Health and Medicines

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the breast, usually in the inner lining of the milk ducts or lobules. There are different types of breast cancer, with different stages (spread), aggressiveness, and genetic makeup. With best treatment, 10-year disease-free survival varies from 98% to 10%. Treatment includes surgery, drugs (hormone therapy and chemotherapy), and radiation.

Worldwide, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer (10.4% of all cancer incidence, both sexes counted)[ and the fifth most common cause of cancer death. In 2004, breast cancer caused 519,000 deaths worldwide (7% of cancer deaths; almost 1% of all deaths).

Breast cancer is about 100 times as frequent among women as among men, but survival rates are equal in both sexes.

Some breast cancers require the hormones estrogen and progesterone to grow, and have receptors for those hormones. Those cancers are treated with drugs that interfere with those hormones, usually tamoxifen, and with drugs that shut off the production of estrogen in the ovaries or elsewhere; this may damage the ovaries and end fertility. Low-risk, hormone-sensitive breast cancers may be treated with hormone therapy and radiation alone. Breast cancers without hormone receptors, or which have spread to the lymph nodes in the armpits, or which express certain genetic characeristics, are higher-risk, and are treated more aggressively. One standard regimen, popular in the U.S., is cycophosphamide plus doxorubicin (Adriomycin), known as CA; these drugs damage DNA in the cancer, but also in fast-growing normal cells where they cause serious side effects. Sometimes a taxane drug, such as docetaxel, is added, and the regime is then known as CAT; taxane attacks the microtubules in cancer cells. An equivalent treatment, popular in Europe, is cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil (CMF). Monoclonal antibodies, such as trastuzumab, are used for cancer cells that have the HER2 mutation. Radiation is usually added to the surgical bed to control cancer cells that were missed by the surgery, which usually extends survival, although radiation exposure to the heart may cause damage and heart failure in the following years.

Breast cancers are described along four different classification schemes, or groups, each based on different criteria and serving a different purpose:

Pathology - Each tumor is classified by its histological (microscopic anatomy) appearance and other criteria. Grade of tumor - The histological grade of a tumor is determined by a pathologist under a microscope. A well-differentiated (low grade) tumor resembles normal tissue. A poorly differentiated (high grade) tumor is composed of disorganized cells and, therefore, does not look like normal tissue. Moderately differentiated (intermediate grade) tumors are somewhere in between. Protein & gene expression status - Currently, all breast cancers should be tested for expression, or detectable effect, of the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2/neu proteins. These tests are usually done by immunohistochemistry and are presented in a pathologist's report. The profile of expression of a given tumor helps predict its prognosis, or outlook, and helps an oncologist choose the most appropriate treatment. More genes and/or proteins may be tested in the future. Stage of a tumor - The currently accepted staging scheme for breast cancer is the TNM classification. This considers the Tumor itself, whether it has spread to lymph Nodes, and whether there are anyMetastases to locations other than the breast and lymph nodes.

Breast cancer is usually, but not always, primarily classified by its histological appearance. Rare variants are defined on the basis of physical exam findings. For example, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a form of ductal carcinoma or malignant cancer in the ducts, is distinguished from other carcinomas by the inflamed appearance of the affected breast.In the future, some pathologic classifications may be changed.

Signs and symptoms

The first symptom, or subjective sign, of breast cancer is typically a lump that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue. According to the The Merck Manual, more than 80% of breast cancer cases are discovered when the woman feels a lump. According to the American Cancer Society, the first medical sign, or objective indication of breast cancer as detected by a physician, is discovered by mammogram. Lumps found in lymph nodes located in the armpits can also indicate breast cancer.

Indications of breast cancer other than a lump may include changes in breast size or shape, skin dimpling, nipple inversion, or spontaneous single-nipple discharge. Pain ("mastodynia") is an unreliable tool in determining the presence or absence of breast cancer, but may be indicative of other breast health issues.

When breast cancer cells invade the dermal lymphatics—small lymph vessels in the skin of the breast—its presentation can resemble skin inflammation and thus is known as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include pain, swelling, warmth and redness throughout the breast, as well as an orange-peel texture to the skin referred to as peau d'orange.

Another reported symptom complex of breast cancer is Paget's disease of the breast. This syndrome presents as eczematoid skin changes such as redness and mild flaking of the nipple skin. As Paget's advances, symptoms may include tingling, itching, increased sensitivity, burning, and pain. There may also be discharge from the nipple. Approximately half of women diagnosed with Paget's also have a lump in the breast.

