Breast Cancer Awareness By: Dominick Phillips

What Is Breast Cancer? If a cell changes into a abnormal, sometimes harmful form, it can divide quickly over and over again without dying, making many copies of itself. When this happens, a tumor, an abnormal body cell grouped together, can start to form and grow on the breast.

Treatment Options Surgery- two types of surgery are mastectomy and lumpectomy Radiation Chemotherapy

Prevention and Early Detection Various practices have been suggested as being helpful in reducing the risk of breast cancer: Regular exercise Low-fat diet Maintaining a healthy weight Avoiding alcohol and tobacco

Diagnosis A physician will carefully feel the breast for masses and examine the breast surface for any skin changes or other abnormalities. If a suspicious lump is detected or if a mammogram finds an abnormal area, a biopsy will be preformed.

Stages and Progress Determining the stage of the cancer is critical for choosing the most effective treatment. Staging describes the size of the tumor and whether it has spread to nearby lymph nodes or to other organs.

Incidence Each year more than 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and about 40,000 die from the disease. Inherited forms of breast cancer account for 5 to 10% of new cases.

Noticeable Symptoms Most breast cancers are found during self-examination. The patient feels or sees a lump in or near the breast or in the underarm area. Other common signs include thickening or distortion of the breast, a discharge from the nipple, and skin irritation or discoloration.