Breast cancer statistics

Breast cancer is a very serious disease which should not be taken lightly by anybody. It can affect you or the people that you love without warning. For that reason, it is important to learn as much as you can about this affliction. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of breast cancer statistics that can help you to realize exactly how severe of a problem breast cancer is in the world today.

- Breast cancer is the second biggest cause of death by cancer in women. It is second only to lung cancer in women’s cancer mortality rates.

- In any given year, as many as 1.2 million women on average across the world will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
- In the year 2000 alone, 202,044 women in North America were diagnosed with a new case of breast cancer. Also in the year 2000, 51,184 North American people died as a result of breast cancer.
-The risk of a woman getting breast cancer at some point in her life is around 1 in 8. The risk for getting breast cancer before age 30, however, is a mere 1 in 2,212.
- The 5-year survival rate for women under age 45 for breast cancer is 81 percent.
-Roughly 77 percent of all breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women that are 50 years of age or older.
- Few realize that breast cancer can occur in men as well. While nowhere near as prevalent in men, an estimated 1,860 males will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
- The highest risk of breast cancer is faced by those with white, Hawaiian, or African American ancestry. This risk faced by these ethnicities is roughly 4 times as prevalent as the chance faced by the lowest risk group.
-After women reach age forty, it is highly recommended for them to get a mammogram yearly. However, only 66.9 percent of all women over 40 have had a mammogram in the past two years.
- Breast cancer IS the leading cause of cancer deaths in a specific age group of women: 40 to 59.
-While the threat of breast cancer is still quite serious, statistics show that the death rates of women from breast cancer in the United States have decreased by about 2.8 percent every year from 1990 to 2000.
As you can see, breast cancer is a problem that is far-reaching and life-altering. Unfortunately, the statistics do not show that a full 100 percent of women get an annual mammogram. If you are a woman over the age of 40, it is important to ensure that you are not one of the 33.1 percent of women who are in the dark about the status of their breast health. Early detection of breast cancer can lead to being able to fix the problem before it becomes too late. Fear is never an adequate excuse for not getting a yearly mammogram; it is an important and necessary process for those who are high in risk for breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Screening

Similarly to most other diseases and conditions as damaging as cancer, a good prevention and screening is oftentimes more important and more useful than the actual treatment, which might be either risky or ineffective. Although surgery is a relatively effective way of treating breast cancer, in the unfortunate event that the tumor is not discovered in time, it might be too late even for this radical treatment to work. That’s why most cancer specialists agree in unison that a good screening process is vital in the fight against breast cancer.

Although there are many forms of breast cancer screening, some more effective than others, the two main methods remain mammography and breast self examination. The latter, as the name suggests, can be produced by anyone, without the need of a trip to the doctor or any tools and accessories. Basically, breast self-examination (or BSE) is correctly done if it follows the set of steps presented below:

1. Stand in front of a mirror that allows you to clearly see your body, from the waist up.
2. Expose your top and place your hands on your hips.
3. While in this position, look for any swellings, red spots or bumps on your breasts in the mirror.
4. Place your arms above your head and repeat step 3.
5. Palpate your breasts for lumps. Don’t refrain your search just to lumps beneath the skin, but also try to feel inside the deeper tissues of the breast.
6. Palpate the entire breast, from its base, to the edge and make sure you leave no spot unsearched.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 while laying down.
8. Pay special attention to the nipple area and the area just beneath them.
9. Squeeze the nipples gently, checking for any kind of discharge.
10. Repeat the entire process a couple of times for safety, since it’s easy to miss smaller lumps in a single self-examination.

Provided you follow these steps closely, you should immediately notice anything out of order on your breasts. It’s important that you try and form a breast self-examination “schedule” and perform it at least once a week, since it will be easier to spot changes to your breasts. The entire process shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes and given the fact that it may very well save you a lot of trouble (and why not, your life!) those will be some well-spent minutes.