Occasionally, breast cancer presents as metastatic disease, that is, cancer that has spread beyond the original organ. Metastatic breast cancer will cause symptoms that depend on the location of metastasis. Common sites of metastasis include bone, liver, lung and brain.[15] Unexplained weight loss can occasionally herald an occult breast cancer, as can symptoms of fevers or chills. Bone or joint pains can sometimes be manifestations of metastatic breast cancer, as can jaundice or neurological symptoms. These symptoms are “non-specific”, meaning they can also be manifestations of many other illnesses.

Most symptoms of breast disorder do not turn out to represent underlying breast cancer. Benign breast diseases such as mastitis and fibroadenoma of the breast are more common causes of breast disorder symptoms. The appearance of a new symptom should be taken seriously by both patients and their doctors, because of the possibility of an underlying breast cancer at almost any age.

It seems that the whole world has turned pink. You can buy a pink frying pan, pink Barbie doll, pink M&Ms;, even a limited edition Ford Mustang with a ‘Pink Package!’ These pink product purchases generate money for breast cancer research and treatment.

So, if everything’s pink, why does breast cancer still kill over 500,000 women (and men) worldwide each year? This has a simple two-part answer. First, breast cancer is a multifactorial disease and second, the ‘pinking of the world’ has as much to do with product merchandising as it does with funding research.

As the second most common cancer (lung cancer is first), breast cancer is a major health concern, especially for women who are 100 times more likely to develop breast cancer as men. Breast cancer is also the leading type of cancer diagnosed in women and is much more prevalent in well-developed nations. Women in the US have a 1 in 8 chance of getting breast cancer and a 1 in 25 chance of dying. The good news is, death rates from breast cancer have been declining since about 1990, with larger decreases in women younger than 50. These decreases are believed to be the result of earlier detection through screening and increased awareness, as well as improved treatment.

Breast cancer is actually considered to be the final outcome of many factors, both hereditary and environmental. This includes gene mutations that can occur by exposure to estrogen, viruses and/or radiation, production of growth factor chemicals that speed tumor growth, inherited defects in DNA repair functions, and such factors as age, childbearing, hormone exposure, high fat diet, tobacco and alcohol use, obesity and shift work. Consequently, it is nearly impossible to determine what mix of elements creates the cancer in any given individual. This situation suggests that there may be many possible approaches to defeating breast cancer. However the interrelationship among the factors makes it difficult to create one successful approach.

Once a diagnosis of breast cancer has been made, the individual woman’s disease state is carefully studied to learn as much as possible about the specific circumstances of her breast cancer and includes staging, grading, evaluation of receptor sites, growth factor hormones and gene expression.

The tumor is staged by size, involvement of other tissue and presence in the lymph system or other organs. About 90% of new cancer cases in the U.S. are classified as early stage. Tumors are graded by how biopsied cells behave. The more the cancer cells behave like normal cells, the less aggressive they are. Receptor site evaluation includes testing tumors for sensitivity to the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Tumors are also tested for the presence of growth factor hormone, HER2, which can accelerate tumor growth and newly developed tests for gene expression can help predict the likelihood of relapse.

TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE AS COMPLEX AS THE DISEASE.

(1) Surgery to remove the tumor is the most common first treatment. Newer breast-conserving surgeries combined with radiation have proved just as effective as mastectomy.

(2) Radiation therapy uses high dose radiation to destroy cancer cells. Although some surrounding cells can also be affected, radiation is considered to be a localized treatment.

(3) Multi-agent chemotherapy is usually used for women with potential for or evidence of breast cancer spread. Since cancer cells grow more rapidly, they are killed more rapidly than non-cancerous cells. Chemotherapy often negatively affects other fast growing cells in the body such as stomach lining cells and hair cells.

(4) Immunotherapy uses the immune system to fight cancer. Women who are positive for HER2 can be treated with trastuzumab (Herceptin), a monoclonal antibody which blocks the action of this growth hormone.

(5) Hormonal therapy is used in in situations where some breast cancer tumors grow faster in the presence of female hormones. Drugs like Tamoxifen and the aromatase inhibitors (anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane) either lower estrogen levels or prevent cancer cells from being able to use it.

One of the greatest advances in cancer research is the discovery of therapies that target only cancer cells. In the future, some cancers may be managed over long periods of time with regular drug therapies, similar to the management of other chronic diseases. The following therapies, currently in clinical testing, show promise.

