Facts and Numbers
According to WHO 8-9% of women will develop breast cancer. This makes breast cancer as a type of cancer is most common in women. Every year more than 250,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in Europe and approximately 175,000 in the United States. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women. Every year in the United States of 44.000 patients die of this disease whereas in Europe more than 165.000 cases. After treatment, approximately 50% patients had late-stage breast cancer and survived only 18-30 months.
Breast Cancer Symptoms
Here some symptoms you must take care that may be symptoms of breast cancer:
- Your breast-lump change shape / size
- Breast skin changed color: from pink to brown to orange peel
- One of your nipples suddenly missing
- If the tumor was large, appeared pain relapsing-remitting
- Breast skin feels like burn, pain in the nipple
- Breast bleeding or other fluid
Some factors that can increase the risk of breast cancer.
- Family history of breast cancer (Genetic cause)
- Age
- Gender
- Environmental ( radiation)
- Not having children
- The first pregnancy at age above 30 years
- a longer menstrual periods
- Hormonal factors (both estrogens and androgens).
The importance of age as a risk factor is reinforced by data that 78% of cancer breast occurred in patients aged over 50 years and only 6% in patients less than 40 years. The average age at the time of the discovery of cancer is 64 years old. The study also evaluates the role of lifestyle factors in cancer development breast which includes pesticides, alcohol consumption, obesity, fat intake and lack of physical exercise.
Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Numerous studies show that breast cancer detection and early treatment and can increase life expectancy and provide more treatment options to patients. An estimated 95% of women who diagnosed with breast cancer at an early stage can survive more than five years after diagnosis, so many doctors who recommends that women undergo 'aware' (check your own breasts - when menstruation) at home on a regular basis and recommend audits be conducted annual routine to detect lumps in the breast. In general, cancer breast detected by patients themselves and is usually a small and hard lump. In many cases these lumps do not hurt, but some women experience cancer that causes breast pain.
In addition to physical tests, mammography annually or twice a year and a special ultrasound breast is recommended to detect abnormalities in elderly women, particularly women with high-risk breast cancer. If the lump can be palpated or abnormalities detected at mammography, a biopsy is necessary to obtain tissue samples to be tested under a microscope and examine the possibility of a tumor.
If cancer is diagnosed, it is necessary to do a series of tests such as receptor status hormone in the affected tissues. New types of tests that also includes HER2 gene testing (human epidermal growth factor receptor-2) to the tumor. This gene is associated with the growth of cancer cells aggressive. Said to be HER2-positive patients if the tumor is found HER2 in large numbers. With HER2-positive cancer known as an aggressive form of cancer breast and has an estimated course of the disease is worse than patients with HER2-negative. An estimated one in four to five patients with late stage breast cancer have HER2-positive.
Breast Cancer Treatment
Management of breast cancer conducted with a series of treatment include surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation therapy and the latest is immunological therapy (antibody). The treatment is intended to destroy cancer or limit the progression of the disease and relieve symptoms. The diversity of this type of therapy requires that therapy be done individually.
Surgery
Primary tumor is usually removed by surgery. Surgical procedures performed in patients with breast cancer depends on stage of disease, type tumor, age and condition of the patient's health in general. The surgeon can remove the tumor (lumpectomy), breast lift some of which contain cancer cells or the removal of the entire breast (mastectomy). To improve life expectancy, surgery is usually followed by additional therapy such as radiation, hormone or chemotherapy.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is done with X-rays with high intensity to kill cancer cells are not elevated during surgery.
Hormone Therapy
Hormonal therapy can inhibit the growth of hormone-sensitive tumors and can be used as complementary therapy after surgery.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs used both in the early stages or advanced stages of cancer.
Immunologic therapies
Approximately 15-25% of breast tumors indicate the presence of the protein triggers the growth or HER2 in excess and for such patients, trastuzumab, an antibody specifically designed to attack the HER2 and inhibit growth tumors, could be a therapeutic option. Patients should also undergo testing for HER2 determine the feasibility of therapy with trastuzumab.
In addition to physical tests, mammography annually or twice a year and a special ultrasound breast is recommended to detect abnormalities in elderly women, particularly women with high-risk breast cancer. If the lump can be palpated or abnormalities detected at mammography, a biopsy is necessary to obtain tissue samples to be tested under a microscope and examine the possibility of a tumor.
If cancer is diagnosed, it is necessary to do a series of tests such as receptor status hormone in the affected tissues. New types of tests that also includes HER2 gene testing (human epidermal growth factor receptor-2) to the tumor. This gene is associated with the growth of cancer cells aggressive. Said to be HER2-positive patients if the tumor is found HER2 in large numbers. With HER2-positive cancer known as an aggressive form of cancer breast and has an estimated course of the disease is worse than patients with HER2-negative. An estimated one in four to five patients with late stage breast cancer have HER2-positive.
Breast Cancer Treatment
Management of breast cancer conducted with a series of treatment include surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation therapy and the latest is immunological therapy (antibody). The treatment is intended to destroy cancer or limit the progression of the disease and relieve symptoms. The diversity of this type of therapy requires that therapy be done individually.
Surgery
Primary tumor is usually removed by surgery. Surgical procedures performed in patients with breast cancer depends on stage of disease, type tumor, age and condition of the patient's health in general. The surgeon can remove the tumor (lumpectomy), breast lift some of which contain cancer cells or the removal of the entire breast (mastectomy). To improve life expectancy, surgery is usually followed by additional therapy such as radiation, hormone or chemotherapy.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is done with X-rays with high intensity to kill cancer cells are not elevated during surgery.
Hormone Therapy
Hormonal therapy can inhibit the growth of hormone-sensitive tumors and can be used as complementary therapy after surgery.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs used both in the early stages or advanced stages of cancer.
Immunologic therapies
Approximately 15-25% of breast tumors indicate the presence of the protein triggers the growth or HER2 in excess and for such patients, trastuzumab, an antibody specifically designed to attack the HER2 and inhibit growth tumors, could be a therapeutic option. Patients should also undergo testing for HER2 determine the feasibility of therapy with trastuzumab.
Treating Patients at Late Stage of Disease
Many anti-cancer drug that has been researched to help 50% of patients experienced the final stages of cancer with the aim of improving life expectancy. Although, only a few are shown to prolong survival in patients, including the combination of trastuzumab with capecitabine. Therapeutic focus at the final stage of cancer is palliative (reducing pain). Doctors try to extend and improve the quality of life of patients through therapy hormones, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. In breast cancer patients with HER2-positive.
