| Mammograms are routinely prescribed by women's | | | | cancer where extensive metastasis or spreading has |
| physicians as a means of early detection and | | | | occurred to involve vital organs - lungs, liver, bones |
| diagnosis of breast cancer. Doctors are persistent in | | | | and/or brain. |
| this recommendation because breast cancer is the | | | | Treatments and Therapies |
| second most common cause of cancer deaths in | | | | Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Some tumors |
| women after lung cancer. With early diagnosis and | | | | can be inhibited by hormones. To determine if a |
| treatment, 97% of women with localized breast | | | | particular tumor is sensitive to hormone exposure, a |
| cancer are alive 5 years later. | | | | biopsy is performed, and a hormone receptor test is |
| Once breast cancer has been found, further tests will | | | | conducted. This receptor test also helps determine |
| be determining the extent of the cancer, a process | | | | the probability of a tumor return. Physicians often use |
| known as staging. Understanding the extent of the | | | | HRT in combination with other cancer therapies. |
| cancer helps in the formation of an effective | | | | Surgery of varying types is performed to remove |
| treatment plan. The following stages are used for | | | | cancerous cells. It may be a radical surgery where |
| breast cancer: | | | | extensive tissue, (the entire breasts) and/or lymph |
| Stage 0 is used to describe early cancers, which | | | | nodes, are involved; or something more conservative, |
| make up15-20% of all breast cancers. These early | | | | such as a lumpectomy, removing only the suspect |
| cancers are referred to as 'carcinoma in situ' or | | | | tissue. |
| 'cancer in place'. Occasionally an abnormality or lump | | | | Radiation therapy applies specialized x-rays to cancer |
| seen on a mammogram is biopsied. With carcinoma in | | | | cells and is less devastating now that ways to target |
| situ, a woman has a 25% chance of developing | | | | the radiation are being used. Radiation is used with |
| breast cancer in the next 25 years. | | | | other treatments when, for example, surgery would |
| Stage 1 is characterized by a localized cancer, no | | | | carry too much risk for the loss of critical tissue. |
| bigger than 2 centimeters or 1", and involves only | | | | Chemotherapy, a standard, uses ever-more targeted |
| breast tissue.Stage II has several different set of | | | | drugs to kill cancer cells. The newest drugs are |
| criteria. | | | | tailored to specific cancer cell characteristics both |
| Cancer | | | | internal and external. |
| Cancer 2 - 5 centimeters (1"-2"), with or without | | | | Two of the newer techniques, biological therapy, a |
| lymph node involvement. | | | | more holistic approach to use the individual's own |
| Cancer > 5 centimeters (>2"), without | | | | immune system, and bone marrow transplants, |
| involvement of the lymph nodes. | | | | designed to protect the spread of cancer to the |
| Stage III is divided into several categories, with all | | | | bone, are also being tested. While new treatments |
| involving cancer >5 centimeters, but varying by | | | | are showing success at treating and inhibiting cancers, |
| the involvement of nodes, skin, chest wall, and/or | | | | the best recommendation from the medical |
| bones. | | | | community is for prevention. |
| Stage IV is the most critical, being the stage of | | | | |