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Ottawa Citizen Christina Applegate's Breast Cancer: FAQ WebMD - 4, 2008 -- Actress Christina Applegate, 36, is being treated for early-stage breast cancer and is expected to recover fully. Her publicist announced the ... AssociatedPress How MRI Scans Find Breast Cancers Like Christina Applegate's U.S. News & World Report Applegate disgnosed with breast cancer Winnipeg Sun National Post - KLAS-TV all 980 news articles » Environment and Breast Cancer Support in the Bag MarketWatch - Being aware and understanding breast cancer and its impact on individuals, families, and society as a whole is a key mission of the National Breast Cancer ... BBC News People in the News: Applegate fighting breast cancer Seattle Post Intelligencer - Aug 3, 2008 Christina Applegate is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, but the disease was caught early and the actress is expected to fully recover, her publicist ... Chief chat Louisville Courier-Journal all 1,287 news articles » Early screening is crucial to improving recovery rates for breast ... Orlando Sentinel, FL - 42 minutes ago "As you age, your risk of developing breast cancer increases," says Dr. Nikita Shah, director of the breast-cancer unit at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando ... Does aluminum cause Alzheimer's or breast cancer? Bradenton Herald,  United States - By JOE GRAEDON I have heard about a link between aluminum in antiperspirants and breast cancer. I have also read that aluminum may be associated with ... HealthJockey.com Many Cancer Patients Turn to Complementary Medicine U.S. News & World Report, DC - "This is not only because ovarian cancer is obviously limited to women and breast cancer is extremely rare among men. For example, all types of ... Complementary methods used extensively by cancer survivors HealthJockey.com Cancer Survivors Often Turn to Complementary Medicine MedPage Today High Use Of Complementary Methods Found Among Cancer Survivors Science Daily (press release) all 26 news articles » Times Colonist Genetic discovery may lead to blood test for families with high ... The Canadian Press, TORONTO - Her mother died of breast cancer at 35 when she was six, following the death of her mother's twin sister from the same malignancy. ... Genetic discovery offers hope to family with legacy of cancer Canada.com Genetic discovery may lead to new blood test for people at high ... Canada NewsWire (press release) HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN Canada NewsWire (press release) all 47 news articles » Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation paints Bathurst pink The Northern Light, Canada - The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation was hoping to paint the country pink to encourage participation in this year's Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC ... Times Online Christina Applegate has breast cancer; Brad Pitt and Angelina ... The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com, OH - star Christina Applegate has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The 36-year-old actress, who first came into our homes as the irrepressible ... Freeman seriously hurt in crash Arizona Republic all 2,210 news articles » UA study: Woman's bone density may predict breast cancer risk Tucson Citizen, AZ - Bone density screenings, most commonly used to detect osteoporosis, may also be helpful in determining a woman's risk for developing breast cancer, ...

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in the United States. It is second only to lung cancer in cancer-related deaths. More than 180,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. More than 43,000 women may die from the disease. In the United States, one out of nine women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime.

The encouraging news is that breast cancer is being detected earlier, while the tumor is very small. The majority of new breast cancers show no signs that the cancer has spread beyond the breast. With prompt treatment, the outlook for women with breast cancer is good. When cancer is detected early, treatment not only saves your life but also your breast.

Breast cancer occurs when certain cells in the breast become cancerous and form a tumor. Breast tumors usually appear in the milk-producing lobules or in the milk ducts that lead to the nipple.

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Men can have the same types of breast cancer as women. However, 70% of male breast cancers are ductal carcinoma, making it the most common. Like women's breast cancer, men's breast cancer can be cured or controlled if it is detected early and treated promptly.

The signs of breast cancer include:

• Lump or thickening that does not go away or that changes.
• Swelling, puckering or dimpling of the breast
• Skin irritation
• Pain or tenderness of the nipple

The first symptom men usually notice is a painless lump. Other symptoms might include nipple discharge (possibly bloody), nipple retraction and skin ulceration.
For a variety of reasons, men may not get early treatment for breast cancer. Men are unlikely to regularly examine their breasts. When men notice symptoms, they tend to delay seeing a doctor. Men are usually somewhat older than women at the time of diagnosis (age 65 on average).

• Being female (though rare cases appear in men)
• Over age 50 (75% of cases)
• Women whose mothers or sisters have had breast cancer
• Women who have never borne children
• Women who bore their first child after age 30

Recent research indicates that certain genes including BRCA1 appear to be genetically connected to an increased risk of breast cancer. Mutations or alterations of the BRCA1 gene increase the chances of developing breast cancer from 60 to 85%. Genetic screening can help determine whether a woman has the gene.

• Estrogen administration
• Hyperestrogenism-associated diseases (e.g., cirrhosis, Klinefelter's syndrome)
• Radiation exposure
• Testicular injury
• Mumps orchitis
• Family history of breast cancer (male or female)
• Families with the BRCA2 mutation on chromosome 13q

The causes and prevention of breast cancer are still unclear. The best protection is detection and treatment at the earliest stage of the disease.

There are several ways to confirm a diagnosis of breast cancer:

• Biopsies including needle localized breast biopsies such as core needle biopsy or fine needle biopsy. For biopsies, a small piece of the tumor is taken and looked at under a microscope by a pathologist.
• Clinical exam performed by a healthcare professional
• Mammography
• Ultrasound to pinpoint tumor location

The choice of treatment depends on the patient¿s age and general health and the type and stage of cancer. The stage is determined by the size of the tumor and whether it is localized in the breast, has reached the lymph nodes of the armpit (axilla) or has spread (metastasized) to the liver, brain, lungs or bones.

Early breast cancer is highly treatable by:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Hormonal therapy
• Adjuvant Therapy. This is a supplemental therapy in which drugs are injected into the bloodstream where they travel through the body killing cancer cells wherever they are found.
  
  

The goal is to remove or destroy all cancer cells in the body. In advanced cases, the goal is to provide relief from discomfort and improve the quality of life of the patient

Oncologists may recommend one or a combination of treatments. Decisions are based on existing medical knowledge and experience as well as recent research.