Genetic Screening and Breast Cancer

Could you be at a greater risk of developing Breast Cancer? Well some women are, and some women are getting genetic counseling and screening. The report tells them if they have the mutated gene BRAC and give them a likely percentage of developing Breast Cancer. When the Family history has gone back for years with Breast Cancer being prevalent in the Family, the risk is even higher! What should a woman do in this instance?In some cases although Breast Cancer was diagnosed it was not concluded as the BRAC form...simply because BRAC screening wasn't being done in those days of old! However it can be done now and for women that know there is more than a slight chance of getting Breast Cancer and perhaps from that will stem other cancers in the female organs, what are they to do?Why, you ask, because if it is the BRAC form it is almost 100% sure that these women will get one form of breast cancer....and when they have seen it take its course in their family, when a woman has to live out her life knowing this, most women want to know their chances for survival, and at a early age more than later in life..BRAC is in the class of genes known as tumor suppressors and women with this gene usually have strong family history of breast and ovarian cancers which have a tendency to come on before menopause. If a woman finds herself in this predicament, they really want an answer to their fears of developing any type of breast cancer or cancer in any of the female organs, the uterus, cervix, ovaries and even in the tubes.From reading medical journals according to the National Cancer Institute in the US, predict 12% of women will develop breast cancer at some time during their lives. However they also have predicted that 60% with a BRAC mutation will develop cancer in their female organs, most usually breast cancer, on occasion ovarian cancer. So what is a woman to do? Most women feel that their breasts define femininity! Most women who know what this has done to women in their family, live their lives as if they were cancer survivors, so in my mind the only way to be sure is to have the screenings. In a recent case of a family with 4 girls, now women, 2 had the BRAC genes....Two did not show any mutation at all! Not every cancer will be the result of the BRAC mutation and not every woman with BRAC will have cancer or will all female family members have the gene! Also if a woman chooses a double mastectomy due to her having the BRAC gene, there is no guarantee that the surgery will eliminate her risk of breast cancer! Decisions...decisions and these women once their fate is known, must make their own decisions knowing full well all that has been spoken about in former paragraphs.Other decisions more daunting are those about possible hysterectomy because of the risk of ovarian and cervical cancer.
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Breast Cancer Treatment Choices

