Friday, November 29, 2013

Breast Cancer Survival & Chemo Therapy

Breast cancer is cancer that starts in the tissue of the breast. Many women who are diagnosed with breast cancer are incredibly sensitive to the hormone estrogen, which is found in higher quantities is women. Basically, this means that estrogen causes their breast cancer tumor to grow. This type of breast cancer is called estrogen receptor positive cancer (ER positive cancer). Another common type of beast cancer is referred to as HER-2-positive, which involves the lack of a specific genes that help to grow, divide and repair themselves. Chemotherapy treatments that help to increase the survival rate of breast cancer patients usually involves a combination of drugs taken orally or injected directly into the patient's veins. This process is completed in cycles over a period of months or a year as determined by the type of drugs being taken.

The Facts

    According to the American Cancer Society, 269,800 women died of a cancer-related illness in 2008. Fifteen percent of those deaths were attributed to breast cancer. After increasing for five years beginning in 1994, breast cancer diagnosis rates in women decreased by 2.2 percent each year from 1999 to 2005. The American Cancer Society believes that this was due in part to a slight decline in mammography utilization and to less use of hormone replacement therapy. Over the course of a lifetime, 1 in 8 women will reportedly be diagnosed with breast cancer and the odds of beating the cancer greatly depend on early diagnosis and treatment. Higher rates of breast cancer survival have been reported in recent years. This is because treatment has improved, and the average tumor is smaller in size. Getting regular mammograms increases the chance of early breast cancer detection, which can also lead to earlier treatment when the tumors are smaller.

Types

    There are two main types of breast cancer: Ductal carcinoma, which begins in the ducts that transport milk from the breast to the nipple. Most women who get diagnosed with breast cancer have ductal carcinoma, though there is another type called lobular carcinoma. This type starts in parts of the breast called lobules, which is the area that produces milk. In some cases, breast cancer can start in other areas of the breast, though this is incredibly rare.

Effects

    There are many side effects associated with various breast cancer treatments. For example, women who undergo chemotherapy are likely to experience bone loss, nerve damage in their hands and feet, hair loss, nausea, fatigue, anemia, diarrhea, and infections. If undergoing radiation for breast cancer, you're likely to experience chest pains, heart problems, lowered white blood cell counts, lung problems, and major skin irritation. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 out of every 8 women (12%) will develop some form of breast cancer and a estimated total of approximately 40,000 women will die from the disease in 2009. While these numbers may seem staggering, survival rates of breast cancer patients increases significantly with chemotherapy treatments.

Considerations

    Though very controversial, there are holistic- or all natural- approaches to dealing with breast cancer. Some doctors believe that chemotherapy, radiation and other forms of conventional treatment do more harm than help. One such doctor is Dr. Ralph W. Moss - cancer consultant and author of "The Moss Reports" - suggests that cancer patients seek alternative treatment plans because he believes conventional cancer therapy is "toxic and dehumanizing."

Prevention/Solution

    The type of treatment a woman receives for her breast cancer depends on a few factors. These include the type and stage of the cancer, whether or not her cancer is sensitive to specific hormones and whether the cancer overproduces a gene called HER2/neu. Generally speaking, breast cancer treatment can include the following: chemotherapy medicines, which kill cancer cells; radiation therapy, which destroys cancerous tissue; and surgery. The intention of the surgery is to remove all the cancerous tissue in the breast. Sometimes this requires a lumpectomy, which just removes the breast lump, or a mastectomy, which removes all or part of the breast. Though these types of treatment aren't as common, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy are also sometimes used. Hormonal therapy blocks the hormones that fuel cancer growth, while targeted therapy interferes with cancer cell growth and function. Most women diagnosed with breast cancer receive a combination of treatments. For women with stage I, II, or III breast cancer, the goal is to treat the cancer and prevent it from coming back. For women with stage IV cancer, the goal is to improve their quality of life and help them live longer. In most cases, however, stage IV breast cancer cannot be cured.

Survival Rates

    Studies conducted by the American Cancer Society (in 2005) have shown that chemotherapy treatments have helped to increase the survival rate in breast cancer patients from 50% to 90% within the past 45 years. Furthermore, breast cancer deaths have dropped about 20% since 1991 due to advances in chemotherapy drugs, cancer prevention techniques and early detection.



  • Breast Cancer Prognosis

    www.healthcentral.com Breast Cancer

    Breast cancer prognosis depends on size and location of breast tumors. Read more about this and the effects of hormones and genes.


  • Breastcancer.org - Breast Cancer Information and Awareness

    www.breastcancer.org

    Breastcancer.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the most reliable, complete, and up-to-date information about breast cancer.