The second form of breast cancer screening is mammography. It’s not as easy to produce as breast self examination but it has a high efficiency that recommends this method as one of the best in breast cancer screening. Using low-dose x-rays on the breast, the mammograms form an image that can be analyzed by specialists for abnormal tumors or cysts inside the breast. However, the use of x-rays (although they are used at an extremely low rate) has earned mammography a sizeable opposition consisting of several specialized institutions and individuals that consider it unsafe. Above all this, mammography has a slight error rate that is also heavily contested. Despite these problems, mammography remains one of the main breast cancer screening methods next to BSE and it is recommended in many countries as a yearly examination in order to prevent the risks of breast cancer.

Breast cancer risk increased by x-ray?

Women in the United States face a terrible risk of contracting the deadly disease that is breast cancer. This year alone, roughly 40,970 women will die due to the affects of this chronic illness, and a full 212,920 more women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. While we know many of the factors that may weigh into a woman’s risk of developing the disease, we learn more every day, and a shocking study has shed light onto another possible factor in developing the disease.

While not fully understood yet, studies are being conducted weighing the possibility that X-rays of the chest may contribute to the chance of a woman developing breast cancer. Nadine Andrieu, Ph.D works for France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research, and has said that while data may point to x-rays increasing the risk of breast cancer, much of the data in the study needs to be confirmed before the conclusion is reached. If the study’s results bear true, it may result in Magnetic Resonance Imaging being used to diagnose possible breast cancer in women that bear a high risk for the disease as opposed to the mammogram system which is currently in place.

The possible risk represented by the use of x-rays when it comes to breast cancer applies only to two types of gene mutations: BRCA1 and BRCA2. These types of gene mutations are known to greatly increase the risk of the development of both breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The gene mutations are rare, and are present in approximately 250,000 women throughout the United States. The gene mutation can be inherited, and roughly 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers diagnosed in the US are due to inherited gene mutations. To put things into perspective, a normal woman with no gene mutation runs a risk of developing breast cancer that is roughly 13 percent. Women that have the BRCA1 gene mutation, however, run a risk of developing the disease that is somewhere between 60 and 80 percent. If a woman has a BRCA2 gene mutation, the risk for developing breast cancer can vary between 30 and 85 percent throughout the course of their life.

The study was conducted with 1,601 women from Europe and Canada. 853 of the women in the study were diagnosed with a case of breast cancer. The average age of the subjects was 47, and they were told to complete questionnaires which included a question regarding how many times they had x-rays on their chests, not including mammograms. The results of the study showed that woman who had reported any number of chest x-rays were 54 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than those who reported no x-rays. While the data in the study needs to be confirmed, it represents a significant statistic when it comes to the possible role of x-rays in breast cancer development. More studies need to be conducted to ensure that the results of the test are sound, and in the future, we’ll know more about exactly how these gene mutations may develop.

