- What Is Breast Cancer? - (https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/what-is-breast-cancer.htm)
- VARIOUS TYPES AND MANAGEMENT OF BREAST CANCER: AN OVERVIEW - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3255438/ )
- Diabetes as a Risk Factor for Breast Cancer. - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5715522/# )
- What Is a Mammogram? - (https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/mammograms.htm )
- Breast cancer: Diagnosis - (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer)
- Breast cancer: Facts - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482286/)
- Breast cancer - (https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/breast-cancer/)
- Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer: A call for action in high-income countries with low rates of breastfeeding - (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cam4.5288#)
- Breast Cancer Before Age 40 Years - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2894028/)
- Breast Cancer in Men - (https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/men/index.htm)
- Diabetes as a Risk Factor for Breast Cancer - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7279688/ )
Breast cancer is a cancer in which abnormal cells in the breast proliferate uncontrollably to form a mass of tissue called tumor. Breast cancer cells enter the blood and lymphatic capillaries and are carried to other parts of the body(1✔).
Types of Breast Cancer -
Two types of breast cancer include ductal carcinoma (originates in the milk duct), the most common type, and lobular carcinoma (starts in the breast lobules/milk glands)(2✔).Certain breast cancer treatments include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, lumpectomy, and mastectomy(3✔).Do you know breast cancer can be treated and cured completely if detected early? Nearly 269,000 breast cancer patients die in low-income and middle-income countries due to late diagnosis.Screening and Diagnostics for Breast Cancer -
As increasing age is the major risk factor for breast cancer, all women aged 40 years or more must take mammography every 1-2 years. Mammograms can be of 2 types – Screening and Diagnostic. Breast cancer screening is used for women with no signs or symptoms of breast cancer and can detect breast calcifications(4✔). Diagnostic mammography is used for women experiencing breast pain, lumps, and other signs of breast cancer or to assess the result obtained from a screening mammogram(5✔).Check out Breast Cancer Risk Assessment for Next 5 years & over lifetime.
Common Risk Factors for Breast Cancer
Some of the risk factors for breast cancer include –- Race – white women
- DES (Diethylstilbestrol) – a drug taken to prevent miscarriage and other complications of pregnancy
- High levels of estrogen
- Family and personal history
- Inherited genetic mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes
- Dense breast tissue
- Radiation therapy before 30 years of age
- First menstrual period before the age of 12
- Menopause after 55 years of age
- Overweight / obese postmenopausal women
- Physical Inactivity
Breast Cancer Stats and Facts
- Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women in the world(6✔).
- Breast cancer spreads beyond the breast to the bones, liver, and lungs(7✔).
- Women delivering their first baby after 30 years have a higher chance of developing breast cancer later in their lives.
- Breast cancer risk increases for women who have not given birth to a child.
- Breastfeeding for a long time, at least a year reduces the risk of breast cancer(8✔).
- The risk of breast cancer increases with age. Nearly 7% of women with breast cancer are diagnosed before the age of 40(9✔).
- About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer.
- Breast cancer in men is rare. The US records about 1% of male breast cancer every year(10✔).
- Breast cancer risk may increase by 10% to 20% in people with type 2 diabetes(11✔).
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This is a great resource for anyone looking to assess their risk for breast cancer. It's important to be aware of potential health risks and this calculator is a great tool to help do just that.