(1) Cancer vaccines – A protein called carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is present in 40 to 60 percent of breast tumors, as well as others. Researchers are putting the gene for CEA in the virus formerly used to vaccinate against smallpox and using it to produce both antibodies and immune cells against the tumors.

(2) Angiogenesis – A tumor needs a constant supply of blood and nutrients to grow; the process is called angiogenesis. A number of drugs that may block angiogenesis are under development.

(3) Photodynamic therapy – a photosensitizing agent is either injected into the bloodstream or put on the skin. After the drug is absorbed by the cancer cells, light is applied only to the area to be treated. The light causes the drug to react with oxygen, which forms a chemical that kills the cancer cells.

The marriage of breast cancer research fundraising with product merchandising has inspired a whole new generation of cause-based product promotion. Although the amount of money raised for breast cancer research through product pinking is not known, industry analysts estimate that cause-related marketing has generated about .44 billion in donations to causes. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation alone has raised 7 million.

Each company that chooses to associate itself with this fundraising cause makes its own decisions about how it will apportion the money received from product purchase and to whom the money will be given. In some cases, corporations involved in “pinking” have placed less emphasis on supporting a worthy cause and more emphasis on riding the coattails of the pink ribbon. As an example, some corporations pledge a percent of sales to breast cancer research, up to some limit, whereas some corporations make a onetime donation such as ,000 from sales of their product, again enticing people to spend money to support a cause that may never see their money.

In fact, some companies may actually be selling products that may increase the risk of breast cancer. Yoplait’s 2008 campaign “Save Lids to Save Lives”, urged consumers to buy pink-lidded cups and for each pink lid returned, Yoplait would donate ten cents to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, up to .5 million. A woman would have to eat three containers of Yoplait every day during the four-month campaign to raise . However the yogurt is made from cows treated with recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone(rBGH) and interestingly there are numerous health concerns, including breast cancer, surrounding the use of rBGH. Due primarily to the efforts of the Think Before You Pink project of the Breast Cancer Association, General Mills announced in February 2009 that they will take rBGH dairy out of Yoplait yogurt

The Think Before You Pink project suggests that you ask the following questions before buying pink.

(1) How much money actually goes towards breast cancer research and is it a reasonable donation, given the price of the product?

(2) What is the maximum amount that will be donated? If the maximum is too low, your purchase may not result in any contribution at all.

(3) How are the funds raised? If you will have to cut out a coupon or go to a website and do something more, are you really going to do it?

(4) Where does the money go? The Breast Cancer Association suggests that the greatest needs are funds to treat low income women who develop breast cancer (not for screening which is already available through the efforts of other groups) and support for underfunded, innovative research.

(5) What is the company doing to assure that it’s not contributing to the incidence of breast cancer? You can go to the Think before You Pink website to read about possible conflicts.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS BREAST CANCER IS COMPLEX WHEREAS PINK MARKETING REMAINS COMPLICATED.

Breast cancer continues to be a major killer of women worldwide because it occurs as the result of a constellation of hereditary and environmental factors. It’s difficult to treat for the same reasons. However, breast cancer research has made enormous strides in treating the disease and may one day render breast cancer as manageable as diabetes.

Pink marketing has certainly added millions of dollar to breast cancer research efforts but you may want to be sure that the pink product you’re buying donates sufficient funds to the most important areas of need and does not contribute to the problem by offering products that are associated with the risk of developing breast cancer. If you’re not sure about a pink product check out the website Think Before You Pink or make a donation directly to the dozens of breast cancer research, education or support organizations available.

Until medical research has solved the problem of breast cancer, do your part to improve early detection, make a commitment to regular breast self-examination and be sure to undergo mammogram examination on the schedule your doctor suggests.

Determining the breast cancer stages is important since it enables the patient and doctor to identify the treatment necessary for one’s condition. Also, it is essential in assessing the risk of the given condition and what lifestyle changes the patient can do to improve their health.

Identifying A Breast Cancer’s Stage

When talking about breast cancer stages, it is aimed at describing the extent of the cancer in the body. So, if you ask how a breast cancer is staged, doctors often start to classify whether it is invasive or non-invasive. Other factors considered are the tumor size, number of nymph modes involved, and what other parts of the body it has managed to affect.

Determining a cancer’s stage is helpful during prognosis and deciding on a treatment option.

