Save Yourself and Identify the Early Warning Signs of Breast Cancer

General Information on Breast Cancer
Breast cancer has been one of the leading health concerns for women. For over 3,600 years the cancer has affected the lives of women in immeasurable ways. According to the Edwin Smith papyrus, awareness of breast cancer has been well established since 1600 BC in Egypt, thus making it the oldest form of cancer known to humans. "There is no treatment", this is what early Egyptian physicians writes about breast cancer according to the papyrus and for centuries this has been the attitude displayed by both health practitioners and patients.
But while the Egyptians have considered the disease incurable, we now have medical advancements that make survival almost an absolute certainty at early stages. All we need is a firm knowledge on warning signs of the cancer and the determination to go through the treatment process.
What are the Causes of Breast Cancer?
About one in eight women will be diagnosed with this cancer in a lifetime. There are several risk factors which are part of our lives that we could not change. This includes aging, familial history, genetics and menstrual cycle.
The risk of getting cancer becomes higher as a person ages. Advanced cancer stages are commonly found in women fifty years old and above. About thirty percent of women who have breast cancer have a family history of breast, ovarian, uterine or ovarian cancer.
Some people have gene defects that make them more susceptible to acquiring the disease. This includes defects commonly found in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Women with these gene defects have an eighty percent chance of getting breast cancer. Those who have started menstruation before the age of twelve or went through menopause after the age of fifty-five have higher breast cancer risk.
Women who never had children or gave birth only after the age of thirty also have an increased risk for breast cancer.
Other risk factors include alcohol consumption, obesity, hormone replacement therapy to avert menopause, the use of the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) to prevent miscarriage, and radiation.
Curiously, there is no evidence linking the use of breast implants, antiperspirants, pesticides and underwire bras in raising cancer risks.
What are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer?
Undergoing regular breast examination is important in detecting cancerous growths because in early stages, cancer of the breast may not manifest any symptom at all. As the cancer develops women may experience one or a combination of the following.

• A painless hard lump with uneven edges in the breast or armpit area.
• Noticeable change in size, shape, feel and texture of the breast and nipple.
• Unusual fluids, such as pus, coming out of the nipple.

For women who are in advanced breast cancer stages, symptoms may include bone pain, pain and discomfort in the breast area, skin ulcers in the breast or underarm, weight loss, and swelling of one arm.
How to Prevent Breast Cancer?
Since some risk factors are uncontrollable, awareness is the most important step in fighting the disease. In general, having a healthy diet and lifestyle reduces a person's chance of getting cancer. Early detection of the cancer raises the cure rate and thus, breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination and screening mammography are highly recommended.
Experts advise BSE once a month for women over twenty. The test should be done a week after their menstruation. For those between the ages of twenty to thirty-nine, clinical examination should be done every three years.
Women above the age of forty are generally advised to undergo a complete breast examination and mammography once a year. Breast MRI should also be done for women who are have higher breast cancer risk factors.
Certain drugs, such as Tamoxifen, are approved by the USDA for cancer prevention in women aged thirty-five or older. Preventive prophylactic mastectomy, or the surgical removal of the breast, is advised for those who already had one breast removed and for those who are identified to have genetic mutations that raise tumor risks.
What exams and tests are involved in the detection of breast cancer?
Your doctor will gather information of your symptoms and risk factors. A thorough physical examination, which includes the breast, armpit, chest and neck, would then be performed to check for possible tumor growths.
To confirm the diagnosis additional test may be performed, this includes mammography, breast MRI, CT scan and PET scan, to identify the size, shape and location of the breast lump. Breast ultrasound is also done to check if the lump is solid or is filled with fluids. Needle aspiration and sentinel lymph node biopsy is done for further laboratory examination of a breast lump and adjacent lymph nodes.
How do we classify breast cancer?
After positive diagnosis of breast cancer, further test will be done in order to check the extent of the cancer. This is called breast cancer staging. This helps doctors identify the treatment methods necessary and to give the patient a prognosis.
Breast cancer stages ranges from zero to four. When a cancer has not yet spread, it is called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The cancer may be noninvasive or invasive depending of the advancement of cancer.
A combination of treatments is commonly received by women and this differs on the stage of the cancer. In stage one, the goal to eliminate the cancer and prevent its spread to other tissues and organs of the body. For women with stage four breast cancers, the treatment is aimed at prolonging the life span of the patient as the cancer in stage four cannot be treated.
How is breast cancer treated?
The treatment of cancer depends on the type and stage of the cancer and its sensitivity to certain hormones. The cancer is also monitored for overproduction of the HER2 gene.
The general breast cancer treatments include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Surgical removal of cancerous tissues is also done to effectively remove breast lumps. Surgery may be in form of removal of breast lumps (lumpectomy) or removal of the entire breast and nearby structures (mastectomy). Radiation therapy is the use of high energy x-rays to destroy cancerous tissues.
Treatments such as hormonal therapy and targeted therapy may also be done in order to avert possible metastasis and to stop certain hormones from fueling cancer growth. Some samples of hormonal therapy include drugs such as Tamoxifen and Exemestane which are used to block the effects of estrogen and reduce cancer development. Drugs such as Herceptin plus trastuzumab may be used as a form of targeted therapy in women with stage IV HER2 positive breast cancer.
What to expect after treatment?
There are a number of medical advancements that makes it possible for patients to live longer, more active lives after cancer treatment. Still, we cannot help but stress the importance of early detection. In the American Cancer Society's study, the five year survival rate for stage zero and one cancer is at a high of a hundred percent and this goes down to at least twenty percent for stage four. Visit your physician and find out more about cancer and learn how breast self examination is done.

Don't Fall Victim to Breast Cancer, Identify the Early Warning Signs and Find out about Symptoms and Treatment Options Today. Visit Symptoms-of-Cancer.com today and find more information about how to identify Breast Cancer Symptoms

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Early Detection Signs Or Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in UK women, is the disease women fear most.
Early detection of this disease is vital!
There are different signs and symptoms of breast cancer. One of the first signs or symptoms is feeling a lump in the breast. This lump will feel different then the other breast tissue around it.
It is known that more then eighty percent of women discover lumps by checking themselves. A physician can detect breast cancer by giving you a mammogram.
Knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer may help save your life.
When the disease is discovered early, you have more treatment options and a better chance for a cure. Most breast lumps aren't cancerous.
Yet the most common sign of breast cancer for both men and women is a lump or thickening in the breast.
Often, the lump is painless.
Even though the public has learned a great deal about breast cancer, there remain more than a half-dozen popular breast cancer myths.
At least one such myth relates to the signs of breast cancer. Many women believe that finding a lump in the breast means that they have breast cancer, which is untrue.
Another symptom of breast cancer is Paget?s disease of the breast.
It is a syndrome that presents skin changes like redness and flaking skin of the nipple. As this advances symptoms may include itching, tingling, sensitivity, pain and burning and on occasion discharge from the nipple. About half of women that are diagnosed with Paget?s will also have a lump in the breast.
Another helpful piece of information is that some types of cancers, like the Inflammatory breast cancer and Pagent's disease show classic symptoms of their own type. Very red and hard breasts which keep getting sore show along with the regular breast cancer symptoms are a classic case of the Inflammatory breast cancer, whereas very itchy, red, scaly rashes, easily confused for eczema, on the breasts along with other breast cancer symptoms are Pagent's disease.
Always get the doctor to clarify your doubts.
Unlike the more common form of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer does not generally present as a lump.
The disease grows as nests or sheets that clog the lymph system under the skin. Often the symptoms are attributed to other diseases and thus the diagnosis may take a long time to occur.
For many women, abnormal cell activity in breast fluid will be the first warning of the potential development of breast cancer signs and symptoms. This early warning system gives women and their doctors precious extra time to implement a more vigilant, personalized breast health treatment plan.
A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. This test is used to look for breast disease in women who do not appear to have breast problems. It can also be used when women have symptoms such as a lump, skin change, or nipple discharge.
Each year 180,000 women get breast cancer, this is an increase of over 50 percent of the women who were developing breast cancer before 1950.
The chances of developing breast cancer increases with age.
But, don't think that you don't have to worry if you are younger than 40, because more and more young women are also developing breast cancer than ever before.
Be vigilant in your breast exams and you will have greater peace of mind.
Early detection methods of detecting breast cancer has improved survival rates tremendously. Even with the amount of women developing breast cancer increasing, the amount of women who actually die of breast cancer these days is decreasing due to early detection and better treatment methods.
A screening mammogram is used to look for breast disease in women who have no breast concerns. A diagnostic mammogram is used when a woman has symptoms or if there are other barriers to accurate testing like breast implants.
Unfortunately, the early stages of breast cancer may not have any symptoms. This is why it is important to follow screening recommendations. In most cases, the first signs of breast cancer are recognized as a small and often palpable lump in the breast.
Women with a higher risk of breast cancer should talk with their doctor about the best approach for them. They may benefit from starting mammograms when they are younger, having them more often, or having other tests. If you are at higher risk, your doctor might recommend an ultrasound or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) be done along with your mammograms.
If you notice any of these warning signs of breast cancer do not panic. Call your health care provider early and have it checked out. Not all these changes may represent cancer but you will not know unless you are examined.
Yet there is more reason for optimism than ever before.
In the last 30 years, doctors have made great strides in early diagnosis and treatment of the disease and in reducing breast cancer deaths.
In 1975, a diagnosis of breast cancer usually meant radical mastectomy - removal of the entire breast along with underarm lymph nodes and muscles underneath the breast.
Today, radical mastectomy is rarely performed. Instead, there are more and better treatment options, and many women are candidates for breast-sparing operations.
Most breast cancer symptoms are visually observable and highlight the need for regular breast self exams.
While breast cancer cannot be prevented, early detection of cancer warning signs and early diagnosis dramatically increases the likelihood of successful treatment.
The good news is that many times, especially if a lump is caught early, women with breast cancer go on to live full, healthy lives after treatment.
Some women also join support groups so they can talk to other women with breast cancer who are feeling the same emotions, this can be very beneficial and supportive.

