Breast Cancer

What is breast cancer?

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Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast.The breast is made up of lobes and ducts. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes, which have many smaller sections called lobules. Lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk. The lobes, lobules, and bulbs are linked by thin tubes called ducts.Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women (excluding skin cancers). About 10% of American women will have it during their lifetimes. There are several types of breast cancer, but most occur in the breast ducts or lobes. The chance of getting breast cancer increases with age; women over 60 are especially at risk. Regular breast self-examination & mammography are important for early detection.

What is Cancer?

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The name for diseases in which the body's cells become abnormal and divide without control. Cancer cells may invade nearby tissues. And they may spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body.

Symptoms of breast cancer

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Early breast cancer can in some cases be painful. Usually breast cancer is discovered before any symptoms are present, either on mammography or by feeling a breast lump. A lump under the arm or above the collarbone that does not go away may be present. Other possible symptoms include breast discharge, nipple inversion and changes in the skin overlying the breast

How is Cancer formed?

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Cancer cells are formed from normal cells due to a modification / mutation of DNA and/or RNA. These modifications / mutations can occur spontaneously (II Law of Thermodynamics - increase of entropy) or they may be induced by other factors such as: nuclear radiation, electromagnetic radiation (microwaves, X-rays, Gamma-rays, Ultraviolet-rays, etc.), viruses, bacteria and fungi, parasites (due to tissue inflamation/irritation), heat, chemicals in the air, water and food, mechanical cell-level injury, free radicals, evolution and ageing of DNA and RNA, etc.
All these can produce mutations that may start cancer.
Cancer can be called therefore "Entropic Disease" since it is associated with the increase of entropy of the organism to the point where the organism cannot correct this itself. External intervention is required to allow the organism to return to an stable entropic state.Cancer cells are formed continuously in the organism (it is estimated that there are about 10,000 cancer cells at any given time in a healthy person). The question is why some of these result in macroscopic-level cancers and some don't. First, not all damaged cells can multiply and many of them die quickly. Those which have the potential to divide and form cancer are effectively destroyed by the various mechanisms available to the immune system. This process takes place continuously.
Therefore cancer develops if the immune system is not working properly and/or the amount of cells produced is too great for the immune system to eliminate. The rate of DNA and RNA mutations can be too high under some conditions such as: unhealthy environment (due to radiation, chemicals, etc.), poor diet (unhealthy cell environment), people with genetic predispositions to mutations and people of advanced age (above 80).

Screening and Diagnosis of Breadt Cancer

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looking for evidence of disease before signs or symptoms appear is the key to finding breast cancer in its early, treatable stages. Depending on your age and risk factors, screening may include breast self-examination, examination by your nurse or doctor (clinical breast exam), mammograms (mammography) or other tests.
Breast self-examination
Breast self-examination is an option beginning at age 20. By becoming proficient at breast self-examination and familiar with the usual appearance and feel of your breasts, you may be able to detect early signs of cancer. Learn how your breasts typically look and feel and watch for changes. If you detect a change, promptly bring it to your doctor's attention. Have your doctor review your examination technique if you'd like input or you have questions.
Clinical breast exam
Unless you have a family history of cancer or other factors that place you at high risk, the American Cancer Society recommends having clinical breast exams once every three years until age 40. After that, the American Cancer Society recommends having a yearly clinical exam.During this exam, your doctor examines your breasts for lumps or other changes. He or she may be able to feel lumps you miss when you examine your own breasts and will also check for enlarged lymph nodes in your armpit (axilla).
Mammogram
A mammogram, which uses a series of X-ray images of your breast tissue, is currently the best imaging technique for detecting tumors before you or your doctor can feel them. For that reason, the American Cancer Society has long recommended screening mammography for all women over 40

