Who profits from breast cancers?

Breast Cancer Awareness month's primary sponsor and mastermind of the event in 1985 was Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, now known as AstraZeneca. Zeneca is the company that manufactures the controversial and widely prescribed breast cancer drug, Tamoxifen. Did you know all TV, radio, and print media campaigns are paid for and must be approved by Zeneca? It is less known that Zeneca also makes herbicides and fungicides. One of their products, the organochlorine pesticide, Acetochlor is implicated as a causal factor in breast cancer. Its Perry Ohio chemical plant is the third largest source of potential cancer causing pollution in the U.S., spewing 53,800 pounds of recognized carcinogens into the air in 1998

Breast cancer -Surgery

Surgery is usually the first line of attack against breast cancer. This section explains the different types of breast cancer surgery. Decisions about surgery depend on many factors. You and your doctor will determine the kind of surgery that’s most appropriate for you based on the stage of the cancer, the "personality" of the cancer, and what is acceptable to you in terms of your long-term peace of mind. The following pages will help you explore your surgery options: * In our What to Expect with Any Surgery section, you can learn the basic steps common to all breast cancer surgeries. * If you need to choose between surgeries, Mastectomy vs. Lumpectomy explains the pros and cons of each. * Lumpectomy, also known as breast-conserving surgery, is the removal of only the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue. * Mastectomy is the removal of all of the breast tissue. Mastectomy is more refined and less intrusive than it used to be because in most cases, the muscles under the breast are no longer removed. * Lymph node removal, or axillary lymph node dissection, can take place during lumpectomy and mastectomy if the biopsy shows that breast cancer has spread outside the milk duct. Some people qualify for the less-invasive sentinel lymph node dissection. * Breast reconstruction is the rebuilding of the breast after mastectomy and sometimes lumpectomy. Reconstruction can take place at the same time as cancer-removing surgery, or months to years later. Some women decide not to have reconstruction and opt for a prosthesis instead. * Prophylactic mastectomy is preventive removal of the breast to lower the risk of breast cancer in high-risk people. * Prophylactic ovary removal is a preventive surgery that lowers the amount of estrogen in the body, making it harder for estrogen to stimulate the development of breast cancer.

Types of breast cancers

There are several types of breast cancer, although some of them are quite rare. In some cases a single breast tumor can have a combination of these types or have a mixture of invasive and in situ cancer.

Ductal carcinoma in situ

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS; also known as intraductal carcinoma) is the most common type of non-invasive breast cancer. DCIS means that the cancer cells are inside the ducts but have not spread through the walls of the ducts into the surrounding breast tissue.

About 1 in 5 new breast cancer cases will be DCIS. Nearly all women diagnosed at this early stage of breast cancer can be cured. A mammogram is often the best way to find DCIS early.

When DCIS is diagnosed, the pathologist (a doctor specializing in diagnosing disease from tissue samples) will look for areas of dead or dying cancer cells, called tumor necrosis, within the tissue sample. If necrosis is present, the tumor is likely to be more aggressive. The term comedocarcinoma is often used to describe DCIS with necrosis.

Lobular carcinoma in situ

Although it is not a true cancer, lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS; also called lobular neoplasia) is sometimes classified as a type of non-invasive breast cancer, which is why it is included here. It begins in the milk-producing glands but does not grow through the wall of the lobules.

Most breast cancer specialists think that LCIS itself does not become an invasive cancer very often, but women with this condition do have a higher risk of developing an invasive breast cancer in the same breast or in the opposite breast. For this reason, women with LCIS should make sure they have regular mammograms and doctor visits.

Invasive (or infiltrating) ductal carcinoma

This is the most common type of breast cancer. Invasive (or infiltrating) ductal carcinoma (IDC) starts in a milk passage (duct) of the breast, breaks through the wall of the duct, and grows into the fatty tissue of the breast. At this point, it may be able to spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system and bloodstream. About 8 of 10 invasive breast cancers are infiltrating ductal carcinomas.

Invasive (or infiltrating) lobular carcinoma

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) starts in the milk-producing glands (lobules). Like IDC, it can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. About 1 out of 10 invasive breast cancers is an ILC. Invasive lobular carcinoma may be harder to detect by a mammogram than invasive ductal carcinoma.

Less common types of breast cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer: This uncommon type of invasive breast cancer accounts for about 1% to 3% of all breast cancers. Usually there is no single lump or tumor. Instead, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) makes the skin of the breast look red and feel warm. It also gives the breast skin a thick, pitted appearance that looks a lot like an orange peel. Doctors now know that these changes are not caused by inflammation or infection, but by cancer cells blocking lymph vessels in the skin. The affected breast may become larger or firmer, tender, or itchy. In its early stages, inflammatory breast cancer is often mistaken for an infection in the breast (called mastitis). Often this cancer is first treated as an infection with antibiotics. If the symptoms are caused by cancer, they will not improve, and the skin may be biopsied to look for cancer cells. Because there is no actual lump, it may not show up on a mammogram, which may make it even harder to find it early. This type of breast cancer tends to have a higher chance of spreading and a worse outlook than typical invasive ductal or lobular cancer.

