Rabu, 25 Maret 2009

What is Breast Cancer?

Executive Summary By Ryan Lawson

Breast cancer is a disease caused by the formation of cancerous (malignant) cells that can occur within one or more breasts. According to some sources, bladder cancer is believed to be the second most common type of cancer (lung cancer is #1). Amongst women, however, breast cancer far exceeds other forms of cancer, including cervical, as the most common cancer.

Whom is at risk for breast cancer?
Women are approximately 100 times more likely to develop breast cancer than men; women are at higher risk primarily because of growth effects of female hormones such as estrogen. In addition, those age 55 and older are much more likely to develop this cancer than those under 55. Research indicates that about two-thirds of all breast cancers occur in individuals 55 and older.

Signs and Symptoms
The most obvious and common symptom is a lump on the breast that feels different from the surrounding breast tissue. It is believed, according to studies done by Merck, that approximately 80% of all breast cancer cases are discovered as a lump by the individual. However, lumps can also be found not only in the breasts, but in the collar bone as well as the armpit.

Other signs that breast cancer may be developing include: Nipple discharge, changes in the size, shape, or feel of the breast, skin dimpling, inversion of the nipple.

Warning: It is notable, that not all forms of breast cancer can be detectable by a sign or symptom during the initial stages. Periodic mammograms should be undergone by the patient as recommended by a physician.

Diagnosis
To diagnose breast cancer, a physician will need to surgically remove and test a sample of the tissue. This is known, more formally, as a breast biopsy. The most common procedures for conducting a biopsy include: Ductal lavage, fine needle aspiration, core needle biopsy, large core surgical, open surgical incision

Once the tissue has been removed through a biopsy, it will be sent to a lab where it is examined through a microscope by a pathologist to determine if its cancerous. Fortunately, in more than half of all biopsies, the sample tissue is found to be benign (non-cancerous). If the tissue is cancerous, however, the next step that will be performed is to determine which stage the cancer is currently in.

Source : Ezinearticles.


What is Cancer ?

Definition of Cancer
Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems.

There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Most cancers are named for the organ or type of cell in which they start - for example, cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer; cancer that begins in basal cells of the skin is called basal cell carcinoma.

Types of Cancer
Cancer types can be grouped into broader categories. The main categories of cancer include:
  • Carcinoma, cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs.
  • Sarcoma, cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue.
  • Leukemia, cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood.
  • Lymphoma and myeloma, cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system.
  • Central nervous system cancers, cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.
Origins of Cancer
To understand cancer, it's helpful to know what happens when normal cells become cancer cells. The body is made up of many types of cells. These cells grow and divide in a controlled way to produce more cells as they are needed to keep the body healthy. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new cells.

However, sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. The genetic material (DNA) of a cell can become damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor.

Not all tumors are cancerous; tumors can be benign or malignant.
  • Benign tumors aren't cancerous. They can often be removed, and, in most cases, they do not come back. Cells in benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.
  • Malignant tumors are cancerous. Cells in these tumors can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis.
Some cancers do not form tumors. For example, leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood.

Many studies have been done into how a healthy lifestyle and eating habits help lower a person risk of getting a cancer. Quitting smoking, cutting out the alcohol, eating a healthy balanced diet, regular exercise greatly help your chance of not getting cancer.

If you are worried that you may have cancer or perhaps, have a history of cancer in your family, it may benefit you to visit your doctor and get some more information on the matter. Don't leave it too long, the key to beating cancer is to treat it before it spreads too far.

Sources : Ezinearticles, National Cancer Institue