Sunday, December 29, 2013

Teens & Breast Cancer

Teens & Breast Cancer

As a girl enters her teen years, she begins to become more aware of her body. She may also begin to become aware of the many medical threats her body can face throughout her lifetime. Breast cancer is a devastating and often fatal affliction that largely affects women. It is also the second most common cancer in females. Though it mainly occurs in older women, it is never too early for a girl to be aware of the cancer, its appearance and its preventions.

Self Examination

    Most gynecologists recommend a girl begin self breast examinations as soon as she has breasts to examine. Although cancer is rare in a teen, it is good for a girl to become familiar with how her breast feels when it is healthy. Pressing the breast in a circular motion once a month is usually enough for a teen breast self exam. However, a teen should be aware that as she grows, her breast and its feel may change with her and that a certain amount of soft lumpiness is normal.

Normal Lumps

    A teen's breast tissue often has a more lumpy feel than that of an older woman, and these lumps do not usually indicate breast cancer. They are simply due to all the physical changes during breast growth. Harmless, non-cancerous lumps can sometimes appear around the time of a girl's period. YoungWomensHealth.org recommends that if a teen notices a lump in her breast, to check to see if it is still there a few days after her period. If it is, contact a physician immediately.

Things to Avoid

    A teen girl has a distinct advantage in preventing her own breast cancer since she has a lifetime of healthy options still to choose. Some of the things believed to increase the incidence of breast cancer can be easily avoided. These include avoiding lifestyle choices that lead to obesity and high alcohol consumption. If possible, it is wise to also avoid hormone replacement therapy and prolonged exposure to radiation.

Things To Do

    Contrarily, there are some behaviors and procedures that are believed to fight breast cancer. Most of these are medical procedures, conditions or medications. One of these factors appears to be teen pregnancy and breastfeeding. Pregnancy decreases estrogen, which is linked to reducing breast cancer. Studies show that cancer levels are lowest in women who have their first pregnancy before the age of 20. However, pregnancy is not a recommended cancer-deterrent for teen girls. What is recommended is exercise, with research showing that women exercising four or more hours a week have lower cancer rates.

Myths

    There are many myths about what can increase your likelihood of breast cancer, and teen girls are often victims of such misinformation. The following things have NOT been shown to have any effect on whether a woman gets breast cancer. Abortions, oral contraceptives, particular diets (as long as they don't result in obesity) and environment. Even smoking has not actually been shown to increase breast cancer occurrence, although it is a contributor to many other types of cancer.



  • Breast Cancer: MedlinePlus - National Library of Medicine ...

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    Breast cancer affects one in eight women during their lives. Breast cancer kills more women in the United States than any cancer except lung cancer. No one knows why ...


  • Teen Pregnancy Linked To 50% Drop In Breast Cancer Risk

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  • WebMD Breast Cancer Center: Types, Symptoms, Causes,

    www.webmd.com WebMD Home Cancer Health Center

    The five year survival rate of breast cancer is over 90% when caught early. Get in-depth breast cancer information here including symptoms

  • ScienceDaily: Breast Cancer News - Science Daily: News &

    www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/breast_cancer

    Breast cancer research including information on breast cancer symptoms, prevention strategies, screening techniques, and new breast cancer treatments.

  • 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.


  • 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.


  • What You Need To Know About Breast Cancer - National Cancer ...

    www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/breast

    Describes treatment options, types of cancer doctors, second opinion, follow-up care, and sources of support for someone recently diagnosed with breast cancer.


  • lumps in a teen - Breast Cancer - MedHelp

    www.medhelp.org/posts/Breast-Cancer/lumps-in-a-teen/show/259303

    i am 18 years old and have just found a lump in my right breast in the upper/outer side. it feels hard and round and doesnt seem to move around. it has gotten bigger ...


  • Signs of Breast Cancer in Teens - Essortment Articles: Free

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    Any woman is susceptible to breast cancer, including teens. Though it's very rare for young women to be diagnosed with the disease, it can happen. These girls ...


  • Breast Cancer Support Community Breast Cancer Connect

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  • Teen Breast Issues at The Breast Site

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  • Breast Cancer: Pictures, Videos, Breaking News

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    Big News on Breast Cancer. Includes blogs, news, and community conversations about Breast Cancer.


  • Breast cancer statistics : Cancer Research UK

    www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/types/breast

    Learn more about the latest breast cancer statistics, including survival, mortality and incidence data, from Cancer Research UK.