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Breast Cancer Information - Every Woman Should Read This

Breast Cancer Information - Every Woman Should Read This

Millions of women are affected with breast cancer all around the world. Breast cancer is growing like an epidemic and is predicted that 45,000 patients will die from breast cancer, this year. If you feel a solid lump in your breast, you must visit a specialist for consultation.
Breast cancer symptom:
Breast cancer in its early stages does not cause any pain. Unfortunately, in early stages when breast cancer develops, it does not show any breast cancer symptom. But as it grows, it can cause remarkable changes, which a woman should note. Breast cancer symptoms include thickening or lump near or in the breast, change in the shape or size of the affected breast, tenderness of nipple or nipple discharge, inversion of nipple into the breast, pitting or ridges of the breast, skin of the breast appears warm, red, swollen and scaly. A lady should visit her doctor if she persist with any breast cancer symptom.
Specialists diagnose breast cancer by any of the following examinations:
palpation, mammography, ultrasonography, fine needle aspiration, needle biopsy or surgical biopsy.
Breast cancer treatment:
Breast cancer treatment options depend on location and size of the tumor in her breast.
Various methods of breast cancer treatment
Breast cancer treatments can be systemic or local. Radiation therapy and Surgery are the local breast cancer treatments. Local breast cancer treatments are used to destroy, remove, or control the growth of cancer cells. Hormonal therapy and Chemotherapy are systemic treatments. Systemic treatments are targeted to control or destroy cancer cells all over the body. Different forms of breast cancer treatment can be prescribed at the same time or one after other.

Surgery is one of the most common breast cancer treatments. Many types of surgical interventions may be used. A surgical intervention to remove breast is called a mastectomy. An operation carried out to remove the cancer cells without affecting the size of breast is called breast conserving surgery or breast sparing.
Radiation therapy or radiotherapy: Under this breast cancer treatment specialists use high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells and stop them from growing.
Chemotherapeutic breast cancer treatment: specialists use different types of drugs or combination of different drugs to kill cancerous cells or stop them from growing. Drugs are given in cycles; a treatment period is followed by a recovery period that is again followed by another breast cancer treatment.

Hormonal therapy for breast cancer treatment is used to stop the growth of cancerous cells that affect the female hormones. This breast cancer treatment may include use of medicines, which change the way hormones work or surgery to remove the ovaries that produce female hormones.
Breast cancer treatment decisions are complex. The decisions are usually affected by the stage of the disease, judgment of the doctors and the consent of the patients.

Breast cancer pictures can be found on various websites and in medical books. These breast cancer pictures can be helpful to make the patient's know about their cancer stage and the possible remedy if any..
Funds are arranged through various programs like breast cancer walk to spread breast cancer information among the affected and suspected people and to give them moral and economic support as well.

Tyson J Stevenson writes on a wide variety of health related subjects, always with valuable news & reviews. Expect to see his name often.
A related resource is Breast Cancer Signs [http://breast-cancer-sign.info]
Further information can be found at News2Reviews [http://news2review.com]

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Breast Cancer Risk Factors

Breast Cancer Risk Factors

Anything that may increase the chance of developing a disease is considered a risk factor. As research has indicated women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop breast cancer.
The exact causes for breast cancer are not known. Often doctors cannot explain why one woman may develop breast cancer but another does not. What is known is that bruising, bumping or touching the breast does not cause cancer. Breast cancer is not contagious. It is not "caught" from others.
There have been studies that have revealed some of the risk factors for breast cancer. Among those risk factors are a woman's age, a family or personal history of breast cancer, changes in her breast, changes in her genes and her menstrual history. Other risk factors for breast cancer include a woman's race, if she has had radiation therapy to the chest, and her breast density. Still other factors for breast cancer include taking diethylstilbestrol (DES), her being overweight or obese after menopause, not being physically active, and her alcohol consumption.
Breast cancer is not common in women before menopause. As women age their chances for breast cancer development can increase. Breast cancer occurrence is greater for women over age 60.
The chance of a woman developing breast cancer is greater if her mother, sister or daughter has a history of the disease. If a family member developed breast cancer before the age of 40, the risk is even greater for a woman developing breast cancer. Other relatives having breast cancer, either on her maternal or paternal side of the family, can also place a woman at greater risk for developing breast cancer.
Having a personal history of breast cancer can also increase a woman's risk. If a woman has had breast cancer in one breast the risk of getting breast cancer in the other breast increase.
Changes in a woman's breast can place a woman at risk for breast cancer. Cells in a woman's breast may look abnormal under a microscope. Abnormal cells such as atypical hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ (or LCIS) increase a woman's risk for breast cancer.
Changes in a woman's genes including BRCA1, BRCA2, and others may increase the risk for breast cancer. Tests from family members who have been known to have breast cancer can reveal the presence of specific gene changes in family members. In order to improve the detection of this disease in women who have these changes in their genes health care providers may be able to suggest ways to try to reduce the risk of breast cancer.
A woman's menstrual and reproductive history can place a woman at risk for breast cancer. Women having their first menstrual period before age 12 have a greater risk for developing breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer increase the older a woman is when she had her first child. A woman going through menopause after age 55 places her at greater risk for breast cancer. If a woman has never had children she is at a greater risk of breast cancer. Taking menopausal hormone therapy with estrogen plus progestin after menopause appears to increase risks for breast cancer. Studies have shown no link between miscarriage or abortion and risks for breast cancer.
Race is another risk factor for breast cancer. Caucasian women more often than Latina, African or Asian American women are diagnosed with breast cancer.
Radiation therapy performed to the chest, including the breast, before a woman is age 30 is another known risk factor for breast cancer. Studies indicate the younger the age of a woman when she received radiation treatment the higher the risk for breast cancer in later life.
A woman's breast tissue is either fatty or dense. Placing them at a higher risk of breast cancer are older women whose mammograms, or breast x-rays, reveal more dense tissue.
Diethylstilbestrol, also known as DES, was given to some pregnant women in the United States during the 1940's until 1971. This is no longer given to pregnant women. Taking DES during pregnancy may slightly increase the risk for breast cancer. The possible effects on the daughters of women who were given DES while pregnant are still being studied.
A woman being overweight or obese after menopause can increase a woman's risk for developing breast cancer. Studies have indicated that after menopause the risk increases for women who are overweight.
A physically inactive lifestyle may contribute to risks for breast cancer. If a woman is active it can prevent weight gain and obesity and therefore reduce chances for breast cancer.
Drinking alcohol increases risks for breast cancer. Studies indicate the more alcohol a woman drinks her risk for breast cancer increase.
Researchers are currently studying other possible risk factors for breast cancer. Currently being studied are the effect of diet, genetics, physical activity, and certain environmental substances increasing the risks for breast cancer.
Avoiding known risk factors for breast cancer can help women protect themselves against breast cancer. Risk factors for breast cancer such as family history cannot be avoided. These should be discussed with her doctor.
Most women who have known risk factors do not get breast cancer. Many women with breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease. Most women with breast cancer have no clear sign for risk factors other than growing older.
If a woman thinks she is at risk for breast cancer she should discuss her concern with her doctor. Her doctor may be able to suggest ways she can reduce her risk. At risk or not, a woman should plan scheduled checkups with her health care provider. Prevention is the best cure.

