breast+cancer

**BREAST CANCER **

Breast cancer is a result of mutation of the genes that keep cells healthy and that are responsible for regulating the growth of those the cells properly. Inherited cases of breast cancer are found on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. When these genes are mutated or created abnormally, they do not do their job of keeping breast cells growing and preventing cancer; therefore, abnormalities of these genes increase the risk of getting breast cancer. About 10% of all breast cancer cases are the result of abnormal BRAC1 and BRAC2 genes. Women with these mutations have about an 80% chance of developing breast cancer by the time they reach 50 years.

The biggest risks of getting breast cancer are two major risks: gender and age. Any woman can develope breast cancer, and the older in age a women gets the more riskier it is for a woman to get breast cancer. Also, a family history of either ovarian cancer or breast cancer can increase the risk of a woman developing breast cancer. In comparison, caucasion women are slightly more prone to developing breast cancer than African American women, However African American women are more likely to die from it. In addition, women of Hispanic, Asian, and Native American background have the lowest risk of developing and dying of breast cancer.

**Symptoms:** The most commonly known first sign of breast cancer is a lump found in a breast. However, this is not always the first sign in all cases of brest cancer. In fact, there have been a lot of breast cancer cases that there as been no lump found intially, or one that is not large enough to notice. Sometimes the first sign isn't noticed until a mammogram screening is done, which is an x-ray of the breast. The following are all known symptoms that could lead to breast cancer:
 * Breast pain
 * Swelling of the breast
 * Lump in the underarm
 * Skin irritation or dimpling
 * Nipple pain
 * The nipple turning inward
 * Redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
 * Discharge other than breast milk from the nipple.

Breast cancer is diagnosed by a doctor after a mammogram is done. Once a it is determined that breast cancer is a possiblity,a biopseis is done for assurence. Also, depending on the size of the tumor, different biopseis are done such as a needle biopsy, core needle biopsy, a fine needle biopsy, sugical biopsy, excisional biopsy, or incisional biopsy. A needle biopsy is done by using a hollow needle to remove a sample of cells from the breast tumor. A core needle biopsy is done on areas that are seen by a mammogram by a thin needle, however a disadvantage to this would be that the needle may accidently miss the tumor and get a sample of normal cell tissue. Fine needle biopsy takes a sample of cells of the tumor instead of just cell tissue. The most accurate biopsy would be the surgical biopsy but is also the most risky. In an excisional biopsy the entire affected area and some of the normal layer is removed for observation. In an incisional biopsy part of the tumor is removed. After the biopsy, the sample is sent to a pathologist who tests them and files a pathology report.
 * Diagnosis: **

Mammogram

Depending on the type of tumor will determine the prognosis. The type of tumor is determined by the pathology report. If the cancer cells are located in the lymph nodes which are in the arms, there is a greater risk of it spreading throughout the body, and ultimately also has an affect of the prognosis. There are 5 stages (and sub-stages) of breast cancer and the stage determines the prognosis. The following are all based on a 5 year survival rate: At stage 0 there is no tumor and there is a 99% survival rate. At stage 1 the tumor is less than 2 centimeters and there is a 92% survival rate. At stage 2 the tumor is between 2-5 centimeters, there could be affected tissue in the lymph nodes, and there is an 82% chance. At stage 3 the tumor is greater than 5 centimeters and in could be invading the skin or chest plate, there could be lymph nodes in the cardiovascular area, and there is a 47% survival rate. At stage 4 the tumor is of any size, there could be lymph nodes, the cancer is spreading throughout the body, and there is a 14% survival rate.
 * Prognosis: **

Depending on the type of tumor for breast cancer can vary depending of the type of treatment and patient. In most cases, surgery is the first step of treatment. There is the Mastectomy surgery which is the removal of all breast tissue, or the Lumpectomy surgery which is the removal of only the tumor and some surrounding area. Chemotherapy is also one option of treatment. Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that affects the entire body because is going through the bloodstream. Another option is hormanal therapy. Hormonal therapy lowers the amount of estrogen in the body and also blocking the estrogen, which decreases the risk of a tumor reoccuring. In addition, another option is radiation therapy. Radiotion therapy is probably the most effective way to destroy any remaining cancerous cells after surgery.
 * Treatment: **

**In 2005 alone, 1,690 males were diagnosed with breast cancer!!! Child actress, Shirley Temple, developed a breast cancer tumor in 1972, and got a mastectomy. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor also deveolped a breast cancer tumor in 1982. It is estimated that about every 13 minutes a woman dies of breast cancer. ** Great job good information. Tourett's syndrom Sources: > > **__COMMENTS: > > RJS- I didn't realize that breast cancer caused a greater percent of fatalities in African American populations as opposed to other populations. > You should have at least 3 pictures on your wikispace. Second, I think that you should add heading to each section so it can be easier to follow.(Cri-Du-Chat, LN) > I would be interested in knowing if breast cancer is genetic, occurs do to outstide factors, or even radiation. I don't think you made this clear enough in your info- GC Tourettes__**
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 * **__I was really surprised that there were so many cases of male breast cancer. (HG-Huntington's)__**