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Summary
Breast cancer affects one in eight women during their lives. No one knows why some women get breast cancer, but there are many risk factors. Risks that you cannot change include
- Age - the risk rises as you get older
- Genes - two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, greatly increase the risk. Women who have family members with breast or ovarian cancer may wish to be tested for the genes.
- Personal factors - beginning periods before age 12 or going through menopause after age 55
Other risks include obesity, using hormone replacement therapy (also called menopausal hormone therapy), taking birth control pills, drinking alcohol, not having children or having your first child after age 35, and having dense breasts.
Symptoms of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in size or shape of the breast, and discharge from a nipple. Breast self-exams and mammography can help find breast cancer early, when it is most treatable. One possible treatment is surgery. It could be a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. Other treatments include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy. Targeted therapy uses substances that attack cancer cells without harming normal cells.
Men can have breast cancer, too, but it is rare.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
Latest News
- When Loved One Has Breast Cancer, Partner Suffers, Too (01/23/2017, HealthDay)
- Could Grilled, Smoked Meats Lower Survival After Breast Cancer? (01/18/2017, HealthDay)
- 'Chemo Brain' Lasts for Months in Many Breast Cancer Survivors (01/11/2017, HealthDay)
- More News on Breast Cancer
Diagnosis and Tests
- Breast Exam (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- How Is Breast Cancer Diagnosed? (American Cancer Society)
- Lymphoscintigraphy (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
- Magnetic Resonance (MR)-Guided Breast Biopsy (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
- MRI of the Breast (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
- Needle Biopsy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Nipple Aspirate Test Is No Substitute for Mammogram (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
- Risk Assessment, Genetic Counseling, and Genetic Testing for BRCA-Related Cancer in Women (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) - PDF
- Stages of Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Stereotactic (Mammographically Guided) Breast Biopsy (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
- Ultrasound - Breast (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
- Ultrasound-Guided Breast Biopsy (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
- Understanding Breast Changes: A Health Guide for Women (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Your Pathology Report (Living Beyond Breast Cancer)
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Aromatase Inhibitors and Other Compounds for Lowering Breast Cancer Risk (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- Breast Cancer Prevention (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Breast Cancer Prevention and Early Detection (American Cancer Society)
- Mammography: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Medications for the Risk Reduction of Primary Breast Cancer in Women (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) - PDF
- Prophylactic Oophorectomy: Preventing Cancer by Surgically Removing Your Ovaries (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Surgery to Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Breast Cancer Treatment (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Complementary and Integrative Therapies (Susan G. Komen for the Cure) - PDF
- Drugs Approved for Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
- Early-Stage Breast Cancer Treatment Fact Sheet (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Mastectomy: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- New Treatment Option for Young Women with Hormone-Sensitive Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Surgery Choices for Women with DCIS or Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute) - PDF
- Treatment Option Overview (Breast Cancer) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Treatment Options for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Living With
- Coping with a Breast Cancer Diagnosis (Susan G. Komen for the Cure) - PDF Also in Spanish
- Eating Hints: Before, During, and After Cancer Treatment (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- For Women Facing a Breast Biopsy (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer: Psychological and Social Impact (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Insomnia and Fatigue (Living Beyond Breast Cancer)
- Life After Breast Cancer Treatment (Susan G. Komen for the Cure) - PDF
- Living as a Breast Cancer Survivor (American Cancer Society)
Related Issues
- Abortion, Miscarriage, and Breast Cancer Risk (National Cancer Institute)
- Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Axillary Lymph Nodes and Breast Cancer (Susan G. Komen for the Cure) - PDF Also in Spanish
- Breast Cancer and Bone Loss (Hormone Health Network)
- Breast Cancer and Women with Disabilities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Breast Cancer Chemotherapy and Your Heart (American Heart Association)
- Breast Cancer in Young Women (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Cancer Treatment for Women: Possible Sexual Side Effects (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Do We Know What Causes Breast Cancer? (American Cancer Society)
- How Will Cancer Affect My Sex Life? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- Lymphedema: What Every Woman with Breast Cancer Should Know (American Cancer Society) - PDF
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Oral Contraceptives and Cancer Risk (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Questions to Ask Your Doctor (Metastatic Breast Cancer Network)
- Reproductive History and Breast Cancer Risk (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Risks of Breast Cancer Screening (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- What Breast Cancer Survivors Need to Know about Osteoporosis (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
Specifics
- Breast Cancer Overview (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
- Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Guide to Understanding Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (Living Beyond Breast Cancer) - PDF
- HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: What Is It? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Inflammatory Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Paget Disease of the Breast (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Recurrent Breast Cancer (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Types of Breast Cancers (American Cancer Society)
Genetics
- BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
- BRCA1 and BRCA2: Cancer Risk and Genetic Testing (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Breast and Ovarian Cancer and Family History Risk Categories (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Does Breast or Ovarian Cancer Run in Your Family? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- Genetic Counseling and Evaluation for BRCA1/2 Testing (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Genetics Home Reference: breast cancer (National Library of Medicine)
- Genetics Home Reference: Li-Fraumeni syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
- Learning about Breast Cancer (National Human Genome Research Institute)
Videos and Tutorials
- Four Methods of Treating Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
- Genetic Risk Factors (National Cancer Institute)
- Lymphatics and the breast (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Statistics and Research
- Breast Cancer Rates by Race and Ethnicity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- Breast Cancer Rates by State (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- Breast Cancer Risk in American Women (National Cancer Institute)
- Breast Cancer Trends (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- CDC Vital Signs: Breast Cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Sister Study: A Study of the Environmental and Genetic Risk Factors for Breast Cancer (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)
- Ten Years of Tamoxifen Reduces Breast Cancer Recurrences, Improves Survival (National Cancer Institute)
- What's New in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment? (American Cancer Society)
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Breast Neoplasms (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Inflammatory Breast Neoplasms (National Institutes of Health)
Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Neglected - Cancer Care and Mental Health in Rural America.
- Article: Palbociclib and Letrozole in Advanced Breast Cancer.
- Article: Effect of Tailored Dose-Dense Chemotherapy vs Standard 3-Weekly Adjuvant Chemotherapy...
- Breast Cancer -- see more articles
- Genetics of Breast Cancer -- see more articles
- Paget's Disease of Breast -- see more articles
Reference Desk
- Breast Cancer Types: What Your Type Means (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Dictionary of Cancer Terms (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Find an Expert
- American Cancer Society
- Find a Cancer Doctor (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
- National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish
- Organizations That Offer Support Services (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Children
- Breast Cancer (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Should I Do a Breast Self-Exam? (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Men
- Male Breast Cancer: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Seniors
- After Some Breast Cancer Treatments, Risk for Other Health Conditions May Rise (Living Beyond Breast Cancer)
- Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
Patient