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In 1940, the lifetime risk (to age 85) of a woman developing breast cancer in
1940 was 5%, or 1 in 20. Today, nearly 65 years later, the risk is 12.6%, or 1
in 8. In women 40 to 49 years of age, there is a 1 in 66 risk of developing
breast cancer comp... |
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Reconstructive plastic surgery for breast cancer is performed to replace
skin, breast tissue, and the nipple removed during mastectomy. The amount of
missing tissue varies with each mastectomy. Factors contributing to the amount
of tissue removed incl... |
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Common brand name: Arimidex
Why is this drug prescribed?
Anastrozole is a hormonal treatment used to treat breast cancer. Anastrozole
lowers serum estrogen levels and is commonly used in postmenopausal women
How and when should Anastrozole be use... |
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Each breast has 15 to 20 sections, or lobes, that surround the
nipple, like spokes on a wheel. Inside these lobes are smaller lobes, called
lobules. At the end of each lobule are tiny "bulbs" that produce milk.
These structures are linked toge... |
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There is a new group of drugs that is being recommended for
use in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer. The drugs, Arimidex (anastrozole)
and Femara (letrozole), are called aromatase inhibitors (AIs).
How do these drugs work?
Aromatase... |
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Are you at risk for a certain disease? It's a question we've all pondered at
one time, says Brian Clark, Ph.D., M.D., director of the Cleveland Clinic Cancer
Center Medical Genetics Program. For some, the answer can be found within their
genetic herit... |
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As much as a woman tries to brace herself for the news, a diagnosis of breast
cancer can be traumatic. And at the very time a woman needs to be clearheaded,
there may be only fog. Not surprisingly, it is not uncommon for some women to
rush into tr... |
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What is a biopsy?
A biopsy is the removal of cells or tissue from a suspicious mass. The tissue
or cells are then examined under a microscope to detect cancer cells. A biopsy
may be performed when an abnormal breast change is found during a mammogram,
... |
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Breast cancer affects 180,000 women each year, and 46,000 of them die from this disease.
Unfortunately, advanced or metastatic breast cancer is not curable. Therefore, emphasis
must be directed toward early detection.
Early detection of breast cancer
... |
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Over the past several years, the Internet has become an important resource
for information gathering. This exciting new technology has enormous potential
to inform and educate the public about health and medical care. However, the
Internet is also rife ... |
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Breast cancer is the most common cancer in pregnant women and tends to affect
women in their mid-thirties. Although only about 1 in every 1,000 pregnant women
get breast cancer, the disease can be devastating to both the mother and her
child -- so it is... |
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Adjuvant therapy - Treatment provided in addition to the primary treatment
Anemia - A condition that occurs when there is not enough hemoglobin in a
person’s blood. Hemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that enables
the blood to transport oxy... |
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Men don't have breasts. How can they get breast cancer?
Even though men do not have breasts like women, they
do have a small amount of breast tissue. In fact, the "breasts" of an
adult man are similar to the breasts of a girl before puberty,... |
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Younger women generally do not consider themselves to be at risk for breast
cancer. Only 5 percent of all breast cancer cases occur in women under 40 years
old. However, breast cancer can strike at any age, and all women should be aware
of their perso... |
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What is my lifetime risk of developing breast cancer?
Today, approximately 1 in every 8 women in the United States will develop
breast cancer in her lifetime. The 1 in 8 figure means that, if current rates
stay constant, a female born today has a 1 ... |
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I have metastatic breast cancer and often have a lot of pain. Is there any
way I can manage this pain?
You are not alone; about 90 percent of patients with advanced cancer say pain
is the most distressing symptom of their disease. The good news is tha... |
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My doctor found a suspicious mass on my mammogram that he thinks is
cancerous. I want to get a second opinion. How can I go about this?
When abnormal tissue is found during a mammogram or an exam, a small sample
of cells or tissue from the affected ar... |
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What are my options if I decide not to have immediate breast reconstruction after my mastectomy?