  • Some Evidence of Mild Chemo Brain in Breast Cancer Survivors

    ww5.komen.org/KomenNewsArticle.aspx?id=19327355507

    Breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy are at risk for mild cognitive deficits (sometimes referred to as chemo brain) after treatment, according to the ...

  • Breast Cancer Prevention, Treatment and Survival

    breastcancer.about.com

    Welcome to breast cancer information! Here is information for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, family members or supportive friends. Learn how to lower your ...

  • Breast cancer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_cancer

    Breast cancer is a type of cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk.

  • Extending Survival with Chemotherapy in Metastatic Breast Cancer

    theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/10/suppl_3/20.full

    Abstract. Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) remains essentially incurable, and goals of therapy include the palliation of symptoms, delay of disease ...

  • Survival in patients with metastatic recurrent breast cancer after ...

    www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23065954

    1. Cancer. 2013 Mar 15;119(6):1140-8. doi: 10.1002/cncr.27819. Epub 2012 Oct 12. Survival in patients with metastatic recurrent breast cancer after adjuvant ...


  • (Breast Cancer Treatment Options & Survivors) (Alternative ...

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvOL6-dL_w

    (Breast Cancer Treatment Options & Survivors) (Alternative Treatment Breast Cancer-No Surgery-Chemo) Cancer can be successfully treated without the non ...

  • Breast Cancer Survivors & Stories from Patients CTCA

    www.cancercenter.com/breast-cancer/survivors.cfm

    Hear from breast cancer survivors who share their personal stories. Learn what to expect from treatment and discover the experience of patients and caregivers.


  • Breast Cancer Survival Rate - Stage 4 Breast Cancer

    ezinearticles.com/?Breast-Cancer-Survival-Rate---Stage-4-Breast...

    Aug 25, 2007 The 5-year breast cancer survival rate for Stage 4 breast cancer is very low compared to breast cancer detected at earlier stages. Here is some basic ...


  • Welcome to Young Survival Coalition: Young Women Facing Breast ...

    www.youngsurvival.org

    This monthly facilitated support group is designed for breast cancer survivors diagnosed in their...


  • Chemotherapy for breast cancer : Cancer Research UK :

    www.cancerresearchuk.org/.../type/breast-cancer/treatment/chemotherapy

    This section tells you about chemotherapy for breast cancer.


  • Breast Cancer Topic: Stage III Cancer Survivors. Any 10 -20

    community.breastcancer.org/forum/67/topic/740530

    Email to a friend. All Topics Forum: Stage III Breast Cancer Topic: Stage III Cancer Survivors. Any 10 -20 years survivors?


  • The Breast Cancer Society - From Help to Hope to Survival

    breastcancersociety.ning.com

    Welcome to The Breast Cancer Society Community! ... www.breastcancersociety.org The guiding mission of The Breast Cancer Society, Inc. (TBCS) is to provide relief to ...

  • Breast Cancer Survivors Tell Their Own Stories - Breast Cancer ...

    breastcancer.about.com Life After Treatment

    True Stories from Breast Cancer Survivors - read about their journey through discovery, diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. Survivors come from around the world, are ...


  • Ki67, chemotherapy response, and prognosis in breast cancer ...

    www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/11/486

    The pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a surrogate marker for a favorable prognosis in breast cancer patients. Factors

  • Breast Cancer Home Page - National Cancer Institute

    www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast

    Information about breast cancer treatment, prevention, genetics, causes, screening, clinical trials, research and statistics from the National Cancer Institute.

  • Herceptin and Chemotherapy Treatment Combo Increases Survival ...

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1zW3aO9OAc

    In this NBC Nightly News video, watch UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center researcher Dr. Dennis Slamon discuss a new study that reports that treating ...

  • Famous Breast Cancer Survivors

    www.cancer-survivors.org/famous-breast-cancer-survivors.html

    Get inspiration for your recovery from treatment from famous breast cancer survivors.

  • Breast Cancer Survival Rates - Stage 3 Breast Cancer

    ezinearticles.com/?Breast-Cancer-Survival-Rates---Stage-3-Breast...

    Mar 24, 2011 There are people who have survived stage 3 breast cancer even at its worst scenarios. Everyone who is conflicted with this disease has the opportunity to ...

  • Breast Cancer Chemotherapy - Breast Cancer Health

    health.nytimes.com Times Health Guide b Breast Cancer

    In-Depth From A.D.A.M. Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs are "cytotoxic" (cell-killing) drugs. They are given orally or by injection. They work systemically by killing ...