  • Breast cancer news, articles and information: - Natural health news

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    How Angelina Jolie was duped by cancer doctors into self mutilation for breast cancer she never had 5/15/2013 - In a New York Times op-ed explaining her decision to ...

  • The Doctors TV Show - Breast Cancer

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    Learn the warning signs and symptoms of breast cancer from WebMD.

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    Breast cancer is a tumor that has become malignant - it has developed from the breast cells. A 'malignant' tumor can spread to other parts of the body - it may also ...

  • American Cancer Society Information and Resources for Cancer ...

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  • Cloud4Cancer Breast Cancer Detection

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    Cloud4Cancer Breast Cancer Detection. This service uses attributes from Fine Needle Aspirates to determine if a breast mass is malignant or benign.

  • Breast Cancer Screenings - Options - Sexual & Reproductive

    www.plannedparenthood.org/.../breast-cancer-screenings-21189.htm

    Planned Parenthood has been providing trusted health care for nearly 100 years. Learn about breast cancer screenings.

  • Breast Cancer in Men - American Cancer Society Information

    www.cancer.org Learn About Cancer

    Breast Cancer in Men. Whether you (or a loved one) are worried about developing breast cancer, have just been diagnosed, are going through breast cancer treatment, or ...

  • Breast cancer: Symptoms - MayoClinic.com - Mayo Clinic

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    May 22, 2013 Breast cancer Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment of breast cancer in women.

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  • CDC - Screening for Breast Cancer

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    Basic information from CDC about breast cancer screening and where you can go to get screened.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

A Cure for Breast Cancer

Currently, there is no cure for breast cancer. However, there are many therapies available that can treat the disease effectively and allow a person to live a long and happy life. What follows is a breakdown of some of these breast cancer treatments and what you can expect from them.

Surgery

    Surgery is often the first line of treatment for breast cancer. There are different surgeries performed depending on the stage of the cancer and other individual patient factors. A lumpectomy involves removing only the tumor and some of the tissue that surrounds it. A mastectomy involves removing the entire breast--though the muscles are usually not removed anymore. In some cases, the lymph nodes are removed. Likewise, some women opt to have a prophylactic mastectomy to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer. Reconstructive surgery is also often performed in conjunction with these surgeries to help restore a natural look to the breast.

Radiation

    Radiation is also used to treat breast cancer. Radiation is frequently used after initial surgery. Two main types are often used. The first type is external beam radiation, which involves high-energy beams being targeted at the affected area from the outside of the body. Internal radiation, on the other hand, involves inserting a radiating material in the the body at the site of an excised tumor to kill any residual cancer cells.

Chemotherapy

    Chemotherapy is often used before or after breast cancer surgery to reduce the size of a tumor and to kill off any remaining cancer cells. It may involve the administration of one or several drugs either intravenously or orally. You may require several cycles of chemotherapy in order to remove all the cancer cells and to prevent the cancer from coming back.

Hormonal Therapy

    Hormonal therapy is being used more frequently in the treatment of breast cancer. It works by reducing the level of estrogen in the body or blocking estrogen receptors. This sort of treatment only works in breast cancers that have tested positive for hormone receptors. It is administered orally. In some cases, it may be necessary to remove the ovaries to shut down estrogen production. If the cancer is not sensitive to hormones, this form of treatment will not work.



  • Breast Cancer Prevention, Treatment and Survival

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  • Breastcancer.org - Breast Cancer Information and Awareness

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


  • 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.


  • Breast Cancer - Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment of Breast Cancer ...

    health.nytimes.com Times Health Guide b

    Breast cancer is cancer that starts in the tissues of the breast. There are two main types of breast cancer: Ductal carcinoma starts in the tubes (ducts) that move ...


  • Breast Cancer Research Charity Breast Cancer Campaign

    www.breastcancercampaign.org

    Charity providing independent funding into researching the cure for breast cancer.


  • Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

    cbcf.org

    Learn more about breast cancer, get involved in upcoming events, volunteer or read more about our work towards creating a future without breast cancer


  • Click to Cure Breast Cancer

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    Care2 requests that donations made will not be applied to programs that test on animals. Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the global leader of the breast cancer movement ...


  • Breast Cancer: Integrative Treatment Program CTCA

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  • Cancer Treatment

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    CancerTreatment.net is an online resource that lists Cancer Treatment Options for patients, families and friends.


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    Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of breast cancer.


  • Breast Cancer Treatment Decisions MyBreastCancerTreatment.org

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    Early-stage breast cancer research and information, from critical first 10-day testing to treatment, effects, symptoms and your health.


