Today’s topic hits close to home for me. Not only because I am a woman but because I am a woman who has a family history of Breast Cancer.
Let me start off with a semi funny story….. When I was younger we would help my grandmother move at least once a year (or so it seemed). That woman could never live in one place for too long. On her final move my siblings and I had started to help her unpack boxes and get organized. This is when my step brother came across a silicone "bubble" as he called it. As he was throwing it around and playing with it he asked my dad what it was. With a very straight face my father answered, "that is your grandmothers other boob", and my stepbrother freaked out and dropped it quickly. Due to Breast Cancer my grandmother had to have a partial mastectomy.
*A little fact that most people don’t know is that men can also get breast cancer. But they account for 1% of all breast cancer cases. *
"Breast Cancer develops in the breast tissue, primarily in the milk ducts (ductal carcinoma) or glands (lobular carcinoma). The cancer is still called breast cancer and treated as breast cancer even if it is first discovered after traveling to other areas of the body. In those cases, the cancer is referred to as metastatic or advanced breast cancer. (WebMD.com)
Two different forms of cancer are, benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous). The only safe way to distinguish between the two is to have your doctor do a biopsy, in which case they remove a piece of the tissue to be tested.
There are various stages of breast cancer much like any other form of cancer. And go as follows:
· Stage 1 is when the cancer is two centimeters or less in size and it hasn’t spread anywhere.
· Stage 2A is a tumor less than two centimeters across with lymph node involvement or a tumor that is larger than two but less than 5 centimeters across without underarm lymph node involvement.
· Stage 2B is a tumor that is greater than five centimeters across without lymph node involvement or a tumor that is larger than two but less than five centimeters across with lymph node involvement.
· Stage 3A is also called locally advanced breast cancer. The tumor is larger than five centimeters and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm, or a tumor that is any size with the involvement of 4-9 axillary lymph nodes.
· Stage 3B is a tumor of any size that has spread to the skin, chest wall, or internal mammary lymph nodes (located beneath the breast and inside the chest). Inflammatory breast cancer falls into this category.
· Stage 3C is a tumor of any size that has spread to more than 10 axillary lymph nodes.
· Sate 4 is defined as a tumor, regardless of size, that has spread to places far away from the breast, such as bones, lungs, liver, brain or distant lymph nodes.
For women who are going in to visit their doctors and need to know what to ask here are a list of question provided by the Mayo Clinic:
· What type of breast cancer do I have?
· What is the stage of my cancer?
· Can you explain my pathology report to me? Can I have a copy for my records?
· Do I need any more tests?
· What treatment options are available for me?
· What are the benefits from each treatment you recommend?
· What are the side effects of each treatment option?
· Will treatment cause menopause?
· How will each treatment affect my daily life? Can I continue working?
· Is there one treatment you recommend over the others?
· How do you know that these treatments will benefit me?
· What would you recommend to a friend or family member in my situation?
· How quickly do I need to make a decision about cancer treatment?
· What happens if I don't want cancer treatment?
· What will cancer treatment cost?
· Does my insurance plan cover the tests and treatment you're recommending?
· Should I seek a second opinion? Will my insurance cover it?
· Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites or books do you recommend?
It is important for woman to get tested regularly for breast cancer. There are many different ways that you can do it, they are as followed (also provided by the Mayo Clinic):
· Breast exam. Your doctor will check both of your breasts, feeling for any lumps or other abnormalities.
· Mammogram. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. Mammograms are commonly used to screen for breast cancer. If an abnormality is detected on a screening mammogram, your doctor may recommend a diagnostic mammogram to further evaluate that abnormality.
· Breast ultrasound. Ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images of structures deep within the body. Ultrasound may help distinguish between a solid mass and a fluid-filled cyst.
· Removing a sample of breast cells for testing (biopsy). Biopsy samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis where experts determine whether the cells are cancerous. A biopsy sample is also analyzed to determine the type of cells involved in the breast cancer, the aggressiveness (grade) of the cancer, and whether the cancer cells have hormone receptors or other receptors that may influence your treatment options.
· Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI machine uses a magnet and radio waves to create pictures of the interior of your breast. Before a breast MRI, you receive an injection of dye.
Having breast cancer or any form of cancer for that matter can be extremely stressful on not only your body but your mind and those who are caring for you. After a diagnosis of breast cancer your doctor will advise you on the best course of treatment for your case.
Below you will find a few website that you can visit to help support those with breast cancer, cancer research and over all education on the matter.
· http://ww5.komen.org/Default.aspx
· http://bcsupport.org/
Thank you so much for reading today and I hope to have back next week for my blog on The Common Flu and how it affects the Elderly.
Thanks-
Chrissy
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