Breast Cancer in Men

Breast cancer is a malignant tumour which has developed from cells in the breast. Although breast cancer occurs mainly in women, it can occasionally occur in men though this is quite rare. Many people are not aware that men also have breast tissue which can develop into breast cancer and this is given a very low priority by the medical profession.
Prior to puberty, young girls and boys only have a small amount of tissue in their breast which consists of only a few tubular passages known as ducts. These are located under the areola and the nipple.
During puberty, the girl’s ovaries produce female hormones which cause the ducts in the breast to grow in preparation for lactation. The milk glands known as lobules form at the end of these ducts, and fatty and connective tissue known as stroma increases.
Hormones which are produced by males’ testicles work in the opposite way and prevent breast tissue from developing. So although men’s breast tissue does contain ducts, it only has a few lobules.
A man’s breast duct cells can develop cancerous changes, just like the rest of the cells in his body. Because woman have more breast cells than men, breast cancer is more common in women than men because their breast cells are exposed to the effect of female growth hormones. The male hormone tends to suppress this effect.
However there are a lot of different types of breast disorders which can affect men and women the same although most of them are benign. Benign tumours are not cancerous and do not spread outside the breast. They are also not life threatening though can cause concern. Malignant tumours are cancerous and can be life threatening. (Benign tumours are particularly rare in men).
The lymphatic vessels are an important part of the breast. However if breast cancer occurs, they can be the biggest carrier of the cancerous cells.
The lymphatic system carries the lymph which is a clear liquid containing tissue fluid, the immune system cells and any waste products the body may be disposing of.
Lymph nodes are small oval shaped cells situated within the immune system and they are located along the lymphatic vessels. Because the lymph system is so efficient, it is possible for cancer cells to enter the lymphatic vessels and spread to the lymph nodes extremely quickly this causing spread.
The majority of lymphatic vessels within the breast connect to lymph nodes situated under the arm which are known as axillary lymph nodes. Some lymphatic vessels connect to lymph nodes inside the chest which are known as internal mammary nodes and above or below the collarbone, known as the supra or infraclavicular nodes.
When cancer cells reach the axillary lymph nodes, they may continue to grow. This causes the lymph nodes in that area to swell. Should the breast cancer cells spread to the lymph nodes under the arm, they are very likely to have spread to the other organs of the body as well. (This is known as metastic spread). Therefore when choosing a suitable treatment, it is important to establish whether the breast cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes or whether it has been contained.

Breast Cancer FAQ

Despite being one of the most common forms of cancer, breast cancer is still surrounded in a shroud of uncertainty for many women. Thankfully, information about the subject is abundant but even so, one might get lost in this huge jungle of information. That’s why we have set up a breast cancer related FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) to guide you around the subject:

Q: What are the main causes for breast cancer?
A: As with other forms of cancer, there are multiple factors that can trigger breast cancer. These include age, an unbalanced diet, smoking, drinking, hormonal dysfunctions, hormone-altering medication (such as birth control pills for example), exposure to powerful light charges and so forth.

Q: Can breast cancer be cured?
A: Yes, but not at the same extent that you would cure any other disease, through sheer medication, treatments or therapy. The main way to “cure” breast cancer is to remove the tumor causing it and the adjacent diseased cells. The tumor is removed through surgery, whereas the remaining cancerous cells can be eliminated through several methods such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy or hormonal treatments.

Q: Is breast cancer less aggressive than other forms of cancer?
A: No, it’s the same as with other forms of cancer, regardless of the area where the tumor is formed. However, the fact that breast cancer is situated in an area that is more easily treatable allows it to have a better survival rate, hence the popular belief that it’s not as dangerous. If left untreated or if it’s not discovered in time, rest assure that breast cancer is equally powerful as other forms of cancer.

Q: Is it necessary to visit my doctor on a regular basis to check if a breast tumor is forming up?
A: No, not necessarily, although it’s recommended that you visit your doctor for such an examination at least once a year. If you’re not comfortable with that, you can perform breast self-examination (BSE) at home. BSE doesn’t take a lot of time and if it is performed on a monthly basis, it will grant you a big chance of discovering any breast tumors in time.

Q: What happens if I discover the tumor in one of the later stages of the disease?
A: If the tumor is discovered after it has fully grown, surgery is the only option you have left. In most cases, you will be required to undergo a mastectomy, which is an operation where a large part of the breast is removed together with the tumor, in order to prevent any further spreading of the disease. After the operation is over and the doctors give you the green light for it, you may attend a secondary breast restoration treatment that will correct the unpleasant aesthetical effects of the mastectomy.

Q: Is breast cancer hereditary?
A: No, it’s not hereditary in the same sense as other diseases are. However, if one of the members of your family has suffered from breast cancer, there’s a slightly increased chance that you will get it too.

