Breast Cancer

Every day, cells in our bodies divide, grow and die. Most of the time cells divide and grow in an orderly fashion, but sometimes they grow out of control. This uncontrolled growth of cells form a mass or a lump called a tumor.

There are two types of breast tumors: non-cancerous tumors (benign) and cancerous tumors (malignant).

Benign breast tumors are not cancerous and are made of tumor cells that do not spread outside the breast in which they appear. Malignant breast tumors are cancerous and are made up of cells that have the ability to spread from the breast to other parts of the body. Because of their ability to spread and grow in other organs, malignant breast tumors can interfere with normal body function and become life-threatening.

More than 200,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. It is the most common form of cancer in women, although some men are also diagnosed with the disease.

Listed below are links for general information about breast cancer.

MEDLINEplus - General information in English and Spanish

Breastcancer.org- Founded by Marisa Weiss, M.D., an oncologist specializing in breast cancer, with an active practice in the Philadelphia region.

Information on Male Breast Cancer in English and Spanish - The National Cancer Institute's page on male breast cancer.

Susan G. Komen Foundation - Specific information on breast cancer

American Cancer Society - Information on all cancers

Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book, 4th Edition http://www.susanlove.com

Diagnosis

As is the case with most cancers, your treatment will depend on a number of factors including where the cancer lies in the breast, and the tumor size and type, usually determined from a biopsy. A biopsy is a diagnostic procedure during which a doctor places a needle or fine wire into the suspicious area. There are a variety of ways in which biopsies are performed, depending on the location and/or size of the suspicious area. In most cases, a biopsy will help determine the best option(s) for treatment.

Listed below are links for general information about diagnosis and detection.

Information on Breast Cancer Screening and Testing - Expert-reviewed information summary about tests used to detect or screen for breast cancer.

Steps to Finding Breast Lumps Early- A step-by-step guide to early detection through self examination.

The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Dection Program- CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides access to critical breast and cervical cancer screening services for underserved women in the United States.