BREAST CANCER

Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women today (after lung cancer) and is the most common cancer in women, except for nonmelanoma skin cancer. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1,2 million people will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year worldwide. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2001 approximately 192,200 new cases of invasive breast cancer (stages I-IV) will be diagnosed among women in the United States. Another 46,400 women will be diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in site (DCIS), noninvasive breast cancer. DCIS is the earliest form of breast cancer confined to the milk ducts of the breast. Although much less common, breast cancer occurs in men. About 1500 cases will be diagnosed in men in 2001. Body: A Discussion and Analysis

Breast cancer symptoms include unusual lump or change in size or shape of the breast, puckering, or ripples in the skin of the breast, retreating from the nipple, swelling of the shoulder or in the armpit or just above the chest, or pain or discomfort (though the pain is rarely a symptom of breast cancer) . Only 1 in 40 women who report any of these symptoms, the doctor found the cancer. Morbidity and Mortality

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, the life a woman's risk is 1 in 12. In the UK there are approximately 32,500 new cases annually and 14,500 deaths. This cancer is mainly elderly women with about half of cases appear in women who are over 65 years. It also affects about 220 people a year. Despite the increase in morbidity and mortality from breast cancer begin to decline or level off in many European countries, including Britain, where mortality from disease has declined by 10 percent in the last five years. Morbidity and mortality vary greatly between countries. Age-standardized, per 100.000 women, morbidity and mortality in Australia, 59.6 and 21.41 in England and Wales, 56.1 and 30.27. A study in Miyagi, Japan, produced relatively low numbers of 27.8 and 6.11.

As with most cancers, earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the greater the chance for a cure. Stage 1 is a cancer at an early stage, stage 4, which has already spread to many organs. In the UK survival rates by stage of cancer development are as follows: 84 percent (step 1), 71 percent (Phase 2), 48 percent (step 3), 18 per cent (stage 4). Early detection

Early detection of all important. Research in the UK and Sweden have shown that small breast cancers, those less than 15 mm (1 inch) in diameter, are less likely to have spread and are less aggressive. In 1994-1995, the National Breast Screening Program identified 6,500 cancer, and 2660 were less than 15 mm. Nearly 20 percent of cancer was found not to behave aggressively, that is, they do not spread beyond the breast ducts. In the UK, all women from 50 to 65 are invited for a mammogram (breast X-ray) every three ...