Diagnosing Breast Cancer

There are usually quite a lot of steps involved in diagnosing breast cancer which includes an assessment of the woman’s breast, ulrasonography, mammography and biopsy. A biopsy is the best way that breast cancer can be diagnosed, as all the other tests have a flaw to a certain degree.
A patient undergoes a breast examination which consists first of all of a visual inspection followed by a palpation of the breasts, the areas around her collarbone and her armpits. Throughout this assessment, the doctor palpates for lumps and thickening in the tissue in all of these areas.
Mammograms are basically x-rays of the breast which help to define what a lump is. Usually the doctor can tell from examining the patients mammogram results whether a lump which has been discovered in the breast is breast cancer or a benign cyst. However as no test is 100% reliable doctors usually like to do back up tests as mammograms alone are thought to miss up to 10-15% of breast cancers.
Mammograms can often provide a false-positive result suggesting a malignancy where no malignancy is later found on a biopsy. There is the possibility of false negative mammogram results where the findings appear negative when in fact a cancer is present.
A mammogram may not be adequate to assess a lump and your doctor may arrange supplementary tests. All lumps found in the breast should be defined as benign or malignant. There should be no room for error.
Your doctor may decide to perform an ultrasound in addition to your mammogram. An ultrasound consists of waves that create a picture of the breast. These then show whether the mass/lump is filled with fluid which would indicate a cyst, or whether they are solid.
Cancerous lumps are usually solid lumps, Ultrasound technology can be used as a biopsy or for the removal of fluid.
The only authoritative way to make a diagnosis of breast cancer with absolute certainty is to biopsy the tissue which is causing concern. A biopsy is done by removing a small sample of tissue via a very fine needle from the suspect area. There are a number of biopsy techniques which can be used.
One biopsy procedure is called a Fine needle aspiration. This involves placing a needle into the breast tissue and extracting a certain amount of cells which can then be examined by a pathologist. This technique is usually used when a mass is identified as a cyst and is not likely to be cancer.
Core needle biopsy is another type of biopsy using fine needles. It consists of a unique needle which extracts a small piece of tissue which can be examined for suspect cells. This test is usually used in conjunction with ultrasound or mammogram.
If the mass can be easily felt by the doctor he may remove the cells using a needle without any extra control. This method is less invasive and patients find it more comfortable so it is being used more frequently by surgeons. It also provides a sample of tissue for testing rather than having to remove the entire lump.

