diagnosis of breast diseases.

Other signs of breast cancer include a generalized swelling of part of a breast (even if no distinct lump is felt), skin irritation or dimpling, nipple pain or retraction (turning inward), redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin, or a discharge other than breast milk. Sometimes a breast cancer can spread to underarm lymph nodes that are obviously enlarged, even before the original tumor in the breast tissue is large enough to be felt.

Breast cancer treatment
treatment for breast cancer usually depends on the type of cancer and whether the cancer has spread outside of the breast to the rest of the body.

Here are some common treatments:
• lumpectomy (say: lum-pek-tuh-mee), which removes the cancerous tumor from the breast. A woman usually has this surgery when the cancer is found early and when the lump is small and in only one part of the breast.
• mastectomy (say: ma-stek-tuh-mee), which removes the whole breast. This surgery is done when cancer cells have spread through the breast or into other parts of the body. It is a good way to remove all or most of the cancer, and it can help prevent the cancer from spreading or coming back. Sometimes, a woman who has a mastectomy may choose to have an operation to reconstruct (rebuild) the breast, so her shape will be more like it was before.
• radiation therapy and chemotherapy, which are often used after lumpectomy or mastectomy to make sure that all the cancer cells are destroyed and do not grow back. Radiation therapy (say: ray-dee-a-shun ther-uh-pee) uses high-energy x-rays to kill the cancerous cells. Chemotherapy (say: kee-mo-ther-uh-pee) is special medicine that travels throughout the entire body and kills cancer cells.

History why do people get breast cancer?

Any woman can get breast cancer, but doctors have found that certain factors make some women more likely to get it.
• family history: a woman whose mother, sister, aunt, or daughter has had breast cancer is more likely to get breast cancer.
• age: as women get older, they are more at risk for breast cancer. Teens - as well as women in their twenties and thirties - are less likely to get breast cancer.
• diet and lifestyle choices: women who smoke, eat high-fat diets, drink alcohol, and don't get enough exercise may be more at risk for developing breast cancer.

Facts, figures, statistics
 one in 8 women in the united states will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.

 each year, more than 180,000 american women are diagnosed with breast cancer.

 in ohio, 8900 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001.
 a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer increases with age. A woman between the ages of
 30 to 40 years has a 1 in 257 chance of developing breast cancer;
 40 to 50 years has a 1 in 67 chance
 50 to 60 years has a 1 in 36 chance
 60 to 70 years has a 1 in 28 chance
 70 to 80 years has a 1 in 24 chance.

 women ages 20-24 have the lowest occurrences of breast cancer, while women age 75-79 have the highest occurrences of breast cancer.

 survival rates for women diagnosed with breast cancer have increased throughout the years. Today, 85 percent of those women diagnosed with breast cancer live at least five years after the diagnosis.
 more than half of the women with breast cancer live 20 years after their diagnosis.

 ohiohealth and national 5-year relative survival rates for breast cancer patients diagnosed in 1993 by ajcc (american joint commission on cancer)
 the most important physical symptom of breast cancer is a mass. However, up to 10 percent of patients do not have a mass.

 about 75 – 80 percent of breast lumps are not cancer. Upon discovering a lump, however, it is important to see your doctor as soon as possible. He or she will perform a clinical breast exam and may order a mammogram to help the doctor determine the size, location and nature of the lump.

 the earlier that breast cancer is detected, the better the chances for treatment successes. However, breast cancer often does not produce any symptoms other than a lump, dimpling skin or discharge. It is very important for women to practice breast self-examination and to have regular check-ups and screenings.

 the american cancer society recommends a breast examination by a doctor every three years and monthly breast self-examination for women age 20 to 39 years. For women age 40 and older, the american cancer society recommends a mammogram every year, a breast examination by a doctor every year and monthly breast self-examination.

 for women who are at higher risk for breast cancer, your doctor will recommend an earlier baseline (initial) mammogram and more frequent breast examinations in the doctor’s office.

 white, hawaiian and black women are most likely to develop breast cancer. Asian, pacific island and hispanic women are least likely to develop breast cancer.
 other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among american women.

 each year, more than 180,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer.
 breast cancer can occur in men and women, but it is rare in men.
• every three minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer.

• this year 211,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected in the united states.

• one woman in eight who lives to age 85 will develop breast cancer during her lifetime.

• breast cancer is the number one cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 55.

• seventy percent of all breast cancers are found through breast self-exams. Not all lumps are detectable by touch. It is recommended you schedule regular mammograms and monthly breast self-exams.

• eight out of ten breast lumps are not cancerous. If you find a lump, don't panic-call your doctor for an appointment.

• mammography is a low-dose x-ray examination that can detect breast cancer up to two years before it is large enough to be felt.

• when breast cancer is found early, the five-year survival rate is 96%. This is good news! Over 2 million breast cancer survivors are alive in america today