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What You Should Know About Breast Cancer

What You Should Know About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and the second leading cause of cancer death, exceeded only by lung cancer in 1985. One woman in eight who lives to age 85 will develop breast cancer at some time during her life.
At present there are over 2 million women living in the United States who have been treated for breast cancer. About 41,000 women will die from the disease. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 33. However, the rate of death from breast cancer is going down. This decline is probably the result of early detection and improved treatment.
Breast cancer is not just a woman's disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that 1600 men develop the disease yearly and about 400 may die from the disease.
Breast cancer risk is higher among those who have a mother, aunt, sister, or grandmother who had breast cancer before age 50. If only a mother or sister had breast cancer, your risk doubles. Having two first-degree relatives who were diagnosed increases your risk up to five times the average.
Although it is not known exactly what causes breast cancer; sometimes the culprit is a hereditary mutation in one of two genes, called BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes normally protect against the disease by producing proteins that guard against abnormal cell growth, but for women with the mutation, the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer can increase up to 80 percent, compared with 13 percent among the general population. In effect, more than 25 percent of women with breast cancer have a family history of the disease.
For women without a family history of breast cancer, the risks are harder to identify. It is known that the hormone estrogen feeds many breast cancers, and several factors - diet, excess weight, and alcohol consumption - can raise the body's estrogen levels.
Early Signs
Early signs of breast cancer include the following:
- A lump which is usually single, firm and most often painless is detected.
- An area of the skin on the breast or underarm is swollen and has an unusual appearance.
- Veins on the skin surface become more prominent on one breast.
- The affected breast nipple becomes inverted, develops a rash, changes in skin texture, or has a discharge other than breast milk.
- A depression is found in an area of the breast surface.
Types and Stages of Breast Cancer
There are many different varieties of breast cancer. Some are fast-growing and unpredictable, while others develop more slowly and steady. Some are stimulated by estrogen levels in the body; some result from mutation in one of the two previously mentioned genes - BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ (DCIS): Generally divided into comedo (blackhead), in which the cut surface of the tumor shows extrusion of dead and necrotic tumor cells similar to a blackhead, and non-comedo types. DCIS is early breast cancer that is confined to the inside of the ductal system. The distinction between comedo and non-comedo types is important, as comedocarcinoma in-situ generally behaves more aggressively and may show areas of micro-invasion through the ductal wall into surrounding tissue.
Infiltrating Ductal: This is the most common type of breast cancer, representing 78 percent of all malignancies. On mammography, these lesions can appear in two different shapes -- stellate (star- like) or well circumscribed (rounded). The stellate lesions generally have a poorer prognosis.
Medullary Carcinoma: This malignancy comprises 15 percent of breast cancers. These lesions are generally well circumscribed and may be difficult to distinguish from fibroadenoma by mammography or sonography. With this type of breast cancer, prognostic indicators estrogen and progesterone receptor are negative 90 percent of the time. Medullary carcinoma usually has a better prognosis than other types of breast cancer.
Infiltrating Lobular: Representing 15 percent of breast cancers, these lesions generally appear in the upper outer quadrant of the breast as a subtle thickening and are difficult to diagnose by mammography. Infiltrating lobular can involve both breasts (bilateral). Microscopically, these tumors exhibit a linear array of cells and grow around the ducts and lobules.
Tubular Carcinoma: This is described as orderly or well-differentiated carcinoma of the breast. These lesions make up about 2 percent of breast cancers. They have a favorable prognosis with nearly a 95 percent 10-year survival rate.
Mucinous Carcinoma: Represents 1-2 percent of carcinoma of the breast and has a favorable prognosis. These lesions are usually well circumscribed (rounded).
Inflammatory Breast Cancer: This is a particularly aggressive type of breast cancer that is usually evidenced by changes in the skin of the breast including redness (erythema), thickening of the skin and prominence of the hair follicles resembling an orange peel. The diagnosis is made by a skin biopsy, which reveals tumors in the lymphatic and vascular channels about 50 percent of the time.
Stages of Breast Cancer
The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma. It begins in the lining of the ducts. Another type, called lobular carcinoma, arises in the lobules. When cancer is found, the pathologist can tell what kind of cancer it is - whether it began in a duct (ductal) or a lobule (lobular) and whether it has invaded nearby tissues in the breast (invasive).
When cancer is found, special lab tests of the tissue are usually done to learn more about the cancer. For example, hormone (estrogen and progesterone) receptor tests can help determine whether hormones help the cancer to grow. If test results show that hormones do affect the growth of the cancer (a positive test result), the cancer is likely to respond to hormonal therapy. This therapy deprives the cancer cells of estrogen.
Other tests are sometimes done to help predict whether the cancer is likely to progress. For example, x-rays and other lab tests are done. Sometimes a sample of breast tissue is checked for a gene, known as the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2 gene) that is associated with a higher risk that the breast cancer will recur. Special exams of the bones, liver, or lungs are done because breast cancer may spread to these areas.
A woman's treatment options depend on a number of factors. These factors include her age and menopausal status; her general health; the size and location of the tumor and the stage of the cancer; the results of lab tests; and the size of her breast. Certain features of the tumor cells, such as whether they depend on hormones to grow are also considered.
In most cases, the most important factor is the stage of the disease. The stage is based on the size of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread. The following are brief descriptions of the stages of breast cancer and the treatments most often used for each stage. Other treatments may sometimes be appropriate.
Stage 0
Stage 0 is sometimes called non-invasive carcinoma or carcinoma in situ. Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) refers to abnormal cells in the lining of a lobule. These abnormal cells seldom become invasive cancer. However, they are an indicator of an increased risk of developing breast cancer in both breasts. The treatment for LCIS is a drug called tamoxifen, which can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. A person who is affected may choose not to have treatment, but to monitor the situation by having regular checkups. And occasionally, the decision is made to have surgery to remove both breasts to try to prevent cancer from developing. In most cases, removal of underarm lymph nodes is not necessary.
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) refers to abnormal cells in the lining of a duct. DCIS is also called intraductal carcinoma. The abnormal cells have not spread beyond the duct to invade the surrounding breast tissue. However, women with DCIS are at an increased risk of getting invasive breast cancer. Some women with DCIS have breast-sparing surgery followed by radiation therapy. Alternatively, they may choose to have a mastectomy, with or without breast reconstruction (plastic surgery) to rebuild the breast. Underarm lymph nodes are not usually removed. Also, women with DCIS may want to talk with their doctor about tamoxifen to reduce the risk of developing invasive breast cancer.
Stage I and II
Stage I and stage II are early stages of breast cancer in which the cancer has spread beyond the lobe or duct and invaded nearby tissue.
Stage I means that the tumor is about one inch across and cancer cells have not spread beyond the breast.
Stage II means one of the following:
The tumor in the breast is less than 1 inch across and the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm.
The tumor is between 1 and 2 inches (with or without spread to the lymph nodes under the arm).
The tumor is larger than 2 inches but has not spread to the lymph nodes under the arm.
The treatment options for early stage breast cancer are breast-sparing surgery followed by radiation therapy to the breast, and mastectomy, with or without breast reconstruction to rebuild the breast. These approaches are equally effective in treating early stage breast cancer. (Sometimes radiation therapy is also given after mastectomy.)
The choice of breast-sparing surgery or mastectomy depends mostly on the size and location of the tumor, the size of the breast, certain features of the cancer, and how the person feels about preserving the breast. With either approach, lymph nodes under the arm usually are removed.
Chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy after primary treatment with surgery or surgery and radiation therapy are recommended for stage I and most frequently with stage II breast cancer. This added treatment is called adjuvant therapy. Systemic therapy sometimes given to shrink the tumor before surgeries called neoadjuvant therapy. This is given to try to destroy any remaining cancer cells and prevent the cancer from recurring, or coming back, in the breast or elsewhere.
Stage III
Stage III is also called locally advanced cancer. In this stage, the tumor in the breast may exhibit the following:
More than 2 inches across and the cancer has spread to the underarm lymph nodes.
The cancer is extensive in the underarm lymph nodes.
The cancer is spreading to lymph nodes near the breastbone or to other tissues near the breast.
Inflammatory breast cancer is a type of locally advanced breast cancer. In this type of cancer, the breast looks red and swollen (or inflamed) because cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast.
Patients with stage III breast cancer usually have both local treatment to remove or destroy the cancer in the breast and systemic treatment to stop the disease from spreading. The local treatment may be surgery and/or radiation therapy to the breast and underarm. The systemic treatment may be chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or both. Systemic therapy may be given before local therapy to shrink the tumor or afterward to prevent the disease from recurring in the breast or elsewhere.
Stage IV
Stage IV is metastatic cancer. The cancer has spread beyond the breast and underarm lymph nodes to other parts of the body.
The treatments for stage IV breast cancer are chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy to destroy cancer cells and control the disease. Patients may have surgery or radiation therapy to control the cancer in the breast. Radiation may also be useful to control tumors in other parts of the body.
Recurrent Cancer
Recurrent cancer means the disease has returned in spite of the initial treatment. Even when a tumor in the breast seems to have been completely removed or destroyed, the disease sometimes returns because undetected cancer cells remained somewhere in the body after treatment.
Most recurrences appear within the first 2 or 3 years after treatment, but breast cancer can recur many years later.
Cancer that returns only in the area of the surgery is called a local recurrence. If the disease returns in another part of the body, the recurrence is called metastatic breast cancer. The patient may have one type of treatment or a combination of treatments for recurrent cancer.
For more information, see "Nine Ways to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk" on this site.
Sources: National Cancer Institute; Centers for Disease Control

Syble James is a consultant and author with knowledge of the food, beverage, supplements, MLM, and health and fitness industry. She provides consultations to individual and organizations. She can be reached at Syble.James@AlphaHealthSource.net.

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Breast Cancer Cause, Control And Cure For The Benefit Of Humankind

Breast Cancer Cause, Control And Cure For The Benefit Of Humankind

Cancer accounts to a death of 6 million human lives per year. Modern medicine is aging with breath taking advances in cancer care with increasing awareness, preventing, detection, therapy, research and symptom management. Last 15 years has been a revolution. It is likely to fight Cancer out by getting an early detection especially at a pre cancer stage thus yielding best cure with much shorter treatment time, lesser cost, lesser body insult.