Breast cancer can be treated with a mastectomy or breast preservation surgery, lumpectomy, followed by radiation and sometimes chemotherapy. Some types of tumors are stimulated by normal hormones found in a woman's body, such as progesterone, estrogen, and HER-2. By knowing this information, a plan of treatment can be offered that will improve a woman's chances of cancer free survival.The pathology from the surgery, done to remove the cancer tumor, will tell if the entire tumor was removed and if cancer was found in the lymph nodes. During surgery the surgeon can see the cancer tumor, but not all of the cancer cells can be visualized. This way cancer cells that might be outside the main tumor can be seen. This dye is injected before surgery and will show which node is the main node that drains fluid from the cancer tumor site. If lymph nodes are found to have cancer cells within them the cancer has moved from the tumor site to other areas in the body. This movement of cancer cells away from the tumor indicates metastasis, or stray cancer cells that are traveling in the body. The final pathology will offer much information about the type of cancer, the location of the cancer and how best to treat the cancer to provide a cancer free life for the woman.A woman who has been diagnosed with cancer, from a biopsy, then will see a surgeon who specializes in breast cancer. Surgery to remove the tumor is always needed, as long as the tumor is in the breast it will grow and chances are the cancer cells will travel away from the main tumor and spread throughout the body. The surgeon will ask questions about the woman's health and ask about the woman's family. If a woman has family members that have, or have had breast cancer, this information will be included in treatment decisions. The surgeon then will discuss ways to treat the cancer. A lumpectomy which is removal of the cancer tumor and a small amount of tissue surrounding the tumor is another choice. If the tumor is large a lumpectomy may not be a good choice. The smaller the tumor, the better the chances of survival for the woman. Sometimes chemotherapy is needed before surgery; the chemotherapy will hopefully shrink the tumor and kill cancer cells that may have moved away from the main tumor (metastasized). Chemotherapy may be needed after surgery depending on the type and stage of the cancer.Often the surgeon will ask a woman to see a radiation oncologist before her surgery. This consultation will allow the radiation oncologist, another cancer doctor who specializes in radiation, to review the woman's case and to offer choices of treatment. The options this doctor may offer are whole breast radiation after surgery, or partial breast radiation after surgery, or no radiation if a woman has a mastectomy and no cancer cells are found outside the breast that was removed in surgery.One type of partial breast radiation is brachytherapy. Brachytherapy of the breast is a good choice for some women. The size of the tumor and the location of the tumor are two of the determinations if this is a good choice. If the cancer is found out side of the breast, brachytherapy is not a choice for a woman. Brachytherapy is radiation given to the area where the cancer tumor was. When a woman chooses breast brachytherapy the applicator that will allow radiation to go right into the space where the cancer was; is placed at the time of surgery. Only the tissue around where the cancer tumor was is radiated; the normal tissue is exposed either not at all or to such a low level of radiation it is not affected by the radiation.The brachytherapy treatments are given two times a day, at least 6 hours between treatments, for a total of ten treatments. This type of radiation requires special equipment and knowledge, many cancer centers now have both the equipment and the radiation oncologists that are specialized in this treatment.The other type of partial breast radiation is accelerated partial breast radiation. This type of treatment also requires that the tumor is small and no cancer has been found outside the breast. The equipment to give these treatments is IMRT, which most if not all cancer centers have. This type of radiation involves one treatment a day Monday through Friday for 6 weeks, a total of 30 treatments. It is external beam radiation that goes from the outside of the breast to the inside of the breast and radiates all of the tissue in the breast and surrounding area, not just the area where the tumor was. This type of treatment is favored when the tumor is larger or the cancer cells were found outside of the breast, such as in one or more lymph nodes. The lymph nodes can be included in the whole breast radiation. Some women will choose whole breast radiation because it has been used for so very long. Partial breast radiation has shown the same effectiveness in studies, when the woman is a candidate for brachytherapy.

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How To Tackle Breast Cancer Successfully?

