Breast cancer is one of the most prominent diseases affecting women in our nation today, and as such, there are many questions surrounding it. Unfortunately, our doctors may not address every question we have. This paper is meant to provide an all-around discussion of breast cancer. It includes a discussion of what breast cancer is, how it comes about, the various stages of breast cancer, survival rates, treatment options, and prevention methods.

Everything You Wish Your Doctor Told You Breast Cancer is one of the most well-known forms of cancer in America today. This is partially due to the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and partially due to the fact that breast cancer awareness groups have grown in number and in media exposure. According to the National Cancer Institute (N.d) it is estimated that 226,870 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, and 2,190 males will be diagnosed with breast cancer is 2012. This alarming number raises a number of questions for those diagnosed with breast cancer, as well as those seeking to prevent the disease. What exactly is breast cancer? Who is most affected by breast cancer? What are the risk factors for breast cancer? What are possible treatments for breast cancer? How do these treatment options affect the body and the patient’s way of life? What is the prognosis for breast cancer? And, what can be done to prevent breast cancer? What is Breast Cancer? The National Breast Cancer Foundation (2012) reports that “women in the United States get breast cancer more than any other type of cancer, expect for skin cancer.” And that the disease “is only second to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in women.” So, what is this dangerous form of cancer and how does it manifest and progress within the body? As the name suggests, breast cancer is a form of cancer that manifests in the breasts. This occurs due to malignant cells forming in the tissue of the breast. This causes a tumor to form within the breast, one of the first warning signs that a person has breast cancer. Breast cancer may also manifest as calcium deposits that have the same effect on the body as the more well-known tumor. Breast cancer typically develops in one of two areas: the milk ducts, known as ductal carcinoma; or in the glands, known as lobular carcinoma. Based on these two forms of breast cancer, there are several different classifications of breast cancer. These are ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS), infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC), medullary carcinoma, infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC), tubular carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma (colloid), and inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). These individual forms of breast cancer will be discussed in further detail shortly. It is important to understand that these malignant (cancer) cells are the body’s own cells that have over-reproduced and altered in such a way as to become dangerous to the body (National Breast Cancer Foundation, 2012). Additionally, these malignant cells have the ability to spread to other tissue within the breast, as well as throughout the body. Thus, it is possible for breast cancer to travel from the breasts to the lungs, bones, liver, pancreas, etc. The cancer cells spread through the blood stream, which is why every part of the body is accessible, and why prompt treatment is so essential. As mentioned earlier, breast cancer is not limited to women; men can also be affected by breast cancer. However, women are more likely to be affected by this form of cancer, and men make up only about one half of a percent (0.05%) of all breast cancer cases (WebMD, 2012). In all cases, breast cancer is most easily treated, and survival rates are much higher when the disease is caught early. More details on this will be discussed later in this paper, but early detection is key to treating breast cancer, and preventing its spread to other areas of the breast and body. Types of Breast Cancer Ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) is an early form of breast cancer that is confined to the internal ductal system. In contract infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) is a form of cancer in which lesions are located in the ductal regions, but present as either star shaped or rounded lesions. IDC is the most common form of breast cancer, affecting approximately 78% of breast cancer patients (National Breast Cancer Foundation, 2012). Medullary carcinoma is the next form of breast cancer, and occurs in around 15% of all breast cancer cases (National Breast Cancer Foundation, 2012). Medullary carcinoma is a form of cancer in which cancer cells resemble the gray matter found in the human brain. This form of cancer is most common in women between 40 and 60. Infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC) presents on the breasts as thickening along the upper and outer sides of the breast. ILC represents around 5% of all breast cancer diagnosis and is generally positive for estrogen and progesterone receptors within the tumor (National Breast Cancer Foundation, 2012). * * * * *

Lain is a seasoned writer in the health and medical industry. In addition to creating Ebooks, she takes on commission work from health companies, and contributes articles to the Everyday Health blog.