According to the American Cancer Society, one out of eight women will be diagnosed with some type of breast cancer, during their lifetime.

Breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer in women, in the United States. (The number one form is skin cancer.) It is estimated that almost 200,000 women have been or will be diagnosed with breast cancer, this year alone. Over 40,000 women will die, from this disease.

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease. What does this mean? Simply stated, it means that the disease is different and progresses differently in every woman, who has been diagnosed with it.

Studies have shown that this form of cancer is actually much more aggressive in the majority of younger women.

Breast cancer is not just a ‘woman’s disease’. Men are diagnosed with it and die from it, as well. Although, statistically, the numbers are much lower.

There are several risk factors when it comes to this disease. If an individual fits into one or more of these categories chances are they are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with it.

These risk factors include: obesity, drinking more than two alcoholic beverages per day, late menopause, a family history of breast cancer (especially if it’s a mother or sister who has been diagnosed), diets that include a great deal of foods high in saturated fat, dense breast tissue, hormone intake and being over 65 years of age.

Typically, breast cancer in its early stages causes no pain. Although that is an advantage, it can be a disadvantage as well. It stands to reason that many more women would be tested for the disease, if they felt pain. Early diagnosis means a much higher chance of a cure.

Any prolonged changes in regard to how a breast or nipple looks or feels could be a sign of breast cancer. In this case, a visit to the physician is absolutely necessary.

These changes include: a lump near the breast or under the arm, nipple tenderness and/or discharge, a change in the shape or size of the breast and a red, swollen or even somewhat scaly looking areola. (The skin directly around the nipple.)

There are several choices of treatment, for individuals with breast cancer. The decision these individuals make is often dependent on the stage their cancer is in. Treatment can be anything from surgery to chemotherapy to radiation therapy to biological therapy.

Technically, the above mentioned treatments can be categorized into two groups… systemic therapy and local therapy.

Systemic therapy consists of the treatments such as chemotherapy and hormone therapy, which enter the bloodstream with the express purpose of destroying cancer cells, throughout the body.

This type of therapy is used to shrink tumors before surgery, prevent tumors from recurring or on cancers that have spread.

Local therapy consists of treatments such as radiation therapy and surgery. They actually physically remove or destroy the cancer either permanently or just for a period of time.

Today, more and more women are opting for double mastectomies as a means to prevent breast cancer, in their second breast. As radical as this may sound, these women, more often than not come from families where breast cancer diagnosis and fatalities have been commonplace.

Even though this option does not guarantee that a woman will not be diagnosed with cancer, in her remaining breast… women who have chosen to do this will tell you they feel much more confident that they will not have to deal with cancer again, during their lifetime.

According to a recent study in the ‘Journal of Clinical Oncology’, double mastectomies which have been performed on women with single-breast cancer have increased 150%, in six years.

This article is the property of http://www.HealthHype.com
Copying and publishing any article from our site is strictly NOT allowed