Breast cancer could very well be placed at number one among all the killer diseases in women today. This type of cancer accounts for 26% of all the cancers in women. As such, it is largest killer cancer of all people in world, except maybe lung cancer. With so many women becoming victims of breast cancer each year, it should be thought that the medical fraternity must be having very detailed information about it. But that is hardly the case. Despite the millions of women dying each year, the causes, mechanisms and treatment of breast cancer still remains shrouded in mystery.A simple layperson's definition of breast cancer is that it is an abnormal growth of a mass of cells known as a tumor anywhere within the breast. This growth is felt as a lumpy mass in the early stages of the cancer. This is when the woman must rush to the doctor. In fact any sudden inexplicable abnormality in the shape of the breast must be given medical attention immediately. There is no cause for alarm, as most changes could be perfectly harmless. But it is wise to rule out the possibility of blood cancer.Another aspect of urgent medical attention is that breast cancer is fully treatable if it is seen to early. In all women suffering from breast cancer, the tumor will undergo an initial benign stage. At this stage the tumor has not started its abnormal multiplication. If it is removed when it is benign, the cancer does not spread, and in most cases, the woman gets totally cured of the disease and leads a normal life.Nothing can be said about how long the tumor will remain benign. That depends on several inherent factors with the woman's physiology. The period of benign tumor is another part of breast cancer about which very little is known. But the presence of a tumor or such other symptoms is a strong indicator of occurrence of breast cancer. Apart from the tumor, there could be changes in the coloration of the skin over the breast. Other skin changes such as crimpling and folding could occur. The symptoms of breast cancer are also observed over the nipple and the areolas. The nipples could become inverted without reason, or there could be deformities in their shapes. The same could occur at the areolas, which are the dark circles around the nipples. In the later stages of the breast cancer, there could be a discharge of fluids from the nipples. This discharge could be pus-like, or it could even be a discharge of blood.Even though the exact causes of breast cancer are not known, there are some women who are termed by the medical facilities as high-risk groups for the disease. Topping this list are the women who smoke and consume alcohol on a regular basis. Women who are obese due to lack of exercise or a physiological problem come next. Breast augmentation surgeries such as breast implants were once considered to be a primary reason for breast cancers. This was in the days silicone gel was used as the implanting material. However, today with the replacement of silicone gel with saline gel, the incidences of women getting cancer due to implants has become drastically less. It is also found that breast cancer cases run in families. Hence if a close relative has breast cancer, there is a great chance that the other women in the family could get it too. This indicates a hereditary factor influencing breast cancer.Though the causes of breast cancer are unknown, there is a proliferation of the amount of literature about its prevention. Most of these methods are just hogwash, but there are many precautionary points that women must consider. Women must give high priority to losing their body weight, especially if there has been a case of breast cancer in the family. It is also a good idea to have a regular checkup. The checkup could also be done at home with finger pressure. With two fingers, the entire breast must be gradually touched, poking at points to check if there is any undue hardness felt.Some women take drugs that contain estrogen in them. These could be for almost about anything from increasing the sexual drive to increasing the amount of milk during lactation. But it must be remembered that any kind of hormonal disarray in the body could only make matters worse. It is not yet proven, but it can be assumed that an increase in the amount of estrogen in the blood could hasten the chances of blood cancer.There are some foods that have been identified by dieticians to be good for preventing breast cancer. These include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and legumes. Even oranges, tomatoes and other citrus fruits could have some effects. Soy and its products are also good. A low carbohydrate diet is suggested. At the same time, it is needless to say that the woman must abstain from smoking and alcoholism.Indulging in regular exercise and maintaining an overall positive outlook towards life could be important to remain away from breast cancer. Some alternative therapists believe that mental tensions could be one of the causes of breast cancer.

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Newer Technologies for treatment breast cancer

The primary intention of cancer treatment is to achieve cure and improve survival. Radiotherapy has an important role in breast cancer as it helps in the attainment of both these objectives of cancer treatment.Does radiotherapy improve survival?Treatment of breast cancer has been an evolving process over the years. In those days, extensive surgical removal of the breast and surrounding areas was considered to be the standard of breast cancer care. The addition of local radiotherapy in those days managed to decrease the local recurrence of disease but did not show any impact on increasing survival.Improvement in survival was attained by addition of systemic chemotherapy into the management protocol of breast cancer.Oncologists were faced with a puzzling question: HOW COULD RADIOTHERAPY IMPROVE LOCAL CONTROL AND YET NOT IMPACT SURVIVAL IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS? The answer was given in an elegant analysis by The Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group (EBCTCG) the Authority in breast cancer research worldwide. The EBCTCG performed an extensive meta analysis using the raw data from every randomized prospective trial investigating post mastectomy radiation. The major cause of non breast cancer deaths was found to be heart disease meaning that radiation being delivered inadvertently to the heart was causing an increased incidence of heart disease. An important additional observation noted by this group warrants consideration - the increase in non-breast cancer deaths was noted primarily in patients for whom older radiotherapy techniques and equipment had been used without a clear distinction of treatment volume and organs at risk like the heart, lungs and the opposite breast.Modern radiation treatments might be associated with less cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than earlier radiation techniques. Currently, a large number of centers utilize computed tomography (CT) treatment planning and shape radiation dose using 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and IMRT to avoid treating the underlying heart. Furthermore, integration of electron beam therapy into breast cancer radiotherapy protocols has allowed safe delivery of higher radiation doses to patients.
Breast conservation: Importance of Radiotherapy
Another area of active development in breast cancer is the establishment of breast conservation as the standard of care in early breast cancer. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Conference on the treatment of patients with early stage invasive breast carcinoma, held in June 1990, recommended breast conservation therapy for the majority of women with Stage I or II breast carcinoma.

