October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and there’s no better time to get the facts about this disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), second only to skin cancer, breast cancer is the single most common cancer type among women in the United States. In addition, it’s currently estimated that about 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime.
Another significant statistic from the CDC is that breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women in the United States. Even though breast cancer mortality rates have been falling since 1989, partly due to early detection and treatment improvements, this disease still claims far too many lives each year.
This guide covers many vital facts about breast cancer in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
What Causes Breast Cancer?
- Family history: If you have close relatives with breast cancer (mother, sister, daughter), you may be at a higher risk.
- Personal history: If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, you’re more likely to develop it again.
- Age: As you age, you develop a greater risk of developing breast cancer.
- Biological sex: Breast cancer is more common in women than in men.
- Race: White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African American women, but African American women have a higher risk of mortality from the disease. And Hispanic, Asian, and Native American women have a lower risk of developing and dying from breast cancer.
- Breast density: Women with dense breast tissue (less fat and more glandular and connective tissue) are at a higher risk.
- Obesity: Being overweight or obese following menopause can increase your risk of developing breast cancer.
- Alcohol: Drinking alcohol in excess increases your risk of developing breast cancer.
- Radiation exposure: Women who have had radiation therapy to the chest area, such as for treatment of Hodgkin’s disease, are at a higher risk.
- Hormone replacement therapy: Taking combined estrogen and progesterone after menopause increases your risk of developing breast cancer.
- Birth control pills: Taking combined oral contraceptives (estrogen and progesterone) increases your risk, but this risk returns to normal once you quit taking them.
What are the Different Types of Breast Cancer?
Lobular carcinoma starts in the milk-producing glands and is usually found in both breasts. Tubular carcinoma makes up a tiny percentage of breast cancers and forms in the milk ducts. Mucinous and papillary carcinoma are even less common and tend to be more aggressive than other types of breast cancer.
How is Breast Cancer Diagnosed?
An ultrasound, by contrast, uses sound waves to create an image of the breast, and doctors can use it to determine if a mass is solid or filled with fluid. And a biopsy is the removal of tissue from the breast so specialists can examine it for cancer cells.
What are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer?
- Sudden swelling of a part of the breast or all of the breast (even if you can’t feel a distinct lump)
- Skin dimpling or irritation
- Breast or nipple pain
- Nipple retraction (nipple turns inward)
- Thickening, redness, or scaliness on the nipple or breast skin
- Abnormal nipple discharge
What are the Stages of Breast Cancer?
Stage I: The cancer is small. It hasn’t spread outside the breast.
Stage II: The cancer is more prominent. It may have begun to spread to the lymph nodes under the arm.
Stage III: The cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other tissues near the breast.
Stage IV: The cancer has spread to another area of the body, such as the liver, brain, or bones.
Knowing which stage of breast cancer you have helps your doctor determine the best treatment options.
What are the Treatment Options for Breast Cancer?
Surgical treatment is the most common approach for breast cancer, and the type of surgery will depend on the stage. For example, a lumpectomy refers to removing the tumor with a small amount of surrounding tissue, while a mastectomy requires removing the entire breast.
Radiation therapy uses powerful X-rays to kill cancer cells, and it’s often used after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Chemotherapy uses specific drugs to kill cancer cells, and it’s often recommended in addition to surgery and radiation therapy.
Hormone therapy is used to treat hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers, and it works by preventing the hormones from attaching to and stimulating the growth of the cancer cells.
Targeted therapy is a newer treatment targeting specific genes, molecules, or proteins involved in cancer growth and survival.
A stem cell transplant may be an option for some people with breast cancer. It involves high doses of radiation therapy or chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells before the patient receives healthy stem cells to replace the ones that were lost.
What are the Side Effects of Treatment?
It’s crucial to talk to your doctor about the possible side effects of treatment and how to manage them.
How Can I Reduce My Risk of Developing Breast Cancer?
- Eating a healthy diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
- Exercising regularly
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Limiting alcohol intake
- Avoiding exposure to radiation and hormone therapy
- Quitting smoking
Consult your doctor about regular screenings and genetic testing. This is double important if you have a family history of breast cancer.
Now That You Know the Facts About Breast Cancer
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