Am I at risk for breast cancer? Breast cancer is the most common malignancy-affecting woman in North America and Europe. Every woman is at risk for breast cancer. Close to 200,000 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 2001. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American women behind lung cancer. The lifetime risk of any particular woman getting breast cancer is about 1 in 8 although the lifetime risk of dying from breast cancer is much lower at 1 in 28. The diagnosis once confirmed by Doctor shocks in such a way that not only the patient suffers but entire family suffers the shock. Thus the patient and family both suffer differently and that adds to the total burden of cancer related illness.
Know your breast: The breast is a collection of glands and fatty tissue that lies between the skin and the chest wall. The glands inside the breast produce milk after a woman has a baby. Each gland is called as lobule and many such lobules make up a lobe. There are 15 to 20 lobes in each breast. The milk gets to the nipple from the glands by way of tubes called ducts. The glands and ducts get bigger when a breast is filled with milk, but the tissue that is most responsible for the size and shape the breast is the fatty tissue. There are also blood vessels and lymph vessels in the breast. Lymph is a clear liquid waste product that gets drained out of the breast into lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small, pea-sized pieces of tissue that filter and clean the lymph. Most lymph nodes that drain the breast are under the arm in what is called the axilla.
Risk factors for breast cancer: They can be divided into those that you cannot change and those that you can change. Some factors that increase your risk of breast cancer that you cannot alter include being a woman, getting older, having a family history (having a mother, sister, or daughter with breast cancer doubles your risk), having a previous history of breast cancer, having had radiation therapy to the chest region, being Caucasian, getting your periods young (before 12 years old), having your menopause late (after 50 years old), never having children or having them when you are older than 30, and having a genetic mutation that increases your risk. Genetic mutations for breast cancer have become a hot topic of research lately. Between 3-10% of breast cancers may be related to changes in either the gene BRCA1 or the gene BRCA2.
Women can inherit these mutations from their parents and it may be worth testing for either mutation if a woman has a particularly strong family history of breast cancer (meaning multiple relatives affected, especially if they are under 50 years old when they get the disease). If a woman is found to carry either mutation, she has a 50% chance of getting breast cancer before she is 70. Family members may elect to get tested to see if they carry the mutation as well. If a woman does have the mutation, she can get more rigorous screening or even undergo preventive (prophylactic) mastectomies to decrease her chances of contracting cancer. The decision to get tested is a highly personal one that should be discussed with a doctor who is trained in counseling patients about genetic testing.
Certain factors which increase a woman's risk of breast cancer can be altered including taking hormone replacement therapy (long term use of estrogens with progesterone for menopause symptoms slightly increases your risk), taking birth control pills (a very slight increased risk that disappears in women who have stopped them for over 10 years), not breastfeeding, drinking 2 to 5 alcoholic drinks a day, being overweight (especially after menopause), and not exercising. All of these modifiable risk factors are not nearly as important as gender, age, and family history, but they are things that a woman can control that may reduce her chances of developing a breast malignancy. Remember that all risk factors are based on probabilities, and even someone without any risk factors can still get breast cancer. Proper screening and early detection are our best weapons in reducing the mortality associated with this disease.
What are the signs of breast cancer? Unfortunately, the early stages of breast cancer may not have any symptoms. This is why it is important to follow screening recommendations. As a tumor grows in size, it can produce a variety of symptoms including: lump or thickening in the breast or underarm, change in size or shape of the breast, nipple discharge or nipple turning inward, redness or scaling of the skin or nipple, ridges or pitting of the breast skin
Can you prevent breast cancer? The individual cannot control the most important risk factors for the development of breast cancer. There are some risk factors that are associated with an increased risk, but there is not a clear cause and effect relationship. In no way can strong recommendations be made like the cause and effect relationship seen with tobacco and lung cancer. There are a few risk factors that may be modified by a woman that potentially could influence the development of breast cancer. If possible, a woman should avoid long-term hormone replacement therapy, have children before age 30, breastfeed, avoid weight gain through exercise and proper diet, and limit alcohol consumption to 1 drink a day or less. For women already at a high risk, their risk of developing breast cancer can be reduced by about 50% by taking a drug called Tamoxifen for five years. Tamoxifen has some common side effects (like hot flashes and vaginal discharge), which are not serious and some uncommon side effects (like blood clots, pulmonary embolus, stroke, and uterine cancer) which are life threatening. Tamoxifen isn't widely used for prevention, but may be useful in some cases.
There are limited data suggesting that vitamin A may protect against breast cancer but further research is needed before it can be recommended for prevention. Other things being investigated include phyto estrogens (naturally occurring estrogens that are in high numbers in soy), vitamin E, vitamin C, and other drugs. Further testing of these substances is also needed before they can be recommended for breast cancer prevention. Right now, the most important thing any woman can do to decrease her risk of dying from breast cancer is to have regular mammogram screening, perform breast self-exams once a month. Follow a few, easy steps, you will soon know what is normal for you and will quickly be aware of any changes. If you find a lump or other change, note down where it is and make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible.
Question for young women's are how to look? Well it is medically suggested that you stand up straight in front of a mirror with your arms loosely by your sides. Raise your arms above your head and move from side to side so you can see your breasts in the mirror, from different angles. What should you look for? A change in the size of either breast, change in the shape or position of nipple, bleeding or discharge from the nipples, unusual dimpling or puckering.
How do you feel for changes? Lie flat on your back with your head on a pillow. Put a folded towel under the shoulder on the side of the breast you are checking. This helps to spread the tissue so that it is easier to feel. Examine one breast at a time. Put the hand on the same side of the breast that you are going to examine under your head. With your other hand flat and fingers together, use the flats of your fingers to feel around the breast in small, circular movements, in an anticlockwise direction. Cover the whole of the breast including the nipple. Check your armpit for lumps in the same way, starting in the hollow and moving down towards the breast.
Now examine the other breast in the same way. If you think you have found something, feel the same area on the opposite breast. If they are the same it's probably just your shape, but if you are at all worried, do visit your doctor. Breast cancer happens when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control and can then invade nearby tissues or spread throughout the body. Large collections of this out of control tissue are called tumors. However, some tumors are not really cancer because they cannot spread or threaten someone's life. These are called benign tumors. The tumors that can spread throughout the body or invade nearby tissues are considered cancer and are called malignant tumors. Theoretically, any of the types of tissue in the breast can form a cancer, but usually it comes from either the ducts or the glands. Because it may take months to years for a tumor to get large enough to feel in the breast, we screen for tumors with mammograms, which can sometimes see disease before we can feel it.
The earlier that a breast cancer is found, the more likely it is that treatment can be curable. Screening mammograms are simply x-rays of each breast. The breast is placed between two plates for a few seconds while the x-rays are taken. If something appears abnormal, or better views are needed, magnified views or specially angled films are taken during the mammogram. Mammograms often detect tumors before they can be felt and they can also identify tiny specks of calcium that could be an early sign of cancer. Regular screening mammograms can decrease the mortality of breast cancer by 30%. Woman should get a yearly mammogram starting at age 40 (although some groups recommend starting at 50), and women with a genetic mutation that increases their risk or a strong family history may want to begin even earlier. Between the ages of 20 and 39, every woman should have a clinical breast exam every 3 years and after age 40 every woman should have a clinical breast exam done each year.
There are some experimental screening modalities that are currently being studied. These include MRI, ductal lavage, ultrasound, optical tomography, PET scan, and digital mammograms. Depending on the results of the mammograms and/or ultrasounds, your doctors may recommend that you get a biopsy. A biopsy is the only way to know for sure if you have cancer, because it allows your doctors to get cells that can be examined under a microscope. There are different types of biopsies; they differ on how much tissue is removed. Some biopsies use a very fine needle, while others use thicker needles or even require a small surgical procedure to remove more tissue. Your team of doctors will decide which type of biopsy you need depending on your particular breast mass. Once the tissue is removed, a pathologist will review the specimen. The pathologist can tell if it is cancer or not; and if it is cancerous, then the pathologist will characterize it by what type of tissue it arose from, how abnormal it looks (known as the grade), whether or not it is invading surrounding tissues, and if the entire lump was excised, the pathologist can tell if there are any cancer cells left at the borders (also known as the margins). The pathologist will also test the cancer cells for the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors as well as a receptor known as HER-2/neu. Basic 4 stages of breast cancer are called as
Stage 0 (called carcinoma in situ) Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) refers to abnormal cells lining a gland in the breast. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) refers to abnormal cells lining a duct.
Stage I - early stage breast cancer where the tumor is less that 2 cm across and hasn't spread beyond the breast
Stage II - early stage breast cancer where the tumor is either less than 2 cm across and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm; or the tumor is between 2 and 5 cm (with or without spread to the lymph nodes under the arm); or the tumor is greater than 5 cm and hasn't spread outside the breast
Stage III - locally advanced breast cancer where the tumor is greater than 5 cm across and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm; or the cancer is extensive in the underarm lymph nodes; or the cancer has spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone or to other tissues near the breast
Stage IV - metastatic breast cancer where the cancer has spread outside the breast to other organs in the body
Depending on the stage of your cancer, your doctor may want additional tests to see if you have metastatic disease. If you have a stage III cancer, you will probably get a chest x-ray, CT scan and bone scan to look for metastases. Each patient is an individual and your doctors will decide what is necessary to adequately stage your cancer.
What are the treatments for breast cancer?
Surgery: Almost all women with breast cancer will have some type of surgery in the course of their treatment while some women will be candidates for what is called breast conservation therapy (BCT) where surgeons perform a lumpectomy which means they remove the tumor with a little bit of breast tissue around it but do not remove the entire breast. Some patients will have a sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure first to determine if a formal lymph node dissection is required. Sometimes, the surgeon will remove a larger part (but not the whole breast), and this is called a segmental or partial mastectomy. Most patients with DCIS that have a lumpectomy are treated with radiation therapy to prevent the local recurrence of DCIS.More advanced breast cancers are usually treated with a modified radical mastectomy. Modified radical mastectomy means removing the entire breast and dissecting the lymph nodes under the arm.
Chemotherapy: is the use of anti-cancer drugs that go throughout the entire body. The higher the stage of cancer you have, the more important it is that you receive chemotherapy; however, even stage I patients may benefit from chemotherapy in certain cases. In early stage patients, the risk of recurrence may be small, and thus the benefits of the chemotherapy are even smaller. There are many different chemotherapy drugs, and they are usually given in combinations for 3 to 6 months after you receive your surgery. Depending on the type of chemotherapy regimen you receive, you may get medication every 3 or 4 weeks; and you may have to go to a clinic to get the chemotherapy because many of the drugs have to be given through a vein. Two of the most common regimens are AC (doxorubicin and cycolphosphamide) for 3 months or CMF (cycolphosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil) for 6 months. There are advantages and disadvantages to each of the different regimens that your medical oncologist will discuss with you. Based on your own health, your personal values and wishes, and side effects you may wish to avoid, you can work with your doctors to come up with the best regimen for your lifestyle.
Radiotherapy: uses high-energy rays (similar to x-rays) to kill cancer cells. It comes from an external source, and it requires patients to come in 5 days a week for up to 6 weeks to a radiation therapy treatment center. The treatment takes just a few minutes, and it is painless. Radiation therapy is used in all patients who receive breast conservation therapy (BCT). It is also recommended for patients after a mastectomy that had large tumors, lymph node involvement, or close/positive margins after the surgery. Radiation is important in reducing the risk of local recurrence and is often offered in more advanced cases to kill tumor cells that may be living in lymph nodes.
Hormonal Therapy: When the pathologist examines your tumor specimen, he or she finds out if the tumor is expressing estrogen and progesterone receptors. Patients whose tumors express estrogen receptors are candidates for therapy with an estrogen-blocking drug called Tamoxifen. Tamoxifen is taken by pill form for 5 years after your surgery. This drug has been shown to drastically reduce your risk of recurrence if your tumor expresses estrogen receptors. However, there are side effects commonly associated with Tamoxifen including weight gain, hot flashes and vaginal discharge that patients may be bothered by. There are also very uncommon side effects like blood clots, strokes, or uterine cancer that may scare patients from choosing to take it. You need to remember that your chances of having a recurrence of your cancer are usually higher than your chances of having a serious problem with Tamoxifen, but the decision to undergo hormonal therapy is a personal one that you should make with your doctor. There are also newer drugs, called aromatase inhibitors that act by decreasing your body's supply of estrogen; these drugs are reserved for patients who have already gone through menopause. Talk to your doctors about these new therapies.
Biologic Therapy: The pathologist also examines your tumor for the presence of HER-2/neu over expression. A compound called Herceptin (or Trastuzumab) is a substance that blocks this receptor and helps stop the breast cancer from growing.
Follow-up testing: Once a patient has been treated for breast cancer, they need to be closely followed for a recurrence. At first, you will have follow-up visits every 3-4 months. The longer you are free of disease, the less often you will have to go for checkups. After 5 years, you could see your doctor once a year. You should have a mammogram of the treated and untreated breasts every year. Because having had breast cancer is a risk factor for getting it again, having your mammograms done every year is extremely important. If you are taking Tamoxifen, it is important that you get a pelvic exam each year and report any abnormal vaginal bleeding to your doctor.
Drink Green Tea: Generations of families in India and Asia have been turning to tea to cure what ails them. Green tea could benefit at least five vital organs, including the heart. Earlier, green tea was thought to improve urinary and brain function, combat beriberi disease, and alleviate indigestion. In other words, green tea was considered to be a multi-purpose elixir, able to treat a wide variety of health problems. But this ancient remedy has now found a place in modern scientific literature, thanks to a new wave of studies on the medicinal properties of green tea. While studies on human subjects have been inconclusive, initial evidence from the laboratory looks incredibly promising.
While green tea can be beneficial in attacking everything from high cholesterol to depression, it has perhaps gotten the most attention for its impact on cancer.
Antioxidants are important because they can stop the enzyme activities that give rise to cancer. In essence, they repair DNA problems that have been caused by oxidants or free radicals. Green tea has been considered a godsend for good health because it contains antioxidants known as catechins. These substances have been called impressive inhibitors of cancer growth. Here's how they do it: lab tests show that they combat oxidants prior to cell injuries, stop the growth of tumor cells, and reduce the occurrence of tumors.
This article is meant to give you a better understanding of breast cancer. Use this knowledge when meeting with your physician, making treatment decisions, and continuing your search for information.
Stay Healthy, as Health is Wealth!