  • Definition and impact of pathologic complete response on prognosis ...

    www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22508812

    1. J Clin Oncol. 2012 May 20;30(15):1796-804. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2011.38.8595. Epub 2012 Apr 16. Definition and impact of pathologic complete response on prognosis ...

  • Breast Cancer Forum: Stage IV and Metastatic Breast Cancer

    community.breastcancer.org/forum/8

    Breast Cancer Discussion Forums - Access the shared knowledge of thousands of people affected by breast cancer

  • Breast Cancer Prognosis - HealthCentral.com - Trusted, Reliable ...

    www.healthcentral.com Breast Cancer

    Breast cancer prognosis depends on size and location of breast tumors. Read more about this and the effects of hormones and genes.

Multifocal Vs. Multicentric Breast Cancer

Multifocal Vs. Multicentric Breast Cancer

According to the National Cancer Institute more than 192,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women. Even though male breast cancer is rare, the National Cancer Institute estimates that about 1,900 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Determining whether your breast cancer is multifocal or multicentric will influence your treatment plan.


Breast Cancer

    Breast cancer is the out-of-control growth of cells in your breast. These cells clump together to form tumors that can grow and invade your normal tissue. Breast cancer can form in any part of your breast. Not all tumors or lumps are cancer. Tumors are considered cancerous if they are found to be malignant. Malignant tumors cause damage to surrounding normal tissue. Noncancerous, or benign, tumors may still need to be treated if they are causing discomfort. There is no known cause of breast cancer.

Multifocal Breast Cancer

    Multifocal breast cancer occurs when there are multiple tumors in your breast that all come from one original tumor. Parts of the original tumor break off and start to grow separately from the original. These tumors tend to be located in the same section of the breast. Multifocal breast cancer tends to be a less invasive cancer because the tumors have not moved into other parts of the body.

Multicentric Breast Cancer

    Multicentric breast cancer involves multiple tumors in the breast that do not all come from one original tumor. These tumors have all grown separately from each other. Multicentric breast cancer tumors are found in different sections of the breast. This is a more invasive type of cancer because each tumor represents a new area of cancer growth. In this type of cancer there are multiple sites to be treated in each breast that is affected. Multicentric breast cancer occurs less frequently than multifocal breast cancer.

Symptoms

    Most women diagnosed with multifocal breast cancer have no signs or symptoms. This type of cancer is commonly diagnosed after a mammogram. Sometimes you or your doctor may feel a lump during a physical exam or you may experience discharge from the nipple. Women with multicentric breast cancer may experience more noticeable symptoms like pain or discomfort. You may also have a lump or discharge. Diagnosis will be made after your doctor performs test like a physical exam, mammogram or biopsy.

Treatment

    Typical treatments for both multifocal and multicentric breast cancer include lumpectomy, radiation, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. Mastectomies are more common with multicentric breast cancer. Multifocal breast cancer often only requires a lumpectomy to remove all the cancerous cells. Treatment plans vary based on personal health history and the type and aggressiveness of cancer.

Prevention/Solution

    Early detection is the best tool for fighting all types of breast cancer. It is recommended that women begin yearly mammograms at age 40. Begin breast self-exams and clinical exams in your 20s. If you are at a high risk for breast cancer due to family history or past medical history discuss prevention options with your doctor.



  • Multicentric and multifocal versus unifocal breast cancer: is the ...

    www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20454925

    1. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010 Jul;122(1):27-34. doi: 10.1007/s10549-010-0917-9. Epub 2010 May 8. Multicentric and multifocal versus unifocal breast cancer: is the ...


  • multifocal - definition of multifocal in the Medical dictionary ...

    medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/multifocal

    multifocal /multifocal/ (multe-fok'l) arising from or pertaining to many foci. multifocal (m l t-f k l) adj. Relating to or arising from many foci.


  • Multifocal Vs. Multicentric Breast Cancer eHow

    www.ehow.com Health Cancer Breast Cancer

    According to the National Cancer Institute more than 192,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Breast cancer can occur in both men and

  • Breast cancer management - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_cancer_treatment

    The mainstay of breast cancer treatment is surgery when the tumor is localized, followed by chemotherapy (when indicated), radiotherapy and adjuvant hormonal therapy ...

  • The Sentinel Node Procedure in Breast Cancer: Nuclear Medicine

    jnm.snmjournals.org/content/52/3/405.full

    Abstract. Axillary node status is a major prognostic factor in early breast cancer. Staging with sentinel node biopsy (SNB) leads to a substantial ...