What treatments are available for breast cancer

You need to see a doctor if you notice changes in your breast. Not all breast cancers or breast cancer patients are alike, therefore treatment will vary with the individual.An individual's chance for recovery depends upon a number of factors such as:

• The stage of the cancer (whether it is just in the breast or has spread to other parts of the body)
• The type of breast cancer
• The certain characteristics of the cancer cells
• Your age and weight
• Menopausal status
• Overall state of health

Treatments for early breast cancer can include limpectomy (limited surgery which removes the cancer but not the entire breast) followed by radiation therapy, or breast reconstruction after mastectomy (surgical removal of the breast.) Additional treatment may include chemotherapy or hormone therapy. Biological therapy (using the body's own immune system to fight cancer) and bone marrow transplantation are new methods that are currently being tested in clinical trials. Often, two or more methods are used in combination.An individual with breast cancer should fully review all of the options with a physician before deciding upon the proper treatment program.Once breast cancer has been found, more test are conducted to see if the cancer has spread from the breast to other parts of the body. The spreading of cancer in this manner is called metastasis. Doctors need to know the stage of the disease - how large the tumor is, and if there are cancer cells beyond the breast - to plan the proper treatment.

Listed below are the basic stages of breast cancer:

STAGE I - The cancer is no wider than 2 centimeters (about 1 inch) and has not spread outside the breast.

Stage II - The tumor is more than 2 cm but less than 5 cm in the greatest dimension.

Stage III - Tumor is more than 5 cm in the greatest dimension.

Stage IV- Tumor of any size with growth extending to the chest wall or skin.

Even after an individual has been treated for breast cancer, it is possible for the cancer to come back (recur). However in most cases, the cancer can be treated, but usually cannot be cured, once the breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

What causes breast cancer?

Cancers have many different causes and sources. One of these sources is a group of chemicals called carcinogens. These carcinogens have been found in industrial pollutants, pesticides, and food additives. People who are exposed to these carcinogens through their occupation or other activities have been known to be more susceptible to cancer. The development of cancer also has been closely linked to heredity. A genetic mutation (a change in the genetic code) could be passed to a child through the sperm or egg. A family history of cancer could be due to a dominant gene that makes cancer more likely to be passed down from generation to generation.

Some of the following are symptoms that can be associated with cancer. The acronym, C.A.U.T.I.O.N., can remind us of the most common warning signs of cancer.

• C - Change in bowel or bladder habits
• A - A sore that does not heal
• U - Unusual bleeding or discharge
• T - Thickening or lump in the breast or any part of the body
• I - Indigestion or difficulty swallowing
• O - Obvious change in a wart or mole
• N - Nagging cough or hoarseness

(From "Cancer Facts", National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health)

What Is Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is a tumor that has become malignant - it has developed from the breast cells. A 'malignant' tumor can spread to other parts of the body - it may also invade surrounding tissue. When it spreads around the body, we call it 'metastasis'.

A woman's breast consists of lobules. Lobules are milk-producing glands. The breast is also full of ducts - milk passages that connect the lobules to the nipple. There is also fatty and connective tissue surrounding the ducts and lobules - this is called stroma.

The most common breast cancers start in the cells around the ducts. Others can start in the cells that line the lobules. A smaller number of breast cancers can start in other parts of the breast.

The human body has two ways of moving fluid about. One is through the blood stream, which carries plasma, red and white blood cells and platelets. Lymphatic vessels carry tissue fluid, waste products and infection fighting cells (immune system cells). Immune system cells are located in the lymph nodes - the nodes are shaped like a bean.

It is common for cancer cells to grow in the lymph nodes. They get there via the lymphatic vessels.

The lymphatic system of the breasts connect to the lymph nodes in three areas: Under the arm (axillary lymph node), in the chest (internal mammary node) and by the collarbone (supra or infraclavicular node).

Doctors guess that if cancer cells are in the lymphatic system, they are most likely to be in the bloodstream and will spread to other organs in the body. It is very hard to test for breast cancer cells in the bloodstream.

If breast cancer cells have got to the nodes under the arm (axillary), it will most likely swell. Whether or not it has swollen there, will decide what type of treatment a patient should have. If cancer cells are found in more lymph nodes, then the likelihood of it turning up in different parts of the body is greater. However, there is no hard and fast rule here. Women have had swellings in many nodes and did not develop metastases, while some women with no swellings in their nodes did.

What Is Ovarian Cancer?

Ovarian cancer is any cancerous growth that may occur in different parts of the ovary. The majority of ovarian cancers arise from the epithelium (outer lining) of the ovary. According to the American Cancer Society it is the 8th most common cancer among women in the USA (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). In the UK ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among females, after breast cancer, bowel cancer, lung cancer and uterine cancer (cancer of the uterus).

Approximately 5,500 women in the UK and 21,000 women in the USA are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year. Worldwide, around 140,000 women die of ovarian cancer every year.

Tragically, the overall five year survival rate is only 46 per cent in most developed countries (it is lower for more advanced stages). However, according to the National Cancer Institute, if diagnosis is made early, before the tumor has spread, the five year survival rate is nearer 93 per cent. In 2009 scientists in the US said that current tests for diagnosing ovarian cancer are not good enough .
Even modern screening tests for ovarian cancer, which include a blood test for the CA 125 marker, combined with ultrasound, often result in unnecessary surgery and "..are failing to catch early signs of the disease..", a study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center revealed.

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Migraines 'mean less cancer risk'

Women who suffer regular migraines may have the comfort of knowing they face a much lower risk of breast cancer, say US researchers.

The discovery points to the potential importance of hormone levels in both.

The study of 3,412 women suggests a 30% lower risk for people with a history of disabling headaches.

However, the researchers, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, warned more work was needed to confirm the link.