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The Most Likely Doctor Mistakes That Can Delay Detection of Your Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

There are two mistakes commonly made by doctors that can delay the diagnosis of a woman's breast cancer:
(1) failing to order a diagnostic test to rule out cancer when a lump is felt in the breast and
(2) misreading a mammogram.
If a doctor makes either of these mistakes and causes a delay in the diagnosis of cancer until it reaches an advanced stage, the patient may have a claim for medical malpractice.
Failing to order diagnostic testing.
Doctors all too often assure women that the lump in their breast is nothing more than a benign cyst. Perhaps these doctors are simply playing the odds. After all, most abnormal findings from breast examinations are due to something other than cancer. The odds are even stronger in young women with no family history of breast cancer. Statistically, women with not family history of breast cancer are at a lower risk than those with a family history. Further, the majority of new cases of breast cancer occur in women over 50 years old. Some women have reported being told by their doctor that they are too young to have cancer. Unfortunately, some of the women whose breast examination reveal a lump, even young women and women with no family history of breast cancer, turn out to have breast cancer.
Perhaps these doctors believe they can tell whether a mass in the breast is cancerous by conducting a clinical breast examination. Unfortunately, it is simply not possible to determine, based on a clinical breast examination, whether a lump in the breast is a benign or cancerous. Thus, most cancer specialist conclude that when a woman reports feeling a lump in her breast or a mass is detected during a clinical breast examination, it is necessary to conduct diagnostic testing to determine whether the mass is cancerous. Examples of diagnostic tests include an aspiration, a biopsy, and a mammogram.
For those patient who do have breast cancer, the failure to order diagnostic testing can result in the growth and spread of the cancer.    
Misreading a mammogram
Mammograms are used to detect structures and changes in the breast that may be cancerous. The mammogram creates images of the inside of the breast by using low dose x-rays of the patient's compressed breast. The resulting images are then analyzed by doctors for the presence of any structures or changes that might be cancerous.  An abnormal finding is generally followed by diagnostic testing, such as a biopsy to determine whether it is cancerous.
Unfortunately, doctors sometimes miss what is literally in front of their eyes. They sometimes fail to detect an abnormal structure or change from a prior mammogram.  Other times, doctors incorrectly diagnose a structure or change from a prior mammogram as benign without ordering any diagnostic testing to rule out cancer.
Mistake may result in medical malpractice claim
Either of the common mistakes described above can cause a delay in the diagnosis of the patient's breast cancer. The longer the detection of cancer is delayed, the more likely it is that the cancer will spread and reach an advanced stage. When the cancer spreads, the treatment options available to the woman are more limited.  In addition, her 5-year survival rate, the chance she has of surviving the cancer for 5 years or more, even with treatment, decreases significantly. At Stage III, it is approximately 55 percent. By Stage IV, it can be as low as 20 percent.  If the cancer is detected early, however, the 5-year survival rate is over 80 percent, possibly as high as over 95 percent if it is detected early enough.
Medical mistakes can have tragic consequences. This is particularly true for patients with cancer. The delay in diagnosis can result in the loss of the breast, limited treatment options, and in some cases, can be fatal. When this happens, mistakes such as those described above may constitute medical malpractice.
The law limits the amount of time a victim of medical malpractice and her family have in which to pursue any resulting legal claim(s). Thus, if you suspect that you or a family member are a victim of medical malpractice you should contact an attorney immediately.