• Local Control: Local control is a major goal of breast conservation treatment. The incidence of local recurrence is low in appropriately selected patients receiving optimal breast conservation treatment.
• Cosmetic Result: A goal of primary breast cancer treatment is to produce the best cosmetic result consistent with achievement of local/regional control. Optimal long-term cosmetic outcome requires integration of careful surgical excision and precise radiotherapy techniques.
• Radiation Therapy: The conference laid out Radiation Therapy Recommendations after breast conservation surgery.

As is evident, the availability of proper radiotherapy facilities is considered as an essential prerequisite for breast conservation as providing adequate doses of radiation becomes necessary to prevent disease recurrence in the conserved breast. The boost is delivered either using electron beam therapy, 3-D Conformal Radiotherapy,Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy, Interstitial brachytherapy, or Intra-Operative radiotherapy.
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Breast Cancer Risks and Prevention Tips

One risk factor for breast cancer is hormone stimulation. One way to stimulate hormones is hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement therapy was a popular treatment for women going through menopause. It was used to control the mood swings and other menopause symptoms. The hormone commonly being replaced was estrogen, with progesterone sometimes being used as well. The greatest risk comes from using a combination of progesterone and estrogen.One other way for hormone stimulation is an uncontrollable factor, the age a woman begins menstruation and menopause. If a girl starts menstruation before 12, or a woman starts menopause before age 55, she will have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. There are ways to decrease that risk though. If a woman has a full-term pregnancy (38 to 40 weeks) before the age of 30 that may decrease her risk. Also, if a woman breast feeds her infant for at least 12 months or breast feeds several children, her risk may also be reduced.Medication can also be used to prevent breast cancer. Tamoxifen is the most commonly used and others are being researched right now for their potential use in preventing breast cancer. Tamoxifen is often prescribed to women who have an increased risk of developing breast cancer, either because of genetic factors or other risk factors. This medication works by blocking how estrogen affects the cells in your breast. There are several serious risks associated with tamoxifen use however. These include an increased risk of uterine cancer, stroke and blood clots in the legs or lungs. You need to see your doctor immediately if you develop any symptom of these side effects.Some women may choose to surgically remove their breasts in order to prevent breast cancer. This is called a preventive mastectomy. This is usually done by women who have a strong family history of breast cancer, as in several women (usually a woman's mother, sisters and/or aunts) in the family have been diagnosed with breast cancer. This surgery reduces the risk of breast cancer by as much as 90%.Another type of surgery that may be performed to reduce the risk of breast cancer is a prophylactic oophorectomy, or elective surgery to remove the ovaries. This helps reduce the risk of breast cancer because the hormones produced by the ovaries increases a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. The genetic mutations that increase breast cancer risk may also increase a woman's chances of developing ovarian cancer. By removing her ovaries, a woman can dramatically decrease her chances of developing either type of cancer.A woman's choice of foods and lifestyle may increase her risk of breast cancer. There seems to be a connection between obesity and breast cancer. Some studies have shown that obese women have a higher chance of developing breast cancer because of an increased amount of estrogen in their systems. Another study has shown that women who regularly eat high-fat foods have an increased risk of dying from breast cancer, not just developing it, compared to women from the same population that eat low-fat foods. These two studies suggest that an exercise program and a low-fat diet may decrease your chances of developing breast cancer. One lifestyle choice that may increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer is alcohol drinking. Studies have shown that drinking alcohol may slightly increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. This does not mean that every woman who had a drink to celebrate her birthday or job promotion is at greater risk of cancer. The study suggested that current drinking had more of an impact on the risk than drinking as a young adult.