After your mastectomy, you may choose to wear external breast forms or pads
or make no attempt to alter your appearance.
It is also possible to have reconst... |
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1. My mother and sister have both been diagnosed and treated for breast
cancer. Does this mean I will get breast cancer too?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Maybe
C - Your risk is increased by two or three times that of the general
population, and you are at higher ... |
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When and where do recurrences occur?
Breast cancer can recur at any time, but most recurrences occur in the first
three to five years after initial treatment. Breast cancer can come back as a
local recurrence (in the treated breast or near the mastect... |
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CD-Rom
The Breast Cancer Lighthouse
Gold Standard Multimedia, Inc., Michigan State University
To order: 1-800-375-0943
Books
A Breast Cancer Journey
By Experts at the American Cancer
Society
American Cancer Society
ISBN: 0944235506
Spir... |
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American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Network
1599 Clifton Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
1-800-227-2345 or (404) 320-3333
www2.cancer.org/bcn
Best Web Sites on Breast Cancer
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/`jbonine/bc_sources.html
Breast Cancer and Environ... |
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In 1940, the lifetime risk of a woman developing breast cancer
was 5%, or one in 20. In 1997, that risk was estimated at 12%, or one in eight.
In many cases, it's not known why a woman gets breast cancer. In fact, 60% of
all women with breast cancer hav... |
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Although scientists have been able to identify risk factors that increase a
woman's chance of developing breast cancer, the exact causes are not known.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in American women. Over the past
50 years, the number... |
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Breast-sparing techniques
Once breast cancer is detected or diagnosed, treatment plans need to be made
to reduce the chance of the cancer returning in or outside of the breast. The
goal of surgery is to remove localized cancer (cancer that hasn’t spread... |
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More than ever before, women are taking an active part in their breast health. At the
center of this change is our growing concern and understanding of breast cancer,
the second most common
form of cancer among women in the United States.
What is b... |
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What is breast cancer?
Cells in the body normally divide (reproduce) only
when new cells are needed. Sometimes, cells in a part of the body grow and
divide out of control, which creates a mass of tissue called a tumor. If the
cells that are growing o... |
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What is hormonal therapy for breast cancer?
If lab tests show that your tumor depended on your natural hormones to grow,
it will be called estrogen-receptor-positive or progesterone-receptor-positive.
This means the tumor will continue to grow when th... |
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What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is defined by an abnormal increase in the number of cells within
the milk ducts and lobules of the breast. Eventually these abnormal (cancer) cells can
break out of the ducts or lobules into normal surrounding breast... |
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In many cases, treatment for breast cancer involves chemotherapy, radiation
therapy, or a combination of the two. These treatments can affect your
reproductive system and, as a result, your fertility.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer ce... |
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After treatment for breast cancer, it is especially important for a woman to
continue to do a monthly breast examination. Regular examinations will help you
detect local recurrences. Early signs of recurrence can be noted in the incision
area itself, th... |
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Screening for breast cancer
There is no doubt that the best chance for curing breast cancer is through early
detection. Early detection relies on a program of screening, which involves
breast self-examination (BSE), physician examination, and mammogra... |
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What is breast self exam?
Breast self exam is a way a woman can examine her breasts to look for changes (such lumps
or thickenings) that may signal breast cancer. When a woman detects breast cancer in its
early stages, she greatly improves her chances f... |
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In ultrasonography, or ultrasound, high-frequency sound waves,
inaudible to the human ear, are transmitted through the breast. The echoes are
recorded and transformed into video or photographic images.
Ultrasound images help in the diagnosis of a wide r... |
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When you or someone you love has cancer, you want answers to all your
questions – big or small. The Cleveland Clinic’s "Cancer Answer
Line" is a toll-free hotline staffed by registered nurses Monday through
Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST... |
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Major Studies Look at the Role of Drugs and Food in Preventing Cancer
"An ounce of prevention...." begins the well-worn saying, but in
the case of cancer it seems a pound of cure is still the best hope.