To determine the stage, a few standard procedures are done by the doctor on a patient. They undergo physical exam and biopsy to acquire the data needed by the doctor for the diagnosis.

If needed, further tests are also conducted such as imaging tests that include x-ray, bone scans, mammograms for the breasts, CT scans, positron emission tomography (PET), and magentic resonance imaging.

What Are the Breast Cancer Stages?

Now that the importance of determining the different breast cancer stages have been clarified, as well as the methods used to identify them, it is now time to move on to discussing each of the stages. Take note of the features and extent of the cancer in each of the stages:

Breast Cancer Stage 0

This stage renders the case of breast cancer to be non-invasive. At this point of the breast cancer, cancer or non-cancerous cells cannot be detected yet.

The abnormal cells are still at the stage wherein they try to spread out within the specific part of the breast where the cells are rooted. Also, they can try to expand on the neighboring tissues as the cancerous cells continue to grow.

Breast Cancer Stage I

Once the breast cancer enters this stage, it is now categorized as an invasive type of breast cancer. Meaning, the cancer cells have now worked their way towards the neighboring tissues. Stage I breast cancer also exhibit the following characteristics:

• The cancerous tumor has reached the size of 2 centimeters.
• No lymph modes are affected.

Breast Cancer Stage II

For this particular stage of breast cancer, it is also known as an invasive type of cancer and is broken down into two more categories:

1) Stage IIA

Even in this particular stage, the conditions can be different:

• A tumor does not exist in the breast but cancerous cells are detected in the lymph nodes.
• A tumor could exist but measures less than 2 centimeters;
• The tumor has expanded beyond 2 centimeters but less than 5 centimeters without reaching the lymph nodes.

2) Stage IIB

This invasive level of the cancer are recognized as either one of the following:

• The tumor exceeds 2 centimeters in size but less than 5 centimeters, while also reaching the lymph nodes.
• The tumor is more than 5 centimeters in size but has not yet reached the axillary lymph nodes.

Breast Cancer Stage III

1) Stage IIIA

In this stage, the tumor could either be detected or not. Aside from the axillary lymph nodes, cancer can also stick to other structures outside of the lymph nodes and become clumped together.

2) Stage IIIB

In this stage, the tumor can grow in size and affect other areas of the body outside of the actual breast, whether th chest wall or skin of the breast. This is the stage wherein inflammatory breast cancer takes place.

3) Stage IIIC

In some cases, sign of breast cancer might not be detectable yet. However, the tumor could already be spreading towards the breast skin, chest wall, and below your collarbone.

Breast Cancer Stage IV

In this level, the cancerous cells have managed to spread to various organs of the body. Therefore, the cancer is no longer restricted on the breast and lymph nodes, which signifies the initial diagnosis of breast cancer. The reason why diagnosis is done only during this stage is because cancerous cells were not detected while still within the breast.

Recognizing breast cancer stages does more than just identifying treatment options, but also enables doctors and patients to understand the developmental pattern of the disease.

Medical professionals utilize the term “stage” to relate to the extent of cancer within the body. Knowing the stage of the cancer will help you along with your doctor establish your foremost treatment solution. Doctors generally say that a cancer is high grade or low grade. Some physicians utilize numbers 1 to 4 to relate to grade. Physicians strongly suggest doing a breast self-exam (BSE) each month. BSE should be done at the same time each month, preferably five to nine days following your period.

LCIS is sometimes known as “Stage ” breast cancer, but that’s not really precise because it’s not really cancer. LCIS implies that there are defective cells in a lobule’s lining. Although an analysis of LCIS in a single breast raises the potential risk of cancer for both breasts, the cancer is generally non-invasive. LCIS is a situation in which abnormal cells are found in the lobules (small parts of tissue associated with making milk) from the breast. This problem rarely becomes wide spread cancer; nevertheless, having LCIS in a single breast increases the potential risk of getting breast cancer in either breast.

Women with LCIS don’t have breast cancer and the majority won’t ever get breast cancer. They just don’t have to have a mastectomy or even a lumpectomy, although they do need regular mammograms. Most women with LCIS may should also talk with their physicians concerning the benefits and limits of being tested yearly with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well as mammograms. Close follow-up of both breasts is important mainly because women with LCIS in a single breast have an the same risk of getting breast cancer on the same or opposite side. Women in North America develop the highest rates of breast cancer anywhere.

