My Sister's-Keeper
"Am I my Sister's Keeper?"
What is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts in the cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that can grow into surrounding tissues or spread to distant areas of the body. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in the United States (other than skin cancer).
Stages
The stage of breast cancer depends on the size of the breast tumor and whether it has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Doctors describe the stages of breast cancer using the Roman numerals 0, I, II, III, and IV and the letters A, B, and C. A cancer that is Stage I is early stage breast cancer and a cancer that is Stage IV is advanced cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver. The stage often is not known until after surgery to remove the tumor in the breast and one or more underarm lymph nodes.
Source: National Cancer Institute
U.S. Breast Cancer
Statistics
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About 1 in 8 U.S. Women (12%) will develop invasive breast cancer
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Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women.
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Caucasian women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than any other race.
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About 85% of breast cancer in women who have no family history of breast cancer
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As of January 2021, there are more than 3.8 million women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S. This includes women currently being treated and women who have finished treatment.
Source: BreastCancer.org
Some Risk Factors
That You Can Control
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Weight: Being overweight is associated with increased risk of breast cancer.
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Diet: Diet is a suspected risk factor for many types of cancer, it’s a good idea to restrict sources of red meat and other animal fats because they may contain hormones, other growth factors, antibiotics and pesticides.
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Exercise: Evidence is growing that exercise can reduce breast cancer risk.
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Alcohol Consumption: Studies have shown that breast cancer risk increases with the amount of alcohol a woman drinks.
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Smoking: Smoking is associated with a small increase in breast cancer risk
Source: BreastCancer.org
Some Risk Factors
That You Cannot Control
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Gender: Being a woman is the most significant risk factor for developing breast cancer
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Age: Simply growing older is the second biggest risk factor for breast cancer. About two out of three invasive breast cancers are found in women 55 or older.
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Family History: If you have a first-degree relative (mother, daughter, sister) who has had breast cancer, or you have multiple relatives affected by breast or ovarian cancer, you could be at higher risk of getting breast cancer.
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Race: Caucasian women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African American. Asian, Hispanic. But African American women are more likely to develop more aggressive advance-stage breast cancer that is diagnosed at a young age.
Source: BreastCancer.org