That may change as researchers study t... |
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What is chemotherapy?
In cancer treatment, chemotherapy refers to the use of drugs whose main
effect is either to kill or to slow the growth of rapidly multiplying cancer cells.
Chemotherapy often includes using a combination of drugs, since this appr... |
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A breast examination is an important part of routine physical checkups.
How often should I have a clinical breast exam?A
breast physical examination by a health care provider (such as your family
physician, nurse, or gynecologist) should be performed at... |
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Reconstructive plastic surgery for breast cancer is performed to replace
skin, breast tissue and the nipple-areolar complex removed during mastectomy. In
general, the nipple-areolar complex is removed during any mastectomy operation
because it is breast... |
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What is breast cancer?
In breast cancer, a cell can divide (reproduce without control), forming a
malignant tumor. This most commonly occurs in the milk duct, but can also occur
in the lobule.
Breast cancer facts
Lifetime risk for U.S. women is 1 ... |
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Since the early 1960s, oral contraceptives have become the most popular and
one of the most effective forms of birth control used in the U.S. But an
association between estrogen and an increased risk of breast cancer has led to a
continuing debate abo... |
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Selecting a doctor to treat your breast cancer may be one of the most
important decisions you will ever make. Your primary care physician may refer
you to one or more specialists. These specialists include surgeons, medical
oncologists, plastic surgeo... |
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Most breast cancers (about 95 percent) develop in specialized cells called
epithelial cells that line the milk ducts of the breast. Each breast has 6 to 9
separate ducts, which function independently of each other. Cancer that begins
in one duct may b... |
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Facing a breast cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Your stress levels may
skyrocket. You may worry about finances and about your body image. And you may
be asking yourself difficult questions, such as whether to write a living will.
With education ... |
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Please note: These are general guidelines and may not be applicable to every
patient. Always follow your doctor’s specific instructions for care after
surgery.
Drain careYou may be discharged from
the hospital with an external drainage device in place.... |
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What is my risk for developing breast or ovarian cancer?Women
in the United States have a 1-in-10 risk of developing breast cancer and a
1-in-55 chance of developing ovarian cancer in their lifetime.
Certain factors increase this risk. Women who have gr... |
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Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment program in which a woman
takes estrogen and progestin (a synthetic form of progesterone) to relieve
menopause symptoms. HRT also reduces a woman’s risk for
osteoporosis and other conditions that become mo... |
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What is lymphedema?
Lymphedema is an abnormal buildup of fluid that causes swelling, most often
in the arms or legs. The condition develops when lymph vessels or lymph nodes
are missing, impaired, damaged, or removed.
There are two types of lymphedem... |
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I didn’t think men could get breast cancer, but my husband has just been
diagnosed. What can we expect for his treatment?
Breast cancer can affect men, although it is rare. There is a one in 1,000 or
1 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer in men. Al... |
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Menopause itself is not associated with an increased risk of developing
cancer. However, the rates of many cancers, including breast cancer, do increase
with age. In addition, some of the drugs used to manage menopausal symptoms may
increase or decrea... |
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Lumps or masses in the breast are not unusual, and most of them are not
cancerous. Some breast masses can be felt during a breast exam. Others are
detectable only by mammogram-breast X-ray. How a mass is detected does not
determine whether it is cancero... |
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that produces very clear pictures,
or images, of the human body without the use of X-rays. MRI uses a large magnet,
radio waves, and a computer to produce these images.
MRI to diagnose breast cancer
MRI may be... |
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Cleveland Clinic physicians have developed a new mastectomy technique that
leaves the nipple intact, allowing for a more natural-looking breast
reconstruction.