Causes of Breast Cancer

There is currently a lot of interest and research linking genetics and breast cancer. The abnormal gene, BRCA1 when inherited increases the risk of developing breast cancer to almost 85%. Those women who have this abnormal gene also have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. The BRACA1 gene increases the risk for a woman to develop breast cancer at an early age.
Another abnormal gene, BRACA2 increases the risk of a woman developing breast cancer, although this does not include ovarian cancer. It is very expensive to test for these genes and most medical insurances do not cover the cost. Those women who test positive will also find difficulties obtaining medical insurance. Those who wish to be tested should discuss their options with their doctor as the issues around testing are very complicated.
There are also other influences that can affect the development of breast cancer. Those women who begin their menstrual periods at an early age or have a late menopause have a greater chance of developing breast cancer. Having an early menopause or being older at the first menstrual period can protect one from breast cancer.
Bearing a child before the age of 30 years can reduce the risk of breast cancer, and unfortunately statistics show those women who have not had any children are more likely to develop it. So far oral contraceptives have not proved to increase or decrease a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer.
Following extensive research, it has been found there is an increase in the risk of developing breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have been on a combination of estrogen and progesterone replacements for several years. It is therefore important to discuss the pros and cons with a medical professional if you are considering any kind of hormone therapy.
Diet can also play a role in the risk factor of breast cancer as it seems to occur more frequently in those countries that have a higher intake of fat. It is thought that this is due to an environmental influence rather than being genetic. A good example to illustrate this is in Japan.
Japanese women are at a low breast cancer risk whilst they are in Japan but their risk increases once they begin to reside in the United States where their environment and diet tends to differ.
However, studies so far, which have compared groups of women with high and low fat diets, have failed to show a difference in the rates of developing breast cancer.
Breast changes such as fibrocystic are very common. Breast that are fibrocystic are lumpy with thickened tissue and cause discomfort, particularly before a menstrual period. It is important to note however this condition does not lead to breast cancer.
There are certain types of benign changes in the breast such as proliferative or hyperplastic, which are diagnosed via biopsy that predispose women to later development of breast cancer. These women should have regular breast examinations.
There are other factors which can cause breast cancer such as radiation treatment. Although radiation can increase the development of breast cancer, this is only following a long delay, such as 15 years.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a cancer that occurs in the tissues of the breast. It involves a group of abnormal cells which start to have abnormal growth patterns. It is a illness which is found primarily in women, although approximately 1% of breast cancer occurs in men.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer that occurs in women and following lung cancer, it is the second leading cause of cancer death in females. 184,200 new cases of breast cancer were reported in the year 2000 by the American Cancer Society, and this figure appears to be rising on a yearly basis.
The breasts in women are a complicated piece of machinery which consist of glands, fat and connective fibrous tissue. They have several lobes, divided into lobules which end in the milk glands. There are tiny ducts which from the numerous tiny glands and after connecting together, end in the nipple.
Eighty percent of breast cancer cases occur in these ducts, and this condition is known as infiltrating ductal cancer. Cancer which develops in the lobules is known as lobular cancer and approximately 10-15% of breast cancers are this type of cancer. Other types of cancers are known as inflammatory breast cancer.
Changes such as precancerous changes (known as in situ) are also common in women. These are changes which have not spread from the place in the breast where they started. When these changes do occur within the ducts, the condition is known as ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS. When they occur in the lobules, they are known as lobular carcinomas in situ or LCIS. Routine mammography routinely diagnoses DCIS.
The most serious types of breast cancer are known as metastatic cancer. This type of cancer involves the spread of the cancer from the place where it began. It most commonly metatasizes into the lymph nodes above the collarbone or under the arms on the same side of the cancer. This results in pain and swelling to the affected area as the lymphatic drainage system is then compromised. Other common sites of breast cancer metastasis include the brain, liver and the bones.
Approximately 50% of women who develop breast cancer do not have any risk factors apart from age and their gender. Due to the fact breast cancer occurs mostly in women, their sex is the biggest risk factor.
Another critical factor is age. Although breast cancer can and does occur at any age, the risk of developing it increases as you get older. A normal woman aged 30 will usually have a 1 in 280 chance of developing breast cancer during the next ten years of her life. This then increases to a probable 1 in 70 chance of developing breast cancer when she reaches the age of 40 to 50 years.
The risk factor for breast cancer is also affected by family history. This risk is at its highest if a close relative has developed cancer of the breast at a young age. The risk increases further if the relative is close such as a mother, aunt or daughter. There has recently been found what is thought to be a cancer gene which can be passed down from mother to daughter.

Breast Cancer Doesnt Have To Be A Killer

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, it doesn’t mean you will soon be dying. The key to surviving breast cancer is knowledge of the disease, risk factors, warning signs to watch for, and knowledge about your treatment choices. Knowledge is important before you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and especially after a diagnosis has been made.

First, you need to know what your risk factors are. Does someone in your immediate family, your mother, sister, or cousin have breast cancer? Other risk factors include the beginning age of your periods, when they stopped, and if you have had a child and breast-fed that child. Being knowledgeable about your risk factors, and how to watch for signs of the disease is important to keep you as healthy as possible. Know how diet and exercise will help you reduce your chances of getting breast cancer. Be sure you are doing monthly self-breast exams and report to your doctor for regular checkups and breast exams.

A recent study has decided that a breast cancer patient needs to be aware of all choices available to her. Surgeons, radiologists, and cancer specialists should examine the patient and together decide what choices the patient has. In America, early detection is being stressed to reduce the death rate among breast cancer patients. Also noted, it isn’t always necessary to remove the entire breast. In lower income level countries, the doctor will opt to remove the entire breast. Usually that happens because the disease has advanced through the body before it is detected.