Stage 1 breast cancer clients with radiation treatment method delayed by eight weeks were 1.4 times prone to have a recurrence or subsequent new primary breast cancerous growth in contrast to those receiving timely treatment; they also had lowered survival. Clients whose radiotherapy was delayed by 12 weeks or longer were 4x prone to end up with a recurrence or future new breast tumor. Women who are still having cycles and also have hormonal receptor-positive tumors is treatable with tamoxifen, which obstructs the results of estrogen being created by the ovaries. Some physicians also provide a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogue, which makes the ovaries briefly stop functioning.Stage 1 breast cancer success rates are high. Scientific tests of breast cancer patients followed up to five years after treatment method show approximately 98% of women living through stage 1 breast cancer.

With stage 2 breast cancer the look of a different warning sign needs to be taken seriously by both the patients and their medical professionals, due to the chance of an underlying breast cancer at just about any age group.Benign tumors are not cancer. They just don’t propagate with other body parts. Benign tumors are tumors that cannot spread by intrusion or metastasis; hence, they just develop locally. Cancerous tumors are growths that can handle scattering by attack and metastasis. Benign breast diseases such as mastitis and fibroadenoma on the breast more standard reason for breast disorder signs and symptoms.

Cells have receptors on their area as well as in their own cytoplasm and nucleus. Chemical messengers like the body’s hormones bind to receptors, and this brings about changes in the cell.

In the 3rd stage of breast cancer continues to be local into the breast as well as the lymph nodes inside the arm pit and around the breast. Quite often health professionals will utilize a mix of treatments on the sufferer. Lymph nodes that may contain cancerous cells are eliminated simultaneously. After a mastectomy, a woman can opt to undergo breast reconstruction surgery. Treatment method for stage 3 breast cancer generally requires mastectomy or the removal of either or both breasts. The affected lymph nodes are usually taken out for a safety and basic precaution for remission or re-occurrence. Treatment method can also include surgery, radiation, specific treatments, or combining these treatment methods. Multi-modality therapy, which makes use of several treatment approaches, is increasingly accepted as a significant method for improving a client’s chance of cure or prolonging survival.

Most women with Stage 3 breast cancer have a 54 to 67 % probability of survival. Women more than 70 years have been underrepresented in breast cancer adjuvant radiation treatment tests caused by issues about toxicity, safety and tolerance of chemotherapy. Being menopausal status for those who described hysterectomy on it’s own was categorized as not known and these subjects were also excluded, leaving behind 558 (79.%) cases and 1,116 (80.8%) controls.

Stage 4 breast cancer is the category of breast cancer that has spread away of the breast to additional parts of the body for instance lung, bone, river, even brain. Relieving symptoms, in certain cases through the use of the medication tamoxifen or radical mastectomy and increasing survival time is targeted on for the treatment of breast cancer stage 4. Phase 4 breast cancer is the most fatal class of the disease. Patients need to work closely with their health care experts for success within their treatments. Stage 4 breast cancer has a five year success rate of 20%.

Medical professionals utilize the expression “stage” to refer towards the degree of cancer within the body. Having the stage of your cancer will help you and your health practitioner decide your foremost plan for treatment. Physicians usually say that a cancer is high grade or low grade. Many physicians use the numbers 1 to 4 to relate to grade. Medical professionals highly recommend doing a breast self-exam (BSE) on a monthly basis. BSE should be done at the same time monthly, ideally five to nine days after your cycle.

LCIS may also be known as “Stage ” breast cancer, but that’s not really precise since it’s not truly cancer. LCIS implies that there are abnormal cells in a lobule’s coating. Although a diagnosis of LCIS in one breast increases the potential risk of cancer for the two breasts, the cancer is usually non-invasive. LCIS is a disorder in which abnormal cells are found inside the lobules (small parts of tissue needed for producing milk) within the breast. This problem seldom becomes wide spread cancer; however, having LCIS in one breast increases the potential risk of developing breast cancer in either breast.

Women with LCIS do not have breast cancer and the majority won’t have breast cancer. They just don’t need a mastectomy or even a lumpectomy, but they do require frequent mammograms. Women with LCIS may should also talk to their physicians about the benefits and limitations of getting tested yearly with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well as mammograms. Close follow-up of each breasts is essential because women with LCIS in a single breast have an the same risk of getting breast cancer on the same or opposite side. Women in America develop the greatest rates of breast cancer anywhere.

