Age And Physical Risk Factors In Breast Cancer

Age is likely the most important overall factor associated with breast cancer risk. Breast cancer risk increases in the older post-menopausal population. For this reason, all breast cancer screening recommendations are based primarily on age. Obesity, however, may be the single most preventable risk factor associated with breast cancer. With the dramatic increase in obesity in the U.S., this may be the number one reason for a persistently high incidence in breast cancer. Other physical factors also play some roles in breast cancer risk. These include height, body shape, breast size, and mammographic density. These physical factors are summarized below.

Body Weight and Breast Cancer: A woman's body weight does affect her risk of breast cancer but the effect is different for premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer. Most studies have found that heavier women (weighing more than 175 pounds) have a lower risk of breast cancer before menopause and higher risk of breast cancer after menopause, compared to thinner women (weighing less than 130 pounds). Since 80% of breast cancers occur after menopause, the negative effects of obesity far outweigh the beneficial effects. The results are the same whether body weight is examined directly or if body mass index is used to adjust for the effects of height on body weight.

Body Shape and Breast Cancer: Several human studies have found that women who carry more of their body fat on their stomach (apple shaped) have higher rates of postmenopausal breast cancer compared to women with more of their body fat around their hips (pear shaped). This seems to be true regardless of women's body weight. The relationship of the location of fat on the body and premenopausal breast cancer risk has not been clearly determined

Height and Breast Cancer: A woman's height has been associated with breast cancer risk in many studies. Taller women (5' 9" or taller) have a small increase in risk of both premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer compared to shorter women (5' 3" or shorter). A person's height is determined by the interaction of genetics and nutrition. How height might affect breast cancer risk is unclear.

Breast Size and Breast Cancer: There is a popular belief that small breasts are at lower risk of breast cancer. This theory has been used to explain why women with breast implants have a smaller risk of breast cancer. However, most studies have found no association between breast size and breast cancer risk. One study, however, did find an increase in the risk of breast cancer among lean women with larger breasts. In this study, more than 4,000 women were grouped according to their bra size before childbirth. Women who were lean (chest size less than 34 inches) and had larger breasts (size B, C or larger cups) were at higher risk of post menopausal breast cancer relative to women of the same chest size with an A or smaller cup size. Women with other chest sizes had no association between breast cup size and breast cancer risk. More studies are needed to confirm these results

Mammographic density: Numerous epidemiological studies have shown that breast density as measured on mammograms is a significant risk factor for breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer associated with the highest category of density has been estimated to be much greater than in the lowest density category. Mammographic density appears to be predictive for developing invasive cancer after DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ). Increasing density is associated with increasing breast cancer risk in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, with the effect persisting for ten years after mammography. Mammographic density has also been shown to be a risk factor for breast cancer in women with a family history of the disease. Mammographic density is probably important even in patients who are BRCA gene positive. In fact, mammographic density may actually have a substantial heritable component.

Dr. Mai Brooks is a surgical oncologist/general surgeon, with expertise in early detection and prevention of cancer. More at www.drbrooksmd.com, thecancerexperience.wordpress.com and progressreportoncancer.wordpress.com.

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The Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer is a subtype of breast cancer that is clinically negative for expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER/PR) and HER2 protein. It is typified by its unique molecular profile, aggressive behavior, distinct patterns of metastasis, and lack of targeted therapies.

It is known that breast cancer is not one appearance of cancer, but lots of various "subtypes" of cancer. Its subtypes are in general diagnosed based upon the presence, or lack of, three "receptors" known to fuel most breast cancers: estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and human epidermal development factor receptor 2 (HER2). The most successful treatments for breast cancer target these receptors.

Unluckily, none of these receptors are discovered in women with triple negative breast cancer. In other words, its diagnosis indicates that the offending tumor is estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-negative and HER2-negative, therefore giving rise to the name "triple negative breast cancer."

It is simply in the last few years that professionals investigating breast cancer have concluded that it is not one disease, but lots of various forms of cancer all creating in the breast. Depending on its stage of diagnosis, triple negative breast cancer could be very aggressive and more probable to return and metastasize than other subtypes of it.
After surgery to get rid of the cancer, chemotherapy is the best option of treatment to undertake and stop triple negative breast cancer returning.

Some usually employed breast cancer treatments like hormone therapy or Herceptin don’t run for triple negative breast cancer. These treatments require attaching to certain receptors. Its cells do not have the right receptors.

The major chemotherapy treatment for triple negative breast cancer is typically a mixture of chemotherapy drugs. The mixture should consist of a type of chemotherapy drug called an anthracycline (doxorubicin or epirubicin).

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How to Treat Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer is a principally aggressive kind of breast cancer that could happen in women of any age (and, even though very uncommonly, in men). It is unique since it frequently does not present with a lump and hence frequently is not detected by mammography or ultrasound.

Inflammatory breast cancer is an uncommon but aggressive type of breast cancer that grows speedily, making the affected breast red, swollen and tender. It's a locally advanced cancer, signifying it has extended from its point of origin to close by tissue and perhaps to nearby lymph nodes.

The early signs of more- usual appearances of breast cancer — a breast lump or suspicious part on a routine, screening mammogram — are frequently absent in inflammatory breast cancer. In its place, the breast might come out normal until tumor cells invade and block lymphatic vessels in the overlying skin. Fluid backs up, and the breast swells and becomes discolored.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) leads to alterations in the nipple and the neighboring parts. Invasion of the local lymphatic ducts impairs drainage and leads to edematous swelling of the breast. Since the skin of the breast is tethered by the suspensory ligament of Cooper, the buildup of fluid causes the skin of the breast to assume a dimpled form reminiscent of the peel of an orange. Other symptoms contain rapid increase in breast size, redness, persistent itching, skin hot to the touch. IBC frequently at first looks like mastitis, and is sometimes misdiagnosed as an insect bite.

We have been taught and are reminded often by public service announcements and by the medical community that when a woman finds out a lump on her breast she ought to go to the doctor right away. Inflammatory breast cancer typically develops in nests or sheets, more willingly than as a confined, solid tumor and thus could be diffuse all through the breast without palpable mass.

A number of women who suffer inflammatory breast cancer might stay undiagnosed for long periods, even while seeing their doctor to study the cause of her symptoms. The symptoms are close to mastitis, a breast infection and a number of doctors, not recognizing IBC, will set down antibiotics. If a reaction to antibiotics is not obvious subsequent to a week, a biopsy ought to be done or a referral to a breast specialist is necessary.

Inflammatory breast cancer could extend more rapidly than other kinds of breast cancer; consequently treatment will frequently be begun immediately. You are probable to be presented a mixture of various treatments that treat both the body as an entirety (systemic treatment), and the breast area separately (local treatment).

Treatment frequently consists of a mixture of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy and also surgery. For the majority types of breast cancer, surgery is typically the first treatment. However, with inflammatory breast cancer, chemotherapy is typically given first. Giving chemotherapy before surgery is known as neo-adjuvant treatment.

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