Breast Cancer Facts
·
What
is breast cancer?
o
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.
·
What are the risk factors for developing breast
cancer?
o
Being female and increasing age are the most
significant risk factors
o Other
risk factors include:
§ Family history of breast cancer
§ Never having a child or giving birth to
your first child at age 30 or older
§ Not breastfeeding
§ Beginning menstruation before age 12 or
completing menopause after age 55
§ Alcohol consumption (especially more than
one drink a day)
§ Smoking
§ Not getting regular physical activity
§ Being overweight
§ Using birth control pills
§ Using hormone replacement therapy
§ Having radiation therapy to the
chest/breast
o
Most breast cancer cases occur in women without
any of these additional risk factors, so screening
is important for all women
·
What
are symptoms of breast cancer?
o
A lump or thickening of the breast that feels different from the surrounding
tissue
o
Bloody or abnormal discharge from the nipple
o
Change in the size or shape of a breast
o
Inverted nipple
o
Peeling, scaling or flaking of the nipple or
breast skin
o
Redness or pitting of the skin over your breast,
like the skin of an orange
o
Some
women may not have any symptoms which makes mammograms and other recommended
screening techniques very important
·
Who
should be screened for breast cancer?
o
Yearly
mammograms:
starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good
health
o
Clinical
breast exam: about every 3 years for women in their 20s and
30s and every year for women 40 and over
o
Breast
self-exam: an option for women starting in their 20s.
Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any
breast change promptly to their health care provider.
Addition online resources for
information on breast cancer:
·
American Cancer Society
o
Comprehensive breast cancer information
including information on mammograms, stories of hope, and breast cancer in the
news
·
National Cancer Institute
o
Comprehensive breast cancer information site
·
National Breast Cancer Foundation
o
Comprehensive breast cancer information including
facts and myths, information on mammograms, early detection plans, and stories
of hope
Sarah Pérez, PharmD
UIC College of Pharmacy
UIC Pharmacy
PGY2 Ambulatory Care Resident
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