Stage 1 breast cancer sufferers with radiation treatment postponed by eight weeks were 1.4 times more likely to have a recurrence or subsequent new main breast tumor compared with those receiving timely treatment method; in addition they had reduced your survival. Clients whose radiotherapy was delayed by 12 weeks or longer were 4 times prone to end up with a recurrence or future new breast cancerous growth. Women who are even now having periods and have hormonal receptor-positive tumors may be treatable with tamoxifen, which obstructs the effects of estrogen being produced by the ovaries. Some physicians also offer a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analog, which makes the ovaries briefly stop working.Stage 1 breast cancer survival rates are high. Scientific tests of breast cancer clients followed up to 5 years after treatment show around 98% of women making it through stage 1 breast cancer.

Having stage 2 breast cancer the appearance of a different symptom must be taken seriously by both the patients and their doctors, because of the chance for an underlying breast cancer at just about any age.Benign tumors aren’t cancer. They don’t multiply to other body parts. Benign tumors are growths that can’t spread by intrusion or metastasis; hence, they barely develop in the area. Malignant tumors are growths that are capable of scattering by invasion and metastasis. Benign breast diseases such as mastitis and fibroadenoma on the breast more frequent cause of breast disorder signs and symptoms.

Cells have receptors on their surface and in their own cytoplasm and nucleus. Chemical messengers like the body’s hormones bind to receptors, which will cause changes in the cell.

Within the third stage of breast cancer is still localized into the breast as well as the lymph nodes inside the arm pit and around the breast. Most often doctors will utilize a mix of treatment options to the sufferer. Lymph nodes which may contain cancer cells are taken out simultaneously. After having a mastectomy, women can choose to have breast reconstruction surgery. Treatment for stage 3 breast cancer usually involves mastectomy or removing either or both breasts. The affected lymph nodes are also removed as a safety and standard safety measure for remission or re-occurrence. Treatment could also include surgical procedure, radiation, targeted therapy, or a combination of these treatment strategies. Multiple-method therapy, which makes use of two or more treatment techniques, is more and more accepted as an important method for improving a patient’s chance of remedy or prolonging success.

Women with Stage 3 breast cancer possess a 54 to 67 % chance of survival. Women older than 70 years are underrepresented in breast cancer adjuvant radiation treatment trials caused by concerns about toxicity, safety and tolerance of radiation treatment. Menopausal status for the ones who reported hysterectomy on it’s own was classified as not known and these people were also excluded, leaving behind 558 (79.%) cases and 1,116 (80.8%) controls.

Stage 4 breast cancer is the kind of breast cancer that has distribute out of the breast to other parts of the body for instance lung, bone, river, even brain. Reducing symptoms, in some cases by the use of the medication tamoxifen or radical mastectomy and stretching survival time is targeted on for the treatment method of breast cancer stage 4. Phase 4 breast cancer is the most fatal stage of the disease. Individuals need to work closely with their health care experts for success within their treatment options. Stage 4 breast cancer has a five year survival rate of more than 20%.

Breast cancer awareness is a crucial issue for women’s health today. Few other serious diseases are so prevalent among women, and few of them are so preventable. Breast Cancer Insight, an informational website and seller of informational e-books, contains a wealth of information on breast cancer: from its causes, to its prevention, to its treatment.

Breast Cancer Insight was created by Dr. Jerry Lang, a medical professional with expert knowledge of breast cancer. Dr. Lang and his colleagues at Breast Cancer Insight started their website because of a shared determination to raise breast cancer awareness among the general populace.

Breast cancer awareness is generally lacking in the broader culture, and this is a major public health issue for women. Though the disease is frequently treatable if detected early, many women still delay needed mammograms, despite decades of persistent urging to the contrary by the media and various federal, state, and local breast cancer awareness organizations. Breast Cancer Insight adds a valuable dose of expert knowledge to the ongoing discussion of breast cancer awareness, breast cancer detection, and breast cancer treatment.

Breast Cancer Insight provides a wide range of breast cancer research materials, all of them vetted by experts in the field. Visitors to the site can read about symptoms of the disease, which include lumps in the breast, and swelling. They can also learn about the disease’s treatment, which generally includes some form of chemotherapy, combined with surgery. Breast Cancer Insight also sells an e-book, entitled “Breast Cancer Surgery – An Overview,” which contains a comprehensive discussion of what patients can expect from typical breast cancer surgery.