Breast Cancer Treatment

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In recent years, there's been an explosion of life-saving treatment advances against breast cancer, bringing new hope and excitement. Instead of only one or two options, today there's an overwhelming menu of treatment choices that fight the complex mix of cells in each individual cancer. The decisions—surgery, then perhaps radiation, hormonal (anti-estrogen) therapy, and/or chemotherapy—can feel overwhelming.
Overview of Options
What types of treatment are available and which might be appropriate for you.
Surgery Breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy), mastectomy, and lymph node dissection, and what to expect from each.
Radiation Therapy What it is, who it's for, advantages, side effects, and what to expect when you get it.Herceptin How it works, who should get it, how it's given, side effects, and major studies.
Hormonal Therapy The link between hormones and breast cancer and how different groups of drugs—including ERDs, SERMs and aromatase inhibitors—can affect that link.
Chemo therapy Who should get it, how it works, different types, side effects and how to manage them.
Targeted Therapies How targeted therapies work, different types, who they're for, and side effected.
Complementary Medicine How complementary medicine techniques such as acupuncture, meditation, and yoga could be a helpful addition to your regular medical treatment. Includes research on complementary techniques and ways to find qualified practitioners.
Building Long-Term Health Why it's so important to stick to your treatment plan, take the full course of medications, and continue with regular tests and doctors' visits to keep yourself healthy into the future.

Precursors of Cancer and Cancer Prevention

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A weak or non-functioning immune system, poor health, an unhealthy environment and advanced age (over 80) can contribute to cancer. In the majority of people cancer can be prevented with proper lifestyle which consists of a low-entropy diet, exercise, sleep, stress reduction, etc. In most cases cancer develops slowly over many years. With a positive change of lifestyle and healthy environment this trend can be reversed in the majority of cases (probably in 90% -> 95%) - the cancer will shrink and eventually disappear.

New Research in Cancer Treatment

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Genetically engineered bacteria and virusesSome new promising research uses genetically engineered bacteria and viruses to infect and destroy cancer cells. This could be useful when cancer is already advanced and there are large masses of cancer cells. The potential drawback of these methods is the generation of large amounts of toxins from dying cancer cells, which in turn can suppress the immune system or even kill the patient. Also bacteria and viruses very often mutate which in turn can lead to infection and attack on healthy, non-cancerous cells.
Anti-cancer vaccines Anti-cancer vaccines or even custom-made anti-cancer vaccines for a particular patient and cancer type are also a very promising line of research. By providing fragments of cancer cells to the immune system, one can potentially get the immune system response to destroy live cancer cells.
Cancer markers Another promising line of research is related to chemical substances which could be used to mark cancer cells. This in turn will allow easier recognition of these cells by the immune system.
Cancer growth retarders / inhibitors This line of research is related to the use of chemical substances which could retard / inhibit the growth of cancer cells. An interesting research topics are the substances blocking activity of telomerase, the enzyme responsible for the management /elongation of telomeres. Telomerase is found in high concentrations in 80% of tumors and allows tumor cells to gain "immortality" by removing restrictions on the number of cell divisions. This enzyme may also be useful in extending the lifespan of healthy cells and in turn extend the lifespan of the organism (cancer cells and their growth may hold much valuable information about fountain of youth and immortality). All the above mentioned methods show some promise. However these methods by themselves do not provide reliable cancer treatment. It is possible that some of them in conjunction with the non-traditional treatment of cancer (listed below) will become the standard cancer treatment, in the 21st or 22nd century.

"World Cancer Report" by Who

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WHO (World Health Organization, division of UN) estimates that only 4% of all cancers are inherited /genetic and that the majority of cancers are preventable ("World Cancer Report", IARC Press, Lyon 2003). According to this report, various cancers are strongly linked to lifestyle and the environment. It lists many of these factors and carcinogens. Cancer world maps shown in the report illustrate that the majority of cancers are in developed countries - which indicates again a strong link between cancer, lifestyle, diet and environment. This statistical data is very consistent with the cancer model outlined in this paper."World Cancer Report" by WHO