Cancer Risk: Understanding the Puzzle

NCI Web Site Topic Page for Breast Cancer: Cancer Topics: Breast Cancer
Main page for breast cancer on the NCI Web site.
Overviews: What You Need To Know About Breast Cancer
Detection, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer.

NIH Senior Health: Breast Cancer
Web site that features authoritative and up-to-date information in a format tailored to older adults.

Understanding Breast Changes: A Health Guide for Women
Explains the most common types of breast changes and the routine tests that your doctor may order to learn more about these changes.
Prevention, Genetics, Causes: Information related to prevention, genetics, and risk factors.

Breast Cancer Prevention
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about factors that may increase the risk of developing breast cancer and about research aimed at the prevention of this disease.
Genetics: Genetics of Breast and Ovarian Cancer (PDQ®)
Expert-reviewed information summary about the genetics of breast and ovarian cancer, including information about specific genes and family cancer syndromes. The summary also contains information about interventions that may influence the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer in individuals who may be genetically susceptible to these diseases. Psychosocial issues associated with genetic testing are also discussed.

Genetic Testing for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk
Information on how genes affect risk, altered breast cancer genes, and considerations surrounding genetic testing.

Genetic Testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2: It's Your Choice
Answers to questions about the genes involved in hereditary breast cancer risk.

Understanding Cancer Series: Gene Testing
Slide show illustrating what genes are, and how mutations occur and are identified within genes. Also discusses the benefits and limitations of gene testing for cancer and other disorders.

Search: Cancer Genetics Services Directory
Database of professionals who provide services related to cancer genetics.
Screening and Testing: Information about methods of cancer detection, including new imaging technologies, tumor markers, and biopsy procedures.

Breast Cancer Screening
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about tests used to detect or screen for breast cancer.

FDA Certified Mammography Facilities
List of mammography facilities certified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as meeting baseline quality standards for equipment, personnel, and practices.
Treatment: Information about treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and vaccine therapy.
Clinical Trials: Breast Cancer Trial Results
Summaries of newsworthy clinical trial results.

Search for Clinical Trials
Search engine for clinical trials that are open to participants by type of cancer, stage/subtype of cancer, type of trial, and location of trial.
Research: What You Need To Know About Breast Cancer: The Promise Of Cancer Research
Research being conducted on prevention, screening, and treatment of prostate cancer.

Cancer Research Portfolio
Search for research projects currently under way, by type of research, type of cancer, and participating institutions.
Related Topics: Probability of Breast Cancer in American Women
Breast cancer data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program's Cancer Statistics Review 1975-2002.

Menopausal Hormone Use
Information on menopausal hormone use, sometimes called hormone replacement therapy.

DES: Questions and Answers
Fact sheet about DES (diethylstilbestrol), a synthetic form of estrogen, and the health problems of children who were exposed to DES while in the womb.
Other Resources: Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool
An interactive tool that allows doctors to estimate a woman's absolute risk of developing invasive breast cancer over the next 5 years for women age 35 to 90 years (lifetime risk) based on the woman's age and the risk factor information provided.

Staying Healthy
Behaviors you can change to live a healthier lifestyle.

Get More Information From the National Cancer Institute
How to get additional information from the National Cancer Institute.

Your Disease Risk: Cancer
An interactive tool from the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention that estimates your risk of cancer and provides tips for prevention.

Breast Cancer — Step 5: Find More Information	email this page
Use this step to check out additional information on breast cancer. It is important to know that there is still much to be learned. Some aspects of breast cancer are still controversial. Researchers are conducting clinical trials to find more definitive answers.