Breast Cancer Insight also tackles the problem of breast cancer awareness from the angle of research. Every day, researchers make important new discoveries that relate to breast cancer, but since ordinary people usually find it difficult to keep up with cutting-edge scientific literature, they often remain unaware of these important developments. Breast Cancer Insight keeps abreast of these research developments and summarizes them in easy to read language, to ensure total breast cancer awareness even among those without expert medical knowledge.

Another very important aspect of breast cancer awareness is knowledge of prevention strategies, and here, too, Breast Cancer Insight is active. The site contains a section devoted to explaining, in plain language the many ways of preventing the onset of breast cancer through knowledge of risk factors, proper diet, and so on.

Breast Cancer Insight also offers information on breast cancer support groups, which are a critical component of breast cancer awareness. Anyone who has received a breast cancer diagnosis is bound to be confused and overwhelmed, and the support of a likeminded group can positively affect treatment outcomes.

Breast Cancer Insight also raises breast cancer awareness by enabling visitors to contact the site’s creators directly. This is a great way to get answers to crucial breast cancer questions.

Breast Cancer Insight is a provider of breast cancer information, to promote breast cancer awareness. They also sell e-books with information relating to breast cancer treatment. For more information, visit BreastCancerInsight.

There is every chance that you, or a family member, colleague, or friend has been affected in some way by breast cancer.

The words ‘breast cancer’ send a chill of fear down everyone’s spine. What is breast cancer and can you prevent it? Here are some facts about breast cancer that every woman should know. You will also learn more about prevention and early detection, especially important if you have a history of cancer in your family.

What Should I Know About Breast Cancer?

There are over two hundred different types of cancer and according to the American Cancer Society breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer in women. While it is also possible for a man to get breast cancer women are 100 times more likely to develop it than men.

There are several forms of breast cancer that occur in different areas of the breast. Most breast cancers are treated with radiation, chemotherapy or surgery. The treatment program determined for any individual depends on the type of cancer, how far it has spread and where it is located. While great strides are taking place in cancer treatment, prevention and early detection are by far the most preferable options.

The statistics are grim. The American Cancer Society reports that 1 in 8 women in the US will experience invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. The chance of dying from breast cancer is one in 33, but that number is decreasing as new forms of treatment and early detection are being implemented.

The good news is that it is possible for women to reduce their risk of dying from breast cancer. When breast cancer is discovered and treated early, the chances for recovery are better.

Women with a high risk should primarily discuss the possible preventive measures currently available with their doctor. However, various simple self-help measures are described below.

Who is Most Likely to Get Breast Cancer?

While every woman has some level of risk there are certain factors that increase the likelihood a person may develop breast cancer. Not having these risk factors does not mean you will not develop cancer just as being at a high risk doesn’t mean you will develop cancer.

Smoking, age and family history are the common factors that are assessed when determining risk.

While smoking can be controlled, age and family history cannot. The older you are the greater the risk that you will develop breast cancer. Almost 8 out of 10 women diagnosed with breast cancer are over 50. If women in your family developed breast cancer you are also at an increased risk.

Certain genetic changes increase the risk that a woman will develop cancer to as high as 80%. Testing for these changes can help a woman and her doctor discuss preventative measures that might be taken.

Caucasian women have a higher risk of developing breast cancer but African-American women more often die from the disease. Asians, Hispanics and American Indian women are less likely to get it.

Starting your period (menstruation) before age 12 or going through menopause after 55 slightly increases the risk.

Having taken the drug DES (diethylstilbestrol), which some women were given in the belief it would prevent them from losing a baby, slightly increases the risk while radiation to the chest earlier in life greatly increases the risk.

Being overweight, use of alcohol, long term use of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and not having children have all been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Using birth control pills may increase the risk and should be discussed with your doctor.

On the other hand exercise, healthy eating (especially reducing the intake of alcohol and red meats) or having had children early in life and breastfeeding for as long as 18 to 24 months have been linked to a reduced risk of developing breast cancer.

What Else Can I Do to Reduce the Risk?

While there are no cures yet, researchers have discovered that a healthy lifestyle is the best way to prevent cancer. Since cancer is a disease that starts in our cells, everything we eat and are exposed to can affect them.

Choose to be a non-smoker and avoid second-hand smoke.

In regards to diet, choose a variety of lower fat, high fiber foods. Studies have shown that intake of total fat, saturated fat and meat are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Maintain a healthy body weight and limit alcohol consumption.