  • Stage 3 Breast Cancer Treatment

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  • Breast Cancer Research Charity Breast Cancer Campaign

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    Charity providing independent funding into researching the cure for breast cancer.

  • Information, Awareness & Donations - National Breast Cancer

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    The National Breast Cancer Foundation's mission is to save lives by increasing awareness of breast cancer through education and by providing mammograms for


  • Breast Cancer Research

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    Online and print journal covering topics of basic and clinical research relevant to breast cancer. Research articles are free to all users.


  • Stage 1 Breast Cancer Treatment

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    Typical Stage 1 breast cancer treatment options may include surgery and hormone therapy. Stage 1 breast cancer is defined as being small in size (tumor/cancerous ...

  • 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.


  • Chemotherapy Treatment for Breast Cancer - WebMD - Better ...

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  • Types of treatment for breast cancer : Cancer Research UK ...

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  • Breast Cancer: MedlinePlus - National Library of Medicine ...

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  • In situ Breast Cancer Treatment

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  • My Natural Breast Cancer Cure - My Natural Breast Cancer Treatment ...

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  • Breast Cancer Learn About Cancer American Cancer Society

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    Learn about breast cancer from improvements in treatment, early detection, support resources, making decisions about treatments and staying well.

Friday, December 27, 2013

Breast Cancer Stage 3B Prognosis

Breast cancer can afflict either men or women, although it primarily affects women. Breast cancer can originate in the glands or ducts of the breast (adrenocarcinoma) or in the breast tissue (sarcoma). By the time breast cancer has reached stage IIIB, it has generally spread from the breast into either the lymph nodes or the chest wall.

Staging

    Breast cancer is staged using the standard cancer staging system created by the American Joint Committee on Cancer. The AJCC system, or the TNM system as it is sometimes called, uses three factors to stage breast cancer. The "T" factor relates to the size of the tumor. The "N" factor relates to lymph node involvement. The "M" factor relates to whether the cancer is metastatic. If the cancer has metastasized or spread to other parts of the body distant from the breast, the M number is 1, and the T and N numbers don't matter. Staging is done using medical tests, including PET scans, CT scans and MRIs to determine the size of the tumor and the extent of cancer cells present in the body.

Stage IIIB

    According to the American Cancer Society, stage IIIB breast cancer is characterized by a T number of 4, an N number between 0 and 2 and an M number of 0. This means that the size of the tumor doesn't matter because the cancer has already spread to the skin in the breast or to the chest wall. There may be cancer in the lymph nodes near the breast bone, or there may be clumps of cancer in the lymph nodes under the arm (the axillary lymph nodes), or there may be cancer sticking to other structures in the body.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer

    Inflammatory breast cancer is always considered stage IIIB upon diagnosis, unless it has metastasized and reached stage IV. Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare form of breast cancer, which presents in only 1 to 3 percent of all breast cancer cases. It is distinct from regular cancer in that there is typically no lump identified. The skin of the breast may appear red or puckered or resemble the skin of an orange. Inflammatory breast cancer is often misdiagnosed as a breast infection and is a much more aggressive form of breast cancer than other forms of breast cancer.

Treatment

    Stage IIIB breast cancer is usually treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This means chemotherapy is administered prior to surgery to remove the cancer. This is the treatment method of choice because the cancer is generally too advanced to be removed by surgery. Chemotherapy is designed to shrink the tumor and reduce the presence of cancer cells so that the cancer is small enough that it can be successfully eliminated by surgery.

Prognosis

    The prognosis for cancer is determined according to five-year survival rates. According to the American Cancer Society, 57 percent percent of patients diagnosed with stage IIIB breast cancer are alive five years after diagnosis. Therefore, there is a 57 percent survival rate for those with stage IIIB breast cancer.



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  • Breast Cancer Survival Rate - Stage 2 Breast Cancer

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    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 ...

  • Prognosis for Stage 3 Breast Cancer eHow

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    According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 192,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during 2009. Approximately 62,000 will be ...


  • 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.

  • Stage 4 Breast Cancer Prognosis eHow - eHow How to

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  • Stages of Breast Cancer

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    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 ...


  • WebMD Breast Cancer Center: Types, Symptoms, Causes,

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    The five year survival rate of breast cancer is over 90% when caught early. Get in-depth breast cancer information here including symptoms

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  • Stage 4 Breast Cancer Life Expectancy LIVESTRONG.COM

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  • Stage 2 Breast Cancer Prognosis & Survival

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