2. What is Breast Cancer?
• Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts
in the cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is
a group of cancer cells that can grow into
(invade) surrounding tissues or spread
(metastasize) to distant areas of the body. The
disease occurs almost entirely in women, but
men can get it, too.
3. A Little Elaboration
• The female breast is made up mainly
of lobules (milk-producing glands), ducts (tiny
tubes that carry the milk from the lobules to
the nipple), and stroma (fatty tissue and
connective tissue surrounding the ducts and
lobules, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels).
4.
5. • One way that breast cancer spreads at its easiest is by the
Lymph System. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped
collections of immune system cells (cells that are important in
fighting infections) that are connected by lymphatic
vessels. Breast cancer cells can enter lymphatic vessels and
begin to grow in lymph nodes.
6.
7. Statistics for 2013
• There is an estimated 39,620 breast cancer deaths this year.
• 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer (This includes
new cases of primary breast cancer among survivors, but
not recurrence of original breast cancer among survivors.)
• 64,640 new cases of in situ breast cancer (This includes ductal
carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS),
of those, about 85 percent will be DCIS. DCIS is a non-invasive
breast cancer and LCIS is a condition that increases the risk of
invasive breast cancer.
12. See your Doctor
See your health care provider if you:
• Find a new lump or any change that feels different from
the rest of your breast.
• Find a new lump or any change that feels different from
your other breast.
• Feel something that is different from what you felt
before.
If you are unsure whether you should have a lump checked,
it is best to see your provider. Although a lump may be
nothing to worry about, you will have the peace of mind
that it has been checked.
13. See your doctor (cont.)
Liquid leaking from your nipple (nipple discharge) can
be troubling, but it is rarely a sign of cancer. Discharge
can be your body's natural reaction when the nipple is
squeezed.
• Signs of a more serious condition, such as breast
cancer, include discharge that:
• Occurs without squeezing the nipple
• Occurs in only one breast
• Is bloody or clear (not milky)
15. Treatment
• Mastectomy is the surgical removal of the
entire breast. Some women have the option of
mastectomy or lumpectomy (also called
breast conserving surgery) plus radiation.
Other women can only have mastectomy.
• Some just get radiation and chemotherapy to
kill the cancer.
16. History
• My mom herself had a Breast Cancer scare in
the last few years. My family was very
worried, but in the end the biopsy turned out
to be nothing. We were very worried because
her mother had breast cancer and died from
it. My grandmother had even gotten a
mastectomy, but the disease still took her.
17. Men
• Breast cancer in men is rare, accounting for less than 1% of all
breast cancer cases.
• Breast cancer in men is rare, but it does happen. In 2013, it is
estimated that among men in the U.S. there will be:
2,240 new cases of invasive breast cancer.
410 breast cancer deaths.
• Cancer begins when normal cells in the breast begin to
change and grow uncontrollably, forming a mass called a
tumor. A tumor can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant.
18. Treatment
• Treatment for men is the same as treatment
for women and usually includes a combination
of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone
therapy and/or targeted therapy.
Men Women
Incidence
(new cases)
1.3 per
100,000
120.9 per
100,000
Mortality
(deaths)
0.3 per
100,000
21.9 per
100,000