Protect yourself from the sun.

At home and at work, follow health and safety instructions when using hazardous materials.

The link between an active lifestyle and breast cancer prevention is as yet unclear but general health is improved when regular exercise is an integral part of a person’s lifestyle.

Early Detection

Since early detection is so important it is vital that women learn how to detect lumps in their breasts and understand what precautions must be taken. Those who are more at risk of developing cancer should take extra steps to detect cancer as early as possible.

While a doctor or nurse can show you how to perform a BSE (breast self-exam) the American Cancer Society still recommends that women in their twenties and thirties should have a clinical exam every three years and once a year after 40. In later years most women should also have regular mammograms to catch cancers earlier. But what about the time in between mammograms and clinical exams?

This is when regular self examination is so important.

Every woman should know her own breasts so that any changes are noticed soon and can be checked out by a physician.

Regardless of age, all women should do a monthly breast self-examination a few days after their period. When doing breast self-examination, things to look for include: dimpling or puckering of the skin, swelling, discharges other than milk, bleeding or any other change to the nipple, or the appearance of what is sometimes called ‘orange peel skin’.

Any place in your breasts that feels lumpy or harder than the rest needs to be brought to the attention of a doctor. Most breast problems are not breast cancer and most lumps are not cancerous. When a lump is not cancerous it is referred to as ‘benign’. A cancerous lump is called ‘malignant’. But only a professional clinician can make that diagnosis and it’s no use waiting, worrying and hoping it will go away. Sometimes small lumps, in the early stages, are hard to find, but the earlier a lump is diagnosed, the better, so catch lumps small – don’t wait until they’re large.

Taking care of ourselves, including regular breast examinations, is an ongoing commitment that requires self-discipline and knowledge. It is well worth the effort as early diagnosis is definitely the most important factor in surviving breast cancer.

ProjectBoobies.com is different than other companies selling breast cancer tee shirts because our sole focus is how can we help.  In the late fall, we had the opportunity to help a small college in Iowa make a difference in their community and we would also love to help your college team and/or organization do the same so that we can beat breast cancer through self exams and raising money.

Our regular focus charity is Kokolulu Farms and Cancer Retreats that is located in Hawaii.  In case you don’t know, Kokolulu is a miraculous non-profit that focuses on helping cancer survivors to win the mental battle with cancer and we sell our breast cancer shirts to help them raise funds.  Additionally, the logo on our breast cancer tee shirts and tagline of “Grab A Feel so Cancer Can’t Steal” are reminders for people to do self checks for breast cancer because the best way to defeat this horrific disease.

This fall, we found an opportunity to team with the Iowa Central Cross Country Team in their 4th annual “Race to Erase Breast Cancer”. While it was not an actual race, their team sold breast cancer tee shirts, along with other donation avenues, to raise money for the Fort Dodge Trinity Regional Cancer Center.  The results were outstanding and this small college team was able to make a big impact and raise nearly ,000 for this medical center.  Our part was to provide breast cancer shirts at a price that just covered our costs and the result was over 100 projectboobies.com shirts sold!  The college had created their own awesome shirt design but found that our breast cancer tees outsold theirs by multiple times.  We are very humbled by the outcome that college students loved our breast cancer clothes design which resulted in so much money being raised to fight breast cancer.

So how can we help your high school, college, or other organization raise money to help a regional cancer charity raise money with our breast cancer shirts?  The first step is to check us out because we want you to be comfortable that we are really in breast cancer clothes to beat breast cancer.  Feel free to contact Lew at Kokolulu Farms and Cancer Retreats as we have worked with their charity on multiple fronts as they work to help cancer survivors win the mental battle with cancer.  Contact the cross country coach at Iowa Central in Ft. Dodge to verify we were great partners to work with for their breast cancer fundraiser.  Check out our Twitter account that has over 3,000 followers.  The other option is to use Google, Yahoo, Bing, and/or other search engines and do a search.  If you search breast cancer tees, breast cancer clothes, or breast cancer shirts, you will find projectboobies.com on the first or second page of search results.  We are passionate about beating breast cancer and it shows in everything we do!  Please visit our website to learn more about breast self checks, breast cancer statistics, and to check out our breast cancer tee shirts.

Hopefully this communication helps you understand a little about our goals and how we’d like to work together to kick breast cancer’s ass!  If you are a celebrity, we would love it if a brave one would be the first to help us.