Who is at risk?

All women above 20 are at risk of developing breast cancer. There are a number of risk factors that have been identified.

Some of these factors include:

	Age - the risk of developing breast cancer does increase with age. In fact, 70% of breast cancers occur in women aged 50 and above.
	A family history of breast cancer - women who have a mother, sister or daughter who developed breast cancer before the age of 50 are at a higher risk. This risk is further heightened if a woman has more than one immediate family member who has breast cancer.
	Previous history of breast cancer - women who have already been treated for cancer in one breast have an increased risk of developing cancer in the other breast.
	Early menstruation (before age 12 ) or late menopause (after age 50).
	Never having a full-term pregnancy or giving birth after age 30.
	Not having breast-fed
	High fat diet
	Low fibre diet
	Being obese in post-menopausal years
	Excessive alcohol consumption source : MAKNA

Inside Breast Tissue

The main parts of the female breast are lobules (milk-producing glands), ducts(milk passages that connect the lobules and the nipple), and stroma (fatty tissue and ligaments surrounding the ducts and lobules, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels). Lymphatic vessels are similar to veins but carry lymph instead of blood. Most breast cancer begins in the ducts (ductal), some in the lobules (lobular), and the rest in other breast tissues.

Lymph is a clear fluid that carries tissue waste products and immune system cells. Most lymphatic vessels of the breast lead to underarm (axillary) lymph nodes. Some lead to lymph nodes above the collarbone (called supraclavicular lymph nodes) and others to internal mammary nodes which are next to the breastbone (or sternum). Cancer cells may enter lymph vessels and spread along these vessels to reach lymph nodes. Cancer cells may also enter blood vessels and spread through the bloodstream to other parts of the body.

Lymph nodes are small, bean shaped collections of immune system cells important in fighting infections. When breast cancer cells reach the axillary lymph nodes, they can continue to grow, often causing swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpit or elsewhere.

If breast cancer cells have spread to the axillary lymph nodes, it makes it more likely that they have spread to other organs of the body as well

sources : NCCN

what is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. It is considered a heterogeneous disease, meaning that it is a different disease in different women, a different disease in different age groups and has different cell populations within the tumor itself. Generally, breast cancer is a much more aggressive disease in younger women.

Women in the United States get breast cancer more than any other type of cancer except for skin cancer. It is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in women.

This year it is estimated that nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die. Breast cancer is not exclusively a disease of women, however. Approximately 1,700 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die each year. The evaluation of men with breast masses is similar to that in women, including mammography.

Symptoms

Generally, early breast cancer does not cause pain. Even so, a woman should see her health care provider about breast pain or any other symptom that does not go away.

Common symptoms of breast cancer include:

• A change in how the breast or nipple feels
  You may experience nipple tenderness or notice a lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area.
• A change in how the breast or nipple looks
  This could mean a change in the size or shape of the breast or a nipple that is turned slightly inward. In addition, the skin of the breast, areola or nipple may appear scaly, red or swollen or may have ridges or pitting that resembles the skin of an orange.
• Nipple discharge

Breast Cancer Symptoms and treatment

welcome to my blog. In this blog you'll learn about breast cancer symptoms and how to treat the breast cancer from more severe.