Joseph Hernandez is an Attorney focused on complex injury cases, including Medical Malpractice cases. You can learn more about Breast Cancer Malpractice Cases at his website http://www.breastcancerlaw.com

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A Brief Introduction to the Mysterious World of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the commonest form of cancer in women and, after lung cancer, it is the second major cause of cancer death among females. In 2004 no fewer than 186,770 new breast cancer cases were reported according to the American Cancer Society and this figure would seem to be going up on a yearly basis.
It should also be noted that breast cancer is not confined only to women and that some more than 1,800 men were also diagnosed with the disease in 2004 and 362 men died of breast cancer in the same year.
Women's breasts are complex structures consisting of glands, fat and connective fibrous tissue. They have a number of lobes which are divided into lobules and end in the milk glands and there are also a large number of tiny ducts from the milk glands that connect together and culminate in the nipple.
Eighty percent of breast cancer cases occur in these ducts and this condition is known as infiltrating ductal cancer. It is also fairly common for it to originate in the lobules where it is called lobular cancer. Other forms of cancer are called inflammatory breast cancer.
Pre-cancerous changes (known as 'in situ') are also common in women and are changes that have not yet spread from the area of the breast where they started. If these changes occur within the ducts then the condition is called ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS and where they occur in the lobules they are known as lobular carcinomas in situ or LCIS.
The most serious form of breast cancer is metastatic cancer which involves the spread of a cancer from the place where it began. It generally metastasizes into the lymph nodes under the arms or above the collarbone on the same side of the body as the cancer which results in pain and swelling to the affected area as the lymphatic drainage system is compromised. Other common sites of breast cancer metastasis are the brain, liver and the bones.
Apart from the very obvious factor of gender, age is a critical factor when looking at the risk of contracting breast cancer. Although it can and does appear at any age the risk of getting it certainly rises as you get older. A normal woman aged 30 will normally have a 1 in 280 chance of getting breast cancer by the time she reaches 40. However, this then increases to a 1 in 70 chance when that same women is in her forties.
Family history is also an important risk factor for breast cancer with the risk being particularly high when you have a close relative (like an aunt or mother) who has developed cancer of the breast at a young age.
Although it has yet to be confirmed, there is thought to be a cancer gene that can be passed from mother to daughter.

Breast cancer touches many of us today and for those of us with breast cancer questions then there can be no better place than http://breastcancertreatmentinformation.com to find the answers we are looking for.

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Breast Examination Helps Prevents Breast Cancer

Most people think that breast cancer only strike those who are older. It is true that the older you are the more likely you are to get breast cancer but the younger you are (if you get breast cancer) it can be fatal. If you get breast cancer when you are younger chances are you may die from it.
Could it happen to you?
No women want to hear the words ... "You have got Breast Cancer".
You definitely look better having two breasts. And if you look better and feel better you will definitely live better. Thus we have to learn how to improve our odds of not having cancer at all.
Breast Cancer
1. Most common form of cancer in women - more than 30% of the cancers.
2. In the US, I out of 8 women will be diagnosed as having breast cancer. In Canada 1 out of 17. And in Malaysia 1 out of 14.
3. 85% have no family history of breast cancer.
4. 2nd only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death.
Prevention is the best option. It's for yourself and the people you care about.
Prevention of breast cancer is also applicable to other forms of cancer.
Managing your risk of Breast Cancer - 3 Step Process
1. Prevention (Best)
2. Early detection (Best Alternative)
If you do step (1) chances are low that you will not get cancer. If you do step (2) you may survive.
Prevention of Breast Cancer
1. Maintain BMI below 25 - maintain a healthy body weight.
2. Reduce alcohol consumption.
3. Stop smoking.
4. Take a blood or lymphatic cleanser.
5. Take Phytoestrogens
6. Take Whole Food Antioxidants.
7. Take B-complex vitamins.
8. Take Fiber Supplement (25 gm per day)
9. Avoid HRT.
Your goal is to stay healthy - by Prevention. Fibre, Antioxidants and Glucarate - all helps to prevent breast cancer.
Early Detection
1. Monthly Breast Self-examination starting at age 20.
2. Clinical Breast Examination every 3 years from age (20-39)
3. Annual mammogram starting at age 40
Why Early Detection?
The difference between a 1 cm (about the size of a blueberry) and a 2cm tumour (about the size of a cherry) is several years worth of growth and several million cancer cells. A woman do not die from breast cancer. It's when it spreads to other vital organs that death occur.
Nobody wants to hear the words - "You've got cancer". However, early detection when it is still small is okay. Better not to have cancer. But if you have it, better to find it when small.
Reasons not wanting to do a Breast Self-Examination.
* It takes time
* Lack of confidence
* Fear
Are the above reasons or excuses? Most people don't do it even though they know how to do it. In most lumps detected 80% is not cancer and 20% will be cancer.
Find out how anyone can help their loved ones to prevent breast cancer by using a device to help making breast self examination easier at http://www.howcanigethealthy.com/healthblog/womens-health/breast-examination-prevents-breast-cancer

Siong Khee is providing information for individuals who wants to achieve optimal health with the use of nutritional supplements on his health blog at http://www.howcanigethealthy.com/healthblog

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What's Up With Being Negative? ER - Breast Cancer Patients Need to Know!

I was speaking in Milwaukee a few weeks ago to a large Komen group and a young lady, just 26 years old, came up to me and said, "I have estrogen receptor negative breast cancer...I don't fit into the same mold as other women. So, what kinds of foods should I be eating?"
Eight years ago, when I was writing Challenge Cancer and Win!, that same question sent me to the National Library of Medicine to find an answer. I couldn't find one. While we have thousands of studies specific to breast cancer, it is only recently that researchers are focusing on the dietary link to breast cancer based on estrogen receptor status.
As you probably know, breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States. Most women will be diagnosed with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer-which means that their cancers are spurred on by excess estrogen in the body. Many studies have helped us formulate certain dietary recommendations specific to this kind of cancer. But what about the individuals who are diagnosed with estrogen receptor negative breast cancer-a type of cancer that accounts for nearly 25% of all breast cancer diagnoses?
Recent studies have surfaced in the last five years and now we have a game plan for estrogen receptor negative breast cancer survivors too! In a study published in the February 2006 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that women who scored high on Harvard University's Alternate Healthy Eating Index had a lower risk of estrogen receptor negative breast cancer. This index provides guidelines describing the "gold standard" for cancer risk reduction and includes recommendations to consume a daily intake of the following: 9 servings of fruits and veggies, 7+ grams of dietary fiber, eating three times more chicken and fish than beef, lamb and pork, consuming 30-40% less saturated fat than polyunsaturated fats, eating less than 3 grams of trans fats and consuming 1 ounce of nuts or soy. So, basically, the researchers recommend a diet that is rich in plants. That's no surprise. And those recommendations apply to any woman concerned with breast cancer, or any cancer or disease for that matter.
In August 2005, a study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention revealed that researchers looked at folate intake and risk of breast cancer characterized by hormone receptor status. Remember that folate is a B vitamin given to pregnant women to help prevent birth defects. B vitamins play a crucial role in many body functions, including accurate cell division. For optimal health, we want accurate cell division-we want those healthy cells to keep duplicating themselves so we have even more healthy cells! The researchers found that women whose diets were deficient in folate had an increased estrogen receptor negative breast cancer risk. Higher folate intake was not associated with a lower risk of developing estrogen receptor breast cancer. So, while it makes sense for everyone to strive for accurate cell division and consume foods rich in folate, those individuals with estrogen receptor negative breast cancer may want to add these folate-rich foods to their daily checklist: fruits like cherries, oranges and strawberries, beans and peas, and dark, green leafy veggies. Alcohol, by the way, robs the body of folate and other B vitamins, so it's prudent to enjoy alcohol only occasionally, if at all.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center researchers found that high intakes of linoleic acid were associated with more than a 300% greater risk of estrogen receptor negative disease than estrogen receptor positive disease. Linoleic acids are found in polyunsaturated fats like cottonseed, soybean, and corn oil as well as vegetable-based margarines. We have certainly seen a link to all breast cancers with the intake of excessive polyunsaturated fats (sources for linoleic acid) but this study offers significant insight for those individuals with estrogen receptor negative status. I would recommend exclusive use of extra virgin olive oil and butter, rather than margarine. And don't forget the hidden fats found in crackers and other bakery products. It's time to choose non-hydrogenated food products if you haven't paid attention to this suggestion already.
In a final study, Roswell Park Cancer Institute researchers published their findings in Breast Cancer Research Treatment journal in October 2006. They found that among premenopausal women, there was a reduced risk of estrogen receptor negative breast cancer for those women who consumed the highest lignan intake. We see benefits of lignans in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer studies as well. Lignans, a fibrous compound, are found in flaxseed, and to a lesser degree in sesame seeds, and kale. Ground flax seed can be added into soups, stews, cereals, waffle and pancake batter, tossed into a salad, mixed into a smoothie or stirred into a glass of orange juice.
The take home message is simple: dietary recommendations for estrogen receptor negative breast cancer survivors are similar to those recommended to estrogen receptor positive breast cancer survivors. It's time to eat more fruits, veggies and fiber containing foods like grains and beans, limit alcohol and fats, use olive oil and butter and include flax in your diet. I believe that impact of these studies is more profound: For those of you with estrogen receptor negative breast cancer, when you read nutrition information specific to breast cancer, you can rest assured that the majority of those recommendations will apply to you too. You are not alone! Isn't that positively wonderful?

