BREAST CANCER

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What Is It?

Breast cancer is found as a tumor (lump) and is seen as a spot on a mammogram. The lump may or may not be large enough to feel. Mammograms can see lumps in the breast that are too small to feel. Your breasts are made of many lobes (sections), ducts and vessels (small tubes). The vessels carry liquids such as lymph (limf) and blood. The lymph vessels lead to small bean-shaped organs called lymph nodes. These lymph nodes are in your armpit and chest and are near your collarbone. Ducts carry milk from the lobes to the nipple of the breast.

Normal cells divide (split) in a planned way making more cells only when needed. Cancer happens when cells grow and divide without control or order, often making too much tissue (tumor). Breast cancer cells may grow into nearby healthy tissue. Or, they may break away from the tumor. These cells travel through the blood stream or lymphatic (lim-fat-ik) system to other parts of the body. It is called metastasis (meh-tas-ta-sis) or "mets" when tumor cells spread to other areas of the body. Breast cancer can begin in either the lobes or the ducts of the breast. Even when the lump is very small it can spread into the lymph nodes.

Causes: There is no known cause of breast cancer but you cannot catch it from someone else. Most breast cancers happen in women who have no risk factors. But, there are things that may put you at higher risk for getting breast cancer.

Women over 45 years old who have not yet gone through menopause may have a higher risk. You may also be at risk if your first pregnancy was after age 30.

If your mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer you have a greater chance of getting breast cancer. This risk is even higher if that person had the cancer before menopause. It is also higher if the cancer was in both breasts.

It is rare but men can get breast cancer too.

Signs and Symptoms:

During the early stages of breast cancer there are not usually any symptoms. But, early cancer may be found on a mammogram. You may have one or more of the following signs or symptoms.

Swelling or a lump in the breast.

Achy or uncomfortable breast.

One breast may look different than the other.

The skin may look dimpled or pitted like an orange peel.

Your nipple may look like it has been pushed in.

There may be bleeding or clear discharge from the nipple.

Breast cancer found in later stages may cause swollen lymph nodes under your arm. It may also cause bone or back pain, or trouble breathing. If the cancer has spread to other parts of your body you may have other problems as well.

Care: Your caregiver will first do tests to find out what stage the cancer is in. Staging includes measuring the lump and also having tests to see if the cancer has spread. The tests may include another mammogram, a biopsy, and body scans. The results of the tests will help you and your caregiver decide on a treatment plan.

There are many different ways to treat cancer. You may need to take anticancer or hormone medicines. You may also need radiation or surgery. Often two or more kinds of treatment will be used together such as medicine and radiation. Or, you may choose medicine and surgery to treat your cancer. Another treatment choice is a bone marrow transplant or "stem cell transplant".

Continue to do self-breast exams every month to check for lumps or changes. Examine your breasts after your monthly period. You will still need to have a mammogram every 1 to 2 years until you are age 49. After you turn 50 years old you need a yearly mammogram. Ask your caregiver for the CareNote about how to do self-breast exams.

Coping: Accepting that you have cancer is hard. You and those close to you may feel scared, depressed, angry, or sad. These are normal feelings. Talk to your caregivers, family, or friends about your feelings. You may also want to join a cancer support group. This is a group of people who also have breast cancer. Call or write one of the following organizations for more information.

American Cancer Society
1599 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30329
Phone: 1 (800) ACS-2345
Web Address: http://www.cancer.org
The Cancer Information Service
Phone: 1 (800) 4-CANCER
Web Address: http://cis.nci.nih.gov
CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about breast cancer and how it can be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care will be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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