1. Ductal Carcinoma Is Common
Doctors tell nearly 80 percent of breast-cancer patients that they have ductal carcinoma. This is how pathologists categorize cancers that arise in the milk ducts in breast tissue. Pathologists further classify ductal carcinomas into a dozen subtypes, which only sometimes have any bearing on the doctor's treatment-planning. Unless a woman receives a diagnosis of a particularly aggressive subtype of ductal breast cancer, such as inflammatory breast cancer, the stage of the cancer matters more than the cellular type.
2. The Link Between Hormone-Replacement Therapy and Breast Cancer
Although lobular breast cancer is less common than other types of breast cancer, the incidence of lobular carcinoma is increasing. Researchers suggest more women are developing lobular carcinoma because of the increased use of estrogen and progestin hormone-replacement therapy to reduce symptoms of menopause. The increase of lobular carcinoma concerns doctors because this cancer is more difficult to detect on a mammogram because it resembles normal tissue in the image.
3. Men Get Breast Cancer, Too
Fewer than 1 percent of breast cancer cases occur in men. However, because most people think breast cancer is strictly a woman's disease, male breast-cancer patients usually receive their diagnosis at a later stage, when treatments are less likely to result in a cure. Male breast cancer occurs later in life, usually when men are in their 60's or 70's. The major symptom for men is the same as it is for women: a lump in the breast. Risk factors include a strong family history of female breast cancer or a history of estrogen exposure. Men with these risk factors can ask their doctors about an appropriate checkup schedule to find problems early.
4. When You're Pregnant
Breast cancer is uncommon in pregnant women, but incidences are increasing because women are having children in their late 30's and 40's. Pregnant women experience breast changes that can mask breast-cancer symptoms, such as the engorgement that occurs as the breasts prepare to manufacture milk. These changes can delay a proper diagnosis, as women confuse the symptoms of breast cancer for normal pregnancy-related changes. Pregnant women can safely receive a diagnostic mammogram for breast cancer, but the doctor usually needs to remove tissue from any suspicious mass to confirm cancer is present.
5. Look for Dimpled Skin
A rare type of breast cancer sometimes doesn't show up on a mammogram, but women can watch for its symptoms. Women with inflammatory breast cancer may notice the skin of the breast appears dimpled, similar to an orange peel. Other symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include a feeling of warmth in the breast, or swelling, rash or redness. This kind of breast cancer spreads quickly without treatment, so women with these symptoms need to act quickly and make an appointment with a physician.