"The response that we are getting from patients to this surgery is the
most overwhelm... |
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In hopes of avoiding cancer, some high-risk women elect to have both breasts
surgically removed, a procedure called bilateral prophylactic mastectomy. The
surgery would remove all breast tissue which potentially could develop breast
cancer. Preventive b... |
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If you need a biopsy:
What type of biopsy will be performed and why?
How long will the biopsy procedure take? Will I be awake? Will it hurt?
How soon will I know the results?
If I do have cancer, who will talk to me about the treatment? When?... |
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What is radiation therapy?Radiation
therapy is a form of cancer treatment that uses high levels of radiation to kill
cancer cells or keep them from growing and dividing — while minimizing damage
to healthy cells. When used for breast cancer treatment, r... |
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Implant-free options for breast reconstructionAfter
undergoing a mastectomy, a woman may choose to have her breast reconstructed
using her own body tissue through what is commonly known as a flap procedure.
This operation involves moving healthy tissue ... |
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Sentinel node biopsy is a relatively new way of pinpointing the first few
lymph nodes into which a tumor drains (called the "sentinel" nodes).
This helps doctors remove only those nodes of the lymphatic system most likely
to contain cancer cel... |
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What are the different stages of breast cancer?
Early stage breast cancer is when the disease is localized to the breast and
lymph nodes. (Lymph nodes are glands that are part of a system that helps the
body fight infections).
Stage 1 breast cancer i... |
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The Cleveland Clinic is taking a closer look at breast cancer prevention.
The Cleveland Clinic is participating in STAR, a clinical trial comparing
the effectiveness of tamoxifen with raloxifene for breast cancer prevention.
Tamoxifen is a drug that has... |
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Research conducted at The Cleveland Clinic is challenging the long-held
belief that nipple-sparing surgery is not a reasonable option for women
undergoing total breast removal. Clinic researchers concluded that carefully
screened patients may have the o... |
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What is tamoxifen?
Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) is a medication in pill form that has been used for 25
years to treat breast cancer in women and men. Tamoxifen is one of the most
common hormonal therapy drugs. It has been shown to decrease the chance of
recurr... |
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The Cleveland Clinic Breast Program is different and special because it
follows the Cleveland Clinic multidisciplinary approach to medical care. The
program serves as a centerpiece; a glowing example of how teams of specialists
from all disciplines can ... |
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What is breast cancer?Breast cancer
is a condition in which breast cells grow abnormally and divide without control
or order. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. Early
detection and prompt treatment help many women live long, full ... |
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Breast cancer continues to be a major concern. Epidemiological cancer data
for the United States continue to show an increase in the number of breast
cancers every year. In spite of this increase, the mortality for breast cancer
is beginning to decline ... |
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Women with a genetic risk for breast cancer account for five to
10 percent of all women with the disease. Having a first-degree relative (mother,
sister, daughter) with breast cancer poses the greatest risk to other female
members of the family... |
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Earlier this year, a study by an independent panel of researchers sparked an international debate about the effectiveness of mammograms in preventing breast cancer deaths.
Despite the controversy, mammograms still represent an important screening too... |
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Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting American women, and
is second only to lung cancer as a leading cause of cancer death in women. The
number of breast cancer cases (incidence) has been on the rise during the past
20 years, while t... |
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Overview
1. The lifetime risk (to age 85) of a woman developing breast cancer in 1940 was
5 percent or
1 in 20; the risk is now 12.6 percent or 1 in 8. In women 40 to 49 years of age, there is a 1 in 66
risk of developing breast cancer compared with ... |
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At-risk families can take blood tests to screen for mutations in the BRCA
genes. However, genetic testing is done only when definitely indicated by a
personal or a strong family history. Genetic testing may also be used to
determine if a woman who has a... |
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Common brand name: Nolvadex
Why is this drug prescribed?
Tamoxifen is an antiestrogen drug that blocks the effect of the hormone
estrogen. It may be used to treat breast cancer in men or women or to reduce the
chances of developing breast cancer in... |
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