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Gynecomastia and Breast Cancer

Most people associate breast cancer with women. Unfortunately, breast cancer is not contained just to women. Men can also get breast cancer, even though approximately 99% of all breast cancer cases occur in women. But one question that many men have is whether men with man boobs, or Gynecomastia, are at a greater risk of developing breast cancer than men who do not have man boobs.Men simply are not aware of the risk that they have for breast cancer, however men who have man boobs often fear it.Men who have male boobs should be worried about breast cancer. In most cases, when a man develops breast cancer - whether or not he has male boobs - the cause is hormonal changesspecifically a rise in estrogen, which is contributed to the development of man boobs. It is important, however, to realize that man boobs is not a definite indication that one will develop breast cancer as well, and breast cancer is not just a threat for men with man boobs. All men can develop breast cancer. Research has shown that approximately 40% of the men who develop man boobs will also develop breast cancer. It is also important for any man, even if he doesn't have man boobs, to be aware of the signs of breast cancer.Approximately 20% of the men who develop breast cancer at some point in life have a family history of breast cancer - from either male or female relatives. In other words, if a man's mother had breast cancer, his risk for developing breast cancer is higher than the average man's - regardless of whether or not he has man boobs.Ironically, while men who have man boobs are at a greater risk of developing breast cancer than men who do not, those who do have male boobs have a greater chance of survival. This is because if you have man boobs, the cancer will typically be further away from the chest cavity, reducing the speed at which the cancer spreads, whereas if you do not have man boobs, the cancer is right next to the chest cavity, and the cancer spreads quickly.

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Mammograms May Increase Risk of Cancer

Breast cancer is second to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths amongst women. In 2008, it is estimated that 182,460 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer with an estimated death toll being close to 40,480. It seems as if a good percentage of these deaths should not be occurring. Why? Because many of them seem to be caused by the very thing that is suppose to protect them, mammograms. With billions of dollars being donated towards prevention and research, we can't help but scratch our heads and wonder why organizations such as The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and The American Cancer Society (ACS) continue to assure the public of the safety of mammography when there are so many studies that clearly show not only how dangerous they are, but also how unreliable their results are. Isn't it time that these organizations and the overall industry take a step back and look at what is going on? Shouldn't alternative methods be given a chance, or at least more money for their research? Or is it that government connections and pharmaceutical corporate profits are more important than making sure a safe and reliable product is provided to consumers that will not harm them or cause them to catch the very disease they are trying to avoid.
What Is A Mammogram
The industry standard for the early detection of breast cancer is mammography. A mammogram is a type of imaging system that entails using a low dose ionizing x-ray to take a picture of the breast. That image is then analyzed to see if there is any unusual tumor growth. This procedure is beginning to receive lots of opposition because it has been shown to be inaccurate with high false negative rates; dangerous because with each test done, the chances of creating breast cancer are increased due to the radiation from the x-ray; and it has lead women to undertake unnecessary and extremely dangerous biopsies and surgeries.
Radiation From Mammograms Lead To Cancer
The bottom line is that mammograms help cause cancer. Every year, millions of women are advised to get a mammogram without any warning whatsoever of the hazards of being exposed to its cancer causing x-rays. What's even worse is that woman are being brainwashed into believing that a yearly mammography is necessary. However, studies have shown that taking a mammogram on an annual basis may in fact increase your risk of developing cancer. Much like fetal tissue, the breast is an area of the body extremely sensitive to radiation exposure. Here are just a few studies that have alerted us to the dangers of mammograms. For almost 100 years, doctors have been warned that a cancerous breast must be handled with care for fear of accidentally spreading or metastasizing a growth that is already present. Mammography basically ignores that warning. A mammogram includes the process of painfully and tightly compressing the breast in order to attain a "better" image. That pressure upon the breast has the potential to rupture blood vessels in or near an unknown breast cancer growth thus causing the spread of cells that are malignant. Radiation expert and nuclear physicist, Dr. John Gofman, concluded in his book that medical radiation was not only responsible for 60% of all general cases of cancer but that it was the cause for 83% of all breast cancer cases. For a percentage of women who are silent carriers of the ataxia-telangiectasia gene, their risk of developing cancer from a mammogram test is increased by 4 times. Because of this A-T gene, these women are extremely sensitive to the negative effects of carcinogenic radiation. It is estimated that this is responsible for at least ten thousand breast cancer cases per year. Also, research has shown that another gene named oncogene AC is extremely sensitive to even minimal radiation doses. Women with this gene are at a higher risk of developing cancer when receiving a mammogram.
According to a leading medical journal, The Lancet, since the start of mammograms, the occurrence of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ breast cancer has realized a 328% increase, and in women under the age of 40, that increase was more that 3000%. This accounts for approximately 40,000 breast cancer cases per year. Russell L. Blaylock, MD, estimates that receiving a mammogram on an annual basis will result in an increased risk of breast cancer by 2%. Over a 5 year period that equates to a 10% risk and after 10 years you would be at risk by 20%. With negative results such as these, and these are just a few of many other studies, is there any reason why this industry should continue at this pace? The industry would like us to believe that the risks far outweigh the dangers, but why would anyone consider taking those risks when there are other safer alternatives. Yes, on "occasion" there are cases when a medical x-ray must be used, but to do so on a regular basis makes no sense at all and should be considered malpractice.

