What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is cancer that develops in the breast cells.
After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer found in women in the United States. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it is more common in women.
Significant support for breast cancer awareness and research support has helped improve the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. The survival rate of breast cancer has increased, and the number of deaths associated with the disease is steadily declining, largely due to factors such as early detection, new treatment options for you, and a better understanding of the disease.
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Signs and symptoms of breast cancer can include:
Chest mass or stiffness that feels different from the surrounding tissues
Change the size, shape, or appearance of the chest
Changes in the skin above the breast, such as thinning
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Peeling, scaling, cracking, or spraying of the skin area around the nipple (areola) or breast skin
Redness or skin rash on your chest, like orange skin
When to see a doctor
If you experience a lump or other change in your chest - even if the latest mammogram has been common - make an appointment with your doctor for a quick check-up.
Doctors know that breast cancer occurs when other breast cells begin to grow abnormally. These cells divide more rapidly than healthy cells form and accumulate, forming a lump or mass. Cells can spread metastasize your chest to your lymph nodes or other parts of your body.
Breast cancer is usually caused by invasive ductal carcinoma. Breast cancer can also be caused by invasive lobes (invasive lobular carcinoma) or other cells or tissues within the breast.
Researchers have discovered hormonal, lifestyle, and environmental factors that may increase the risk of breast cancer. But it is not clear why some people without risk factors develop cancer, but some people with risk factors do not. Breast cancer is more likely to be caused by a combination of genetic predisposition.
Inherited breast cancer
Doctors estimate that about 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to genetic mutations in the family.
Numerous genes have been identified that can increase the risk of breast cancer. The most common are genetic cancer genes 1 (BRCA1) and genetic cancer type 2 (BRCA2), which increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
If you have a strong family history of breast cancer or other cancers, your doctor may recommend a blood test to help identify certain mutations in BRCA or other genes passed on to your family.
Consider asking your doctor to refer you to a genetic counselor, who can review your family's health history. The genetic counselor can also discuss the benefits, risks, and limitations to help you make informed decisions.
Risk factors
The risk factor for breast cancer is anything that makes it easier for you to get breast cancer. But having one or more risk factors for breast cancer does not mean that you will have breast cancer. Most women who get breast cancer have no risk other than being women.
Factors associated with an increased risk of breast cancer include:
Being a woman. Women are more likely to get breast cancer than men.
Growth of years. Your risk of breast cancer increases as you get older.
Your breast history. If you have a breast biopsy that detects lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) or atypical breast hyperplasia, you have an increased risk of breast cancer.
Personal history of breast cancer. If you have had breast cancer in one breast, you have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Family history of breast cancer. If your mother, sister, or daughter is diagnosed with breast cancer, especially at an early age, the risk of developing breast cancer is increased. However, most people diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease.
The genetics that has achieved cancer growth. Certain genetic factors that increase the risk of breast cancer can be passed from parents to children. The most well-known genetic mutations are called BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes can significantly increase the risk of breast cancer and other cancers, but they do not make cancer inevitable.
Radiation exposure. If you receive radiation therapy for your chest as a child or a young person, the risk of developing breast cancer is increased.
Obesity. Obesity increases the risk of breast cancer.
Starting your period early. Starting your period before age 12 increases the risk of developing breast cancer.
Start menstruating when you are older. If you start menstruating when you are older, you may have breast cancer.
Having your first child when they grow up. Women who give birth to their first child after 30 years may have an increased risk of breast cancer.
She has never been pregnant. Women who have never been pregnant have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who have had one or more pregnancies.
Postmenopausal hormone treatment. Women taking hormone replacement therapy that includes estrogen and progesterone to treat the signs and symptoms of menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer decreases when women stop taking these drugs.
Drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer.
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