According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, "genetic testing" covers a wide variety of clinical and non-clinical tests and includes testing of DNA, RNA, and proteins. Breast cancer genetic tests use blood samples or tissue samples...
Some breast cancer tests may be for preventive purposes, such as a mammogram, while others may be for diagnostic reasons, such as a biopsy. Whatever the reason, it is important for women to know what each test is for and what to expect before...
According to the National Cancer Institute, each year mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are linked to over 20,000 cases of breast cancer in the United States. Known mutations in these two genes increase the likelihood by five-fold that an...
Breast cancer is a prevalent and potentially fatal disease. It can develop from any of the cell types that make up the breast, and develop into a tumor that can travel throughout the body, in a process called metastasis. The National Cancer...
The breasts are hormonally-regulated tissues that undergo a series of growth and development cycles throughout life. Breast cancer, the uncontrolled proliferation of cells within the breast, is a progressive and devastating disease that can be...
Breast cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the tissues of the breast. Once someone is in remission from her cancer, the main priority is preventing a recurrence. The best way to detect the early signs of recurrent breast cancer is to...
Breast cancer occurs when the cells in the area of the breast group together and begin to form a tumor. In some cases they can metastasize or spread into nearby tissues or organs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more...
Breast cancer is a type of cancer that begins in breast cells. According to the Mayo Clinic, breast cancer is the most common cancer after skin cancer in women. However, breast cancer rates have dropped likely due to the increase in breast cancer...
Finding a problem with your breasts does not necessarily mean you have breast cancer. Breasts change regularly for various reasons, including pregnancy, breast-feeding and menopause, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and...
Inflammatory breast cancer, or IBC, is a form of the disease that many people many not even know exists. IBC is rare; of all the breast cancer cases diagnosed in the United States, inflammatory breast cancer is the culprit less than 5 percent of...
Breast cancer is a serious cancer that affects many women, as well as men. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Symptoms of breast cancer do not start immediately at onset....
Breast cancer is a progressive and potentially life-threatening disease. It is characterized by the rapid and unregulated proliferation of breast cells leading to tumor formation and invasion of neighboring tissues. Physicians can use breast...
There is currently no generally accepted exercise program for women about to undergo a mastectomy. Breast cancer exercise regimens are specifically tailored for women who are post-mastectomy and designed to help them recover from side effects of...
Breast cancer is a tumor that develops from any of the cell types within the breast. There are several types of breast cancer that differ in their originating cell type, invasiveness and aggressiveness. Breast-cancer screening is a preventive...
Breast cancer consists of four stages; with stage one the least severe and stage four the most severe. A prognosis or survival rate varies widely with each case and is based on many factors. Statistics reported are based on averages and do not...
Genomic Health, a life science company in California, offers Oncotype DX testing. This 21-gene assay provides prediction of chemotherapy benefit for breast cancer patients, as well as recurrence. Validated, the test allows physicians and patients...
Unlike women, there is no regular screening for breast cancer in men at average risk for breast cancer. Breast cancer in males is in general detected because the patients have some symptoms associated with breast cancer, most notably the presence...
A variety of examinations and screening techniques are used to check for breast cancer. At times, a combination of methods is used to look for the disease. Patients who discover their cancer at an early stage have the best chance of survival....
According to the National Cancer Institute, male breast cancer is generally seen in men who are between the ages of 60 and 70 years old and constitutes less than 1 percent of all breast cancer detected. Family history and high levels of estrogen...
Breast cancer is a disease in which cells within the breast mutate and begin to proliferate uncontrollably. Breast cancer detection relies on regular breast examinations and mammograms, and breast cancer diagnosis relies on analysis of breast...
A mammogram can be one of the best tools in detecting early breast cancer, but it can pick up many irregularities in the breasts, including calcium deposits, also known as calcifications, that are not necessarily cancerous.
Doctors divide breast cancer into four stages that take into account various factors. It may depend on the size of the tumor or whether the cancer cells have spread to nearby lymph nodes or to other parts of the body. In stage 4 breast cancer, the...
Silicone implants are a popular procedure for the augmentation of breasts. Silicone implants consist of soft packages of silicone that are surgically implanted into the breast. However, because these implants are artificial, they might mask some...
Cancer is a complex disease that occurs in many forms and by many processes. Consequently, different therapies have been developed to battle the disease. These treatments approach the disease from various angles in an attempt to stop the process...
Stage IV breast cancer is breast cancer that has spread, or metastasized, to other parts of the body besides the breast and lymph nodes. It is also referred to as metastatic breast cancer.
After breast cancer is diagnosed, it is then staged, based on a standardized system of describing the spread and extent of disease. Stage IV breast cancer, also called metastatic breast cancer, is the most advanced stage of the disease, in which...
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in the United States. Breast cancer usually occurs in women, though occasionally men get it as well. It is important to know the signs of breast cancer, because early detection and...
Male breast cancer occurs when malignant cells form in the tissues of the breast according to the National Cancer Institute. Male breast cancer may develop at any age but is usually found in older men between the ages of 60 and 70. High levels of...
Vitamin D plays a role in calcium absorption and bone health. In addition to being important for growth, vitamin D also has a part in immune function. Research has linked low vitamin D levels to a number of chronic diseases, including breast...