Knowing and understanding your treatment choices are important before you make any decisions about your breast cancer treatment. You should seek information about any surgical procedure your doctor recommends, and research chemotherapy and radiation as treatment choices.

Researchers and doctors are rethinking the standard procedure for total mastectomy as treatment for breast cancer. Some are recommending lumpectomies and partial removals for all but the most advanced cases of cancer. Education and knowing what choices are available to you will help you make the best decision about treatment for your disease.

New drugs are being tested and developed every year to help fight this disease. Recovery rates in the United States for breast cancer patients are 86 percent. That is much higher than when my cousin was diagnosed with breast cancer twenty years ago. Good diet habits, exercise, and reducing your intake of alcohol and tobacco products will give you a much higher survival rate.

Two new drugs, Tamoxifen and Raloxifene are being used to lessen the chances of breast cancer recurring. Regular mammograms, self-exams, and doctor visits are important tools in catching this disease before it becomes deadly. Information is available from the American Cancer Association, the Susan Komen Foundation, and many websites on the Internet. Do your research, be prepared to ask questions, and know what your choices are. Don’t be afraid to fight a disease that used to be a deadly killer.

Basic information about breast cancer

While breast cancer is a terrible disease that affects a vast cross-section of the population, few people know much information about exactly what causes the disease. In this article, we’ll give a basic outline of how breast cancer develops as well as some other basic information.
To understand breast cancer fully, you need to understand the actual composition of breasts. Breasts are made of entities known as lobes. These lobes contain smaller ‘lobules’, which are miniature lobes which contain glands that produce milk. When nursing, milk comes from the lobules and through ducts that bring the milk to the nipple. Lymph nodes are also contained in the breast, which are used by the body to help expel harmful bacteria, cancerous cells, and other dangerous entities. Besides these basic parts, the rest of the breast is composed of fat tissue.
Now that you can see exactly what the breast is composed of, it’s time to discuss what causes cancerous cells to be created. Cancerous cells are formed when normal cells grow and divide improperly. This can be due to the creation of new cells when the body does not find them necessary or the extended life of old cells which were expected by the body to die. These unnecessary cells can sometimes split off and multiply, causing a growth or a tumor. There are two types of tumors: benign and malignant. Benign tumors, while ominously named, are not cancerous. They are rarely life threatening and can usually be removed. Benign tumors tend to not spread to other parts of the body, making them easy to contain. Malignant tumors, on the other hand, represent the formal term for cancer. The risks caused by these growths can be very dire; while they can often be removed, they are known to grow back. They can also spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body, causing immense trauma to your health.
Breast cancer in itself usually begins in the lymph nodes of the breast. Breast cancer is one of the cancers that are known to spread throughout the body; the bones of the body, the liver, the lungs and the brain are some of the more common organs that breast cancer may spread to. When the cancer spreads, it does not form a new type of cancer – it is a new infection of breast cancer, just in a different location of the body. Breast cancer most commonly occurs in women who are over the age of 40. Younger women and even men can be afflicted with breast cancer, but those 40 and over need to take particular care. It is recommended by doctors for women 40 and up to get a mammogram once per year. Early detection is the key to surviving breast cancer; if the cancer is allowed enough time to metastasize, it can be a much more serious problem to contain. It is also advised to regularly get a breast exam; this is a quick 10 minute procedure which can be done by your doctor. In addition, you can perform self-exams in the home by following a few simple steps. Common symptoms that may accompany breast cancer include a change in appearance of the breast or nipple. The nipple may be inverted, turning inwards towards the breast, or the breast may suddenly change shape or size. Nipple discharge is also a symptom of breast cancer. If you think these symptoms apply to you, seek a health care professional’s opinion immediately.