  • Breast Cancer Topic: when can you color your hair after chemo?

    community.breastcancer.org/forum/96/topic/744193

    Breast Cancer Discussion Forums - Access the shared knowledge of thousands of people affected by breast cancer

  • Tamoxifen Citrate, Letrozole, Anastrozole, or Exemestane With or ...

    clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01272037

    Tamoxifen Citrate, Letrozole, Anastrozole, or Exemestane With or Without Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Invasive RxPONDER Breast Cancer

  • Breast Cancer Topic: Has anyone had Reoccurance of DCIS

    community.breastcancer.org/forum/106/topic/734072?page=3

    Breast Cancer Discussion Forums - Access the shared knowledge of thousands of people affected by breast cancer

  • Local Recurrence After Mastectomy or Breast-Conserving Surgery

    www.cancernetwork.com/breast-cancer/content/article/10165/68988?...

    Approximately 10% to 15% of patients with stage I/II invasive breast cancer will develop a clinically isolated local recurrence. The standard management of an ...

  • NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms - National Cancer Institute

    www.cancer.gov/dictionary?CdrID=349393

    Definition of multifocal breast cancer ... Breast cancer in which there is more than one tumor, all of which have arisen from one original tumor.

  • Surgical Treatment of Breast Cancer - Diseases & Conditions ...

    emedicine.medscape.com/article/1276001-overview

    May 28, 2013 Surgery is considered the primary treatment for breast cancer, with many early stage patients being cured with surgery alone. The goals of breast cancer ...

  • MRI for breast cancer: Current indications Ojeda-Fournier H ...

    www.ijri.org/article.asp?issn=0971-3026;year=2009;volume=19;issue=...

    Year : 2009 Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Page: 161-169: MRI for breast cancer: Current indications: Haydee Ojeda-Fournier 1, Christopher E Comstock 2

  • Stages of Breast Cancer

    www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/staging

    Stage is usually expressed as a number on a scale of 0 through IV with stage 0 describing non-invasive cancers that remain within their original location and ...

  • Breast Cancer

    emedicine.medscape.com/article/1947145-overview

    Jun 17, 2013 Breast Cancer. Worldwide, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed life-threatening cancer in women and the leading cause of cancer death in

  • The Sentinel Node Procedure in Breast Cancer: Nuclear Medicine

    jnm.snmjournals.org/content/52/3/405.full

    Abstract. Axillary node status is a major prognostic factor in early breast cancer. Staging with sentinel node biopsy (SNB) leads to a substantial ...

  • Lumpectomy Breast Cancer Treatment Imaginis - The Women's ...

    www.imaginis.com/breast-cancer-treatment/lumpectomy

    Lumpectomy, also known as breast-conserving surgery, is the surgical removal of a cancerous lump (or tumor) in the breast, along with a small margin of the ...

  • Brain metastases from breast cancer:Management approach ...

    www.cancerjournal.net/article.asp?issn=0973-1482;year=2007;volume=...

    Brain metastases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with breast cancer. HER-2 positivity is an increasingly recognized risk factor for the ...

  • Radiation Doses and Fractionation Schedules in Non-low Risk

    clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00470236

    Radiation Doses and Fractionation Schedules in Non-low Risk Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) of the Breast

  • Breast Cancer Research Full text Infiltrating lobular ...

    breast-cancer-research.com/content/6/3/R149

    Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) comprises approximately 10% of breast cancers and appears to have a distinct biology. Because it is less common than infiltrating ...

  • Subject: Breast Scintigraphy (Scintimammography)/ Breast

    mcgs.bcbsfl.com/?doc=Breast%20Scintigraphy%20(Scintimammography...

    DESCRIPTION: Breast scintigraphy, also known as scintimammography and referred to as breast specific-gamma imaging (BSGI) or molecular breast imaging (MBI).

  • Breast Cancer Interventional Procedures - ERADIMAGING.COM:

    www.eradimaging.com/site/article.cfm?ID=686&mode=ce

    As technological advancements in breast imaging continue to emerge, the ability to detect small, early stage breast cancers is significantly improving. The importance ...

  • Breast Cancer: Types of Breast Cancer - Cancer Information ...

    www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=21902

    Breast cancer is not just one disease, but rather is a general term used to describe a number of different types of cancers that occur in the breast. The majority of ...

  • Breast cancer management - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_cancer_treatment

    The mainstay of breast cancer treatment is surgery when the tumor is localized, followed by chemotherapy (when indicated), radiotherapy and adjuvant hormonal therapy ...

  • Radiation-Induced Complications after Breast Cancer Radiation ...

    www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Korean J Radiol v.10(5); Sep-Oct 2009

    Aug 25, 2009 The primary target of radiation therapy is the eradication of microscopic residual disease adjacent to the original site of the tumor as well as the ...