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Estrogen and Breast Cancer

As many women begin the transition through menopause a lot of consideration goes into the idea of taking Hormone Replacements - whether it is just Estrogen (Estrogen Therapy or ET) or a combination of Estrogen and Progesterone (Hormone Therapy or HT). For the purpose of this article Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) will refer to both HT and ET.Replacing your hormones with either natural or synthetic (laboratory made) forms of hormones may offer some benefit by helping to reduce many of the symptoms of early menopause - such as, hot flashes, insomnia, moodiness, and vaginal dryness.
Estrogens Impact on the Breast
Breast cancer risk, like many diseases, increases with age for women, but it is not specifically affected by menopause. Unfortunately, recent studies have generated a lot of conflicting data between HRT and breast cancer risk.But, before I go into the risk of developing breast cancers from HRT, it is important that you understand how Estrogen and Progesterone hormones affect your body, or more particularly, your breasts.There are two primary thoughts on how cancer develops in the breast. One is that cancer tends to appear in fast growing tissue - Estrogen (and Progesterone) can cause breast tissue to grow at a faster rate - therefore this may be one way Estrogen is related to developing breast cancer. Damaged DNA is a common cause of cancers. For the moment - these are two primary theories on how HRT may increase the development of breast cancer.Understand that the scientific community is hard at work trying to unravel the link between Estrogen and Breast Cancer -- or if there is even really a link -- but good science takes time. There are so many variables (like medical history and diet) in every study that it is impossible to blame ET or HT alone for breast cancer. Although the results of many clinical trials does show that HRT MAY increase the risk of developing breast cancer.
Breast cancer risk is increased with the use of ET, and to a greater extent with HT, use beyond 5 years. And observational data suggest a slight potential increase for breast cancer with HRT use for less than five years.
Obviously, the risk factor of taking HRT has a much greater impact if you are already at risk of developing breast cancer. If you are a breast cancer survivor: The concern is that HRT may stimulate the growth of small or hidden tumors, it is nearly impossible to determine how many women harbor these hidden cells known as micrometastases.

• If you have a family history of breast cancer: It is not clear whether women with a family history are at increased risk of developing breast cancer when taking HRT and therefore the medical community is cautious about recommending it.
• If you have a history of: Uterine cancer, Liver disease, Blood clots, Undiagnosed vaginal bleeding or Heart disease.

One major consideration when contemplating HRT should be whether or not you are at a higher than average risk of developing breast cancer. Some other minor factors that may increase your cancer risk are weight gain and women who experience menopause later in life than average.
HRT - A Personal Decision
HRT is really a personal choice - there is no right or wrong answer. While some women may not want to accept the risks associated with HRT others may want to. Each woman must decide for herself, with input from her doctor, the best course of action. Both patient and doctor should be comfortable with the decision to take HRT or to pursue other treatments.If you do decide to try HRT make sure you work closely with your doctor - prescribing the right dosage may sometimes turn into a bit of a guessing game. The lower the dosages and the shorter the duration is best if you are worried about increased breast cancer risk. But again your personal situation should be discussed in detail with your doctor, if you have another medical condition where the benefits HRT provide outweigh the increased breast cancer risk, then HRT should be considered.If HRT is not for you - you are not without help.
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Hereditary Breast Cancer