Dr. Kim Dalzell is a doctor of holistic nutrition and registered dietitian who has helped thousands of cancer patients with her nature-based healing approach to cancer control. She is a sought after speaker, author of Challenge Cancer and Win!, and industry spokesperson. To learn more about how you can control cancer with nutrition, please visit:
http://www.cancerbusters.org

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Breast Cancer - How to Succeed - Part 2

Signs and Symptoms
A lump that appears in the breast that feels at variance with the surrounding breast tissue is typically the first symptom or indication of the presence of breast cancer.
The prestigious Merck Manual has indicated that, in the vast majority of breast cancer cases, it is the woman herself who first discovers the presence of a lump. The first medical indication of breast cancer, as stated in the reviews of the American Cancer Society, is usually discovered when the patient is subjected to a mammogram upon the advice of her doctor. Another indicator is the presence of hardened tissue found in the lymph nodes located under the armpits or in the region of the collarbone.
Alterations in the size or shape of the breast, skin dimpling, nipple inversion, or discharge from a nipple may be regarded as alternative indications of the presence of breast cancer. The incidence of pain is not a reliable determinant for the presence of the cancer. Such an observation may in fact be more indicative of other breast related issues such as mastodynia.
An appearance that can resemble skin inflammation is caused when the cells attack the small lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. Such a characterisation is known as inflammatory breast cancer. The onset of pain and swelling, the presence of warmth and redness all across the breast, together with a skin texture which has the appearance of the outer skin of an orange, are all initial characteristics associated with inflammatory breast cancer.
Paget's disease of the breast is yet another, somewhat complex, symptom. This syndrome, which refers to the association of several clinically recognizable features, presents skin changes which are synonymous with eczema, such as redness and mild flaking of the nipple skin. The presence of a tingling sensation, of itching, increased sensitivity, burning, and pain are all characteristics associated with the advance of Paget's syndrome. Another symptom may involve a discharge from the nipple. It has been found that a good proportion of women diagnosed with Paget's also experienced a lump in the breast.
There are times when it occurs as a metastatic disease. As such, it represents a cancer that has spread beyond the original source and into neighbouring areas. This type of breast cancer will give rise to symptoms that depend on where the metastasis is situated. The bone, liver, lung and brain are where Metastasis is most commonly found.
An occult breast cancer can sometimes manifest itself in the form of unexplained weight loss. Another symptom could present itself in the form of fevers or chills. Further determinants of metastatic breast cancer can take the form of bone or joint pains, as well as jaundice or possibly even neurological indications. It must be remembered that some of these symptoms are non specific, and as such may be applicable to many other illnesses.
In this respect, therefore, it has been found that many symptoms of breast disorder do not actually turn out to represent an underlying presence of breast cancer. To establish this notion, benign breast diseases, such as mastitis and fibroadenoma of the breast, are more common causes of breast disorder symptoms.
Since there is a distinct possibility of acquiring an underlying breast cancer at almost any age, then the appearance of a new symptom should be taken seriously by both patients and their doctors.
Breast Cancer - How To Succeed

Peter Radford writes Articles with Websites on a wide range of subjects. Breast Cancer Articles cover Background, Classification, Signs and Symptoms, Risk, Prevention, Forms of Treatment.
Website has many more Articles.
View his Website at: breast-cancer-how-to-succeed.com
View his Blog at: breast-cancer-how-to-succeed.blogspot.com

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Inflammatory Breast Cancer, Rare But Dangerous

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and very aggressive type of breast cancer that can be difficult to treat. The name, inflammatory breast cancer, may cause some confusion. It is called "inflammatory" because with this type of cancer, the breast appears inflamed or swollen, red and tender. However, an infection of the breast will cause these same symptoms. Inflammation occurs when there is injury to a cell. The body responds by sending additional red and white blood cells and chemical substances to the area to help it heal. This is not, however, what happens with inflammatory breast cancer. In inflammatory breast cancer, the cancer cells grow and spread rapidly, penetrating and eventually blocking the lymph vessels just below the skin of the breast. When these vessels are blocked, lymph fluid backs up and redness and swelling occur. If there is a true infection of the breast, antibiotics will help the swelling and inflammation. If cancer cells are causing the inflammation, antibiotics won't help.
Inflammatory breast cancer can be difficult to diagnose. It is less likely that a lump will be felt because of the way in which it grows and spreads. In addition, this type of cancer is not usually detected by mammograms and ultrasounds. Symptoms can include any of the following, but not necessarily all of them.
· Sudden breast swelling
· Breast may feel warm to the touch
· Itching
· Pain
· Inverted nipple or discharge
· Pinkish or bruised and thickened areas of the skin, sometimes looking like the skin of an orange
Symptoms often come about quickly, even within a matter of days or weeks. Unfortunately, by the time symptoms arise and the cancer is diagnosed, it has already reached stage IIIB (spread to lymph nodes) or stage IV (spread to other areas). Inflammatory breast cancer is typically diagnosed with a biopsy of the breast skin and tissue. As these can be symptoms of other medical conditions, a biopsy is usually performed after antibiotic treatment has failed. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, additional tests will help determine how far the cancer has spread.
Treatment for inflammatory breast cancer starts with chemotherapy, followed by surgery and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy is given first to reduce swelling and inflammation, as well as the size of the cancerous area. This makes surgery easier and helps improve the outcome of the operation. The recommended surgery for this type of cancer is a mastectomy. Chemotherapy may also be given after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells.
The course of treatment after surgery is radiation therapy. This helps lessen the chance of recurrence. If the cancer is considered inoperable, radiation may be used as the main treatment to help slow the progression of the disease.
Even with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, this type of cancer has a very high rate of recurrence. With this in mind, doctors may recommend further treatments with chemotherapy or other drugs. Clinical trials for new procedures or drugs may also be available.
While inflammatory breast cancer affects a very small percentage of women, it's important to be aware of its symptoms. If changes in the skin of the breast occur, see a doctor right away and ask about this type of breast cancer. Research and new treatment options continue to improve the prognosis for inflammatory breast cancer offering hope for a future.

I have been interested in cancer since my brother Jerry was diagnosed with colon cancer five years ago. After two surgeries he is doing well and is still cancer free. The first surgery was to remove a large tumor from his colon and the second was to remove his colon. Needless to say he has been through a lot and the road to recovery was a long one. About two years ago my brother Fred was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Man, you talk about devastating! Well after about a month or two the shock started to ware off and treatments started to begin. My brother Fred was in denial for, what seemed to be a long time. I wanted to write about both of my brothers cancers but, decided against it thinking it would hurt them some how so I decided to write about cancers that no one in the family has as of yet. If you'd like to send a massage of support to my brothers Jerry and Fred, leave a comment here and I'll see that they get it. If you'd like more information on breast cancer treatment, please click this link. http://www.understanding-breast-cancer-treatment.com
P.S. My brother Fred is doing well. The chemo the doctors used on him shrunk the tumor until it was off the radar. We're not sure its gone but we know that its not growing, at least for now.

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Breast Cancer Symptoms You Want to Know About

Breast cancer symptoms vary, and may not be the same from person to person. You may experience some, or even none or all of the common symptoms. This is why it's important to get checked out by a doctor promptly if you suspect you may be experiencing breast cancer symptoms, or have any questions about your breast cancer symptoms.
Breast cancer symptoms vary widely "" from lumps to swelling to skin changes "" and many breast cancers have no obvious symptoms at all. Symptoms that are similar to those of breast cancer may be the result of non-cancerous conditions like infection or a cyst.Breast self-exam should be part of your monthly health care routine, and you should visit your doctor if you experience breast changes.
Real breast cancer symptoms are often confused with normal breast occurrences. For instance, during certain points in a woman's menstrual cycle, the breasts may become swollen and sore. This is a natural occurrence caused by fluctuating hormones and not necessarily a symptom of breast cancer. However, if you have never experienced this before, schedule an appointment with your doctor to be safe.
A lump on the breast is the best-known symptom of breast cancer. Many of these lumps really are early signs of cancer, and need to be checked as quickly as possible. The lump is more likely to be dangerous if it somewhat firm, but not painful. Cysts and other non-cancerous ailments lead to painful lumps. While these lumps may appear anywhere on the breast, they are most frequent beneath the nipple and near the armpit at the breast's outer fringes.
It's important to note that not all lumps are an indication of cancer. Many women have naturally fibrous (or "lumpy") breasts. If this is the case, you should discuss with your doctor the best method of testing for you. Recent scientific studies have shown that women are often not able to detect most lumps by doing a breast self exam, as many hide too far below the surface, or are very small.
The term, metastatic, describes a cancer that has spread to distant organs from the original tumor site. Metastatic breast cancer is the most advanced stage (stage IV) of breast cancer information. Cancer cells have spread past the breast and axillary (underarm) lymph nodes to other areas of the body where they continue to grow and multiply. Breast cancer has the potential to spread to almost any region of the body. The most common region breast cancer spreads to is the bone, followed by the lung and liver. Treatment of metastatic breast cancer generally focuses on relieving symptoms.

Breast cancer symptoms can be confusing. It is normal to have fibrous areas or lumps. Visit http://www.getbreastcancersupport.com for a variety of articles written about breast cancer and the treatment options and care.

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Review of Men's Breast Cancer

Men's breast cancer is rare, but it happens to approximately 2000 men every year with thousands more reporting benign lumps or non-cancerous tissue growth. Men account for approximately one percent of all breast cancer patients. To learn more about male breast cancer, keep reading.
Male Breast Cancer Symptoms
Typically, any changes in tissue growth or bumps in men are usually benign (non-cancerous). However, that doesn't mean men should feel comfortable in ignoring it.
The most common symptoms of breast cancer in men are actually quite similar to the symptoms for women. These include nipple inversion, detecting a lump, unexplained tissue growth, change in breast size, skin puckering or dimpling, nipple discharge, itchiness or redness.
Men generally have less breast tissue than women, making it much easier to detect lumps. However, this also means the cancer can spread to other parts of the body more quickly than in women. This is why early detection is so critical for men.
Risk Factors for Men's Breast Cancer
Advancing Age
Men between the ages of 60 and 70 are the most likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Genealogy
About one-fifth of men who are diagnosed with breast cancer have at least one immediate female relative who has or had breast cancer.
Prior Radiation Exposure
Radiation exposure to the chest (for example, past treatment for lung cancer) can be a risk factor for the development of male breast cancer.
History of Liver Diseases
Because the liver helps to regulate hormone levels, many men who have endured a liver disease have hormonal problems such as lower levels of androgens. This puts them at an increased risk for developing breast cancer or gynecomastia (benign tissue growth).
Estrogen Treatments
Often men who are being treated for prostate cancer are put on estrogen treatments to help control the disease. These men may be at a higher risk for developing breast cancer. That said, the American Cancer Society says those risks are small and worth the benefits of improved health for prostate cancer patients.
Klinefelter's Syndrome
Typically, men are born with one Y chromosome and one X chromosome. Klinefelter's Syndrome is when a man is born with two or more X chromosomes (female chromosomes). Approximately 1 in 850 men were born with Klinefelter's.
Men with Klinefelter's usually have higher estrogen levels and lower androgen levels. This typically translates to a more significant risk rate for breast cancer.
Treating Breast Cancer in Men
Men's breast cancer is typically treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy - or a combination of the four treatment courses.
Survival rates, particularly for those cases detected early, are good - 96% for stage I diagnosis, 84% for stage II diagnosis, 52% for stage III diagnosis and 24% for stage IV diagnosis.

For helpful information on various cancers - please visit cancerinfotips.com - a popular site providing symptom and treatment insights - such as men's breast cancer [http://www.cancerinfotips.com/mens-breast-cancer.shtml] - childhood osteosarcoma [http://www.cancerinfotips.com/childhood-osteosarcoma.shtml] - and many more!

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Breast Cancer and Osteoporosis

There is nothing more frightening than knowing that you have something inside your body destroying your organs and your health. Breast Cancer is women biggest fear, today there are treatments that work and even cure cancer. Removing the breast is no longer a necessary step for treatment. If found early enough you have a great chance of beating this ugly disease, doctors do not know what exactly causes breast cancer. Breast Cancer is when abnormal cells grow out of control in one or both breasts. A mass forms and can spread to other areas of the body; the mass is called a malignant tumor. Most people do not know this but breast cancer also affects men, one in every hundred cases of breast cancer effects men.
The risk factors for breast cancer are aging this disease is much more common in older women, family history, hormones after menopause it raises your risk of getting the disease. Women who inherit genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2 are more likely to get it. Having too much body fat, drinking to much alcohol can raise your estrogen higher and put you at risk. Being inactive is not good either, if you find a usual lump or your breast has changed looking like dimples on them similar to an orange go see your doctor right away. The symptoms of Breast Cancer is a change in the way the breast feel, a thickening of the breast or underarm, a painless lump or a change in the size or shape of your breasts. A change in the nipple, it might turn in or look scaly. Clear or bloody fluid that comes out of the nipple.
It is very important to have regular check-ups and mammograms. Mammograms are an x-ray of the breast to detect anything usual about the breast. If a lump is found your doctor will want to do a biopsy, that is when your doctor takes some cells from your breast and do test on them. Surgery is necessary with cancer you may have radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells and get chemotherapy or hormone therapy. Your doctor will decide what is best for you between treatments. Try to stay healthy eating nutritious foods, lots of vegetables and fruits. Be active exercise for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week. If you drink alcohol try drinking in moderation and even after menopause even one drink can raise your risk. Breast Cancer effects:
Four out of 1,000 women in their 30s. 15 out of 1,000 women in their 40s. 26 out of 1,000 women in their 50s. 37 out of 1,000 women in their 60s
There are three stages of Breast Cancer
Stage 0 is when there is no evidence of cancer and cancer cells, such as DCIS and LCIS. Stage 1 is when the cells invade the tissue of the breast. Stage 2 is divided into subcategories IIA and IIB. IIA is when the cancer is in the breast and lymph node, underarms and the tumor is about 2 centimeters. IIB is when the cancer is in the lymph node and the tumor is more then 2 centimeters, but no bigger than five. Stage 3 is divided into subcategories IIA, IIB and IIC. IIA is when no breast cancer is found in the breast, the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and can have settle to the breastbone of the body. IIB is when the cancer has spread to the chest wall and the tumor is bigger then 5 centimeters and it can also be in the lymph nodes to. IIC the cancer has settle to the chest wall and the skin of the breast.
Just because you might have, a big tumor does not mean it is as serious as a little tumor. A little tumor may give you more of a fight than a bigger one, depending on one's body. Many do not know this, but bone health is very important when it comes to breast cancer. It is very crucial that you take care of your bones through out your life especially if you have breast cancer. Breast Cancer has been known to cause bone loss in some cases, it is important for women to take care of their bones since we are more likely to develop osteoporosis then men. See you doctor for supplements on building strong bones and keeping them strong especially during your treatment.
Get enough calcium. People older than 50 should get 1,200 milligrams of calcium each day. Make foods that are high in calcium part of your diet: dairy products such as
low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese calcium-fortified dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, collard greens, and bok choy tofu almonds vitamin-fortified cereal calcium supplements
Get enough vitamin D. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. People older than 50 should get 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day. People older than 70 need 600 IU of vitamin D daily. Your body makes vitamin D when you are in sunlight, but if you are indoors most of the time or lives in areas where sunlight is limited, add foods rich in vitamin D to your diet:
vitamin D-fortified milk herring, salmon, and tuna vitamin-fortified cereal
Do weight-bearing exercise. Exercise makes your bones and muscles stronger and helps slow bone loss. Do 30 minutes of weight-bearing exercise 3-4 times a week for maximum bone health benefits: walking jogging stair climbing playing tennis, racquetball, or squash dancing lifting weights
Limit your alcohol and quit smoking these both can increase weakening of your bones.
Lorna Darden

For more health topics
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All About Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Breast cancer is considered as a killer disease and it is known to be the top cause of cancer death among women. According to American cancer society, about 1.3 million new breast cancer cases are diagnosed on an annual basis which includes 465,000 deaths. In order to successfully tackle this devastating disease, we must encourage innovative scientists to study cancer at its most basic level. In other words, breast cancer research work should be conducted at its molecular level. Also, besides the governments, private organizations should provide flexible funding to scientists who will be conducting breast cancer research work. Proper funding of breast cancer research projects; can not only lead to better prevention strategies but it can also help towards earlier diagnostic techniques and new anticancer drugs and treatments.
A world renowned cancer researcher, named Lothar Hirneise has come to an understanding that cancer exist with stress. He is of the opinion that when the mind is under constant stress, the body then produces high levels of stress hormone called Cortisol. The immune system gets suppressed with high levels of Cortisol in the body. Also, a stressed mind will release out Adrenaline to an extent of depletion. People suffering from cancer are found to be having almost no adrenaline in their cells. In fact, cells of cancer patients are often overloaded with insulin and plenty of sugar. Another leading German cancer researcher by the name of 'Ryke-Geerd Hamer has gone through twenty thousand cancer patients and found a direct relationship between psycho-emotional conflict and cancer patients. This occurs between 1 to 3 years, prior to cancer diagnosis and cancer forming within the body. Cancer patients, who have experienced a psycho - emotional conflict shock, in the form of loss of a loved one etc, few years prior to their cancer urine, has experienced emotional pain and stress within themselves. Such a state of mind can have an adverse effect on the immune system of the person's body.
Recently, researchers who are working towards breast cancer research project, have developed and successfully tested a breast cancer vaccine which is likely to treat women with treatment - resistant HER2 - positive breast cancer and thus be able to prevent cancer re - occurrence. Breast cancer researchers look forward to use HER2 DNA vaccines for cancer - free women, in order to prevent initial development of such tumours. At present, therapies such as trastuzumab and lapatimib are used towards treating breast cancer patients. However, it was lately noticed that a huge group of patients develop a resistance towards trastuzumab and lapatimib. HER2 receptors are known to promote a particularly aggressive type of tumour that affects about thirty percent of breast cancer patients.
The new breast cancer vaccine is produced by the body's own cells. It delivers a cancer fighting gene into cells, which then produce immune system proteins and also tumor - destroying cells. According to the lead researcher Wei - Zen Wei, a professor of immunology and microbiology at the Karmanos Cancer Institute, the vaccine is made by using so - called naked DNA from genes that produces the HER2 receptor. This DNA is put along with an immune stimulant. The process involved in the making of the vaccine, is called as electroporation. In this process, pulses of electricity were used in order to inject the vaccine into the leg muscles in mice. The genes moved towards the cells, which then produced HER2 receptors that led to activation of antibodies and immune cells called Killer T cells. This vaccine is unique and much more research will be further required so that it can one day be applicable towards humans for treating breast cancer.

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