Breast Cancer

 There are several types of tumors that can occur in the breasts. Most are benign (non-cancerous) and are related to fibrocystic changes. Benign breast tumors are abnormal growths, but they do not appear outside of the breast and they are not life-threatening.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, about 178,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2007 and about 40,500 American women will die from breast cancer. Currently, there are approximately 2 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. The good news is that death rates from breast cancer continue to decline, particularly in women age 50 or younger, due to earlier detection through screening mammography as well as advances in treatment.

The treatment strategy for breast cancer depends on the stage of the disease and the goals of care for the individual. Treatment usually consists of a combination of surgery, medication, radiation, and/or chemotherapy. An elderly woman with a less aggressive type of cancer may wish to avoid aggressive treatments and pursue palliative (symptom-relieving) treatments. However, in a younger woman, aggressive therapy targeted at achieving remission is usually desired. Transplantation procedures are available for individuals with advanced or recurrent breast cancer.

The prognosis for patients with breast cancer depend upon the stage of the disease and the patient\'s overall health status. In general, the prognosis for women with small tumors that are confined to the breast and have not spread to the lymph nodes is excellent. In contrast, the prognosis for women whose tumors have spread to distant sites, such as the liver, lung, or bone, is much more guarded.

Learn more by ordering your MediFocus Guidebook on Breast Cancer, the most comprehensive, up-to-date source of information available. You will get answers to your questions, including:

• What are the risk factors of Breast Cancer?
• What standard and alternative treatment options are available?
• Where are the leading doctors, hospitals and medical centers that specialize in Breast Cancer research and treatment?
• What are the results of the latest clinical trials?
• Where are the support groups and additional resources in my area?
• What are the promising new treatments on the horizon?

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