Cancer involves mutations, or changes, in genes. In most people affected by cancer, these genetic changes happen after birth later in life. In Hereditary Cancer, the cancer is caused by a genetic mutation that the person was born with. Not all genetic mutations will develop into cancer, however, the mutation will increase the chance that the person will have a higher risk of developing cancer.Only 10% of all breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary. Some of the factors that increase the occurrence of hereditary breast cancer are breast cancer before age 45, male breast cancer, cancer in both breasts and many cases of breast or ovarian cancer on one side of the family. If you have two relatives from the same side of your family with breast cancer, your risk of getting the disease can be increased. However it does not mean that you will definitely get breast cancer. You must look at both sides of the family.The two hereditary mutations that are looked at for breast cancer are BRCA1 and BRCA2. The test for these two genetic factors are done by taking a blood sample. Both of these BRCA mutations (BReast CAncer 1 and 2) are associated with breast and ovarian cancers.So what factors should you consider when thinking about genetic testing? The age and onset of breast cancer. What other types of cancer are present. What other family members have/had cancer and their relationship to you. second-degree relatives like grandparents, aunts and uncles and your third-degree relatives or cousins.Genetic testing can help a breast cancer patient make decisions about types of treatment and follow-care. Having your healthy breasts or ovaries removed to prevent cancer is called a "prophylactic surgery" and many women who test positive for the genetic mutations decide to go that route. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and ultrasound are two tools that can be combined with a mammogram to detect breast cancer in its most treatable stage.Not every person who carries a genetic mutation will develop cancer. You must remember that genetic testing does not detect breast cancer and it will not tell you if you will get breast cancer in your lifetime.

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Modern Breast Cancer Treatment Methods

Breast cancer has become a more common disease among women in modern times. Statistics reveal that the average breast cancer risk is 14%. The incidence of breast cancer could also be inherited but is likely more too environmental factors and lifestyle. Studies show that two genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 should normally prevent cancer cell growth but when there are abnormalities in these genes, they can become the cause of higher breast cancer risk. Combine this with the present toxic environment and multiple carcinogens and the higher rates are easier to understand.Typical breast cancer symptoms are the formation of lumps, swelling or skin changes in the breast. Regular self-examination of the breast and an annual mammogram would help in early diagnosis of breast cancer. If there is a doubt and concern that breast cancer may be starting, further scans like ultrasound, MRI, CAT, and PET scans should be taken.Breast cancer treatment depends on several factors, like the size and stage of the tumor, as well as the lymph node and hormone receptor status. Breast cancer is classified as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).Modern technology has ushered in several treatment options. They are surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy, and chemotherapy. Normal breast cancer surgery, called lumpectomy, is done where only the tumor in the breast is removed. Normally, radiation therapy is applied as a follow-up measure to ensure that the remaining breast tissues are hopefully cleansed of cancer cells. Further hormonal therapy or chemotherapy or both might be needed in a few breast cancer patients. Radiation therapy is an effective process for the destruction of cancer cells that might remain after surgery. Radiation therapy reduces the risk of recurrence significantly. Dietary changes and nutritional supplements are highly recommended.If the breast cancer is hormone-receptor-positive, then hormonal therapy is a primary method of breast cancer treatment. Hormonal therapy stops the hormone known as estrogen to stimulate breast cancer cell growth. In recent times, aromatase inhibitors are preferred to tamoxifen, particularly for breast cancer treatment of post-menopausal women who have hormone-receptive-positive breast cancer. Chemotherapy is resorted to mainly to eliminate any cancer cells that could have spread from the breast to other parts of the body. However, the chemotherapy treatment regimen would differ with each individual.
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