Breast cancer is a medical term that strikes fear into the hearts of many women. While we used to believe that it struck randomly, researchers and scientists now know that there are specific risk factors for breast cancer. And, by knowing those risk factors we can reduce our risk for developing this dreaded disease.

A risk factor is anything that affects the chances of getting a disease, such as cancer. Researchers have found that different illnesses and different cancers have very different risk factors. For instance, you have a higher risk of developing skin cancer if you spend hours of unprotected times in the sun. Smoking is a risk factor for cancers of the lung, mouth, bladder, kidney and several other organs.

However, having a risk factor does not necessarily mean you get the disease. It only means that you have a higher risk of getting the disease than other women who do not carry that same risk factor. And, researchers have found that women who don’t appear to carry any risk factor will also develop breast cancer as they grow older.

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It is the fear of most women to discover a lump in her breast. Many times thoughts on breast cancer will enter her mind before her she has even sought the advice of her gynecologist or primary care physician. However, more commonly, breast lump are related to benign conditions that are much less publicized and garner less of the media attention than does breast cancer.

The definition of a lump is the growth of tissue that develops within the breast. The term is often used interchange to describe any mass, swelling, sickness or fullness. Sometimes a lump will have definite borders and at other times it feels more like a general area of thick tissue. Sometimes there are other changes that accompany a breast lump such as skin redness, pitting, pain or unusual discharge.

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Breast cancer is a form of cancer that occurs in the cells of the breast tissue. Interestingly, it can happen in both men and women but it is far more common in women. This is because the breast cells of women are exposed to the growth factors of estrogen and progesterone, much more so than the breast tissue in men.

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the United States. These rates are falling in recent years and, with advances in technology and treatment protocols, survival rates are also increasing. Public support for breast cancer awareness and research funding has also helped to improve the ability of physicians to diagnose the problem and the awareness of women to do breast self-examinations. The number of deaths has been declining, and, thanks to early detection, stage one breast cancer now has a 95% survival rate or greater.

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The symptoms of breast cancer can vary depending upon the type of breast cancer which a woman experiences. Some breast cancers have no obvious symptoms at all and others will form lumps, skin changes or even appear to be an infection. Other conditions that are noncancerous, such as a true infection or cyst, will also have symptoms that are similar to those of breast cancer. For this reason, it is very important for a woman to do a monthly breast examination and have an annual mammogram as well as physical examination by her physician. The combination of these four factors, self exam, mammogram, annual examination and knowledge of the symptoms of breast cancer, will increase the chances that any breast cancer that develops will be found early.

Although cancer is a scary word breast cancer it is no longer considered a death sentence and every day there are more and more survivors. The increase in survival rates can be attributed to the advances in treatment, drug therapy and advancements in the recognition of symptoms. Unfortunately, many times early breast cancer does not cause symptoms which are noticeable to a woman. She may often find a lump on self-examination or have one discovered on mammogram before she notices any symptoms.

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Did you know that there is more than one kind of breast cancer? The media has done a very good job of reminding women that when she discovers a lump on her breast she should go to the doctor immediately. Unfortunately, there is another type of breast cancer which does not present itself as a distinct lump in the tissue but instead grows in sheets of tissue throughout the breast. This is inflammatory breast cancer. Rather than being confined as a solid tumor it is diffuse and there is no palpable mass. The cancer cells will clog the lymphatic system that travels just below the skin which changes the density of the breast tissue on mammogram.

Unfortunately, some women who have inflammatory breast cancer will go undiagnosed for long periods of time, even when seeking the advice of their gynecologist or primary care physician for the reason behind the symptoms. The symptoms for inflammatory breast cancer often appear the same as mastitis, which is a breast infection. Instead of recognizing the possibility or potential for inflammatory breast cancer, some physicians will prescribe an antibiotic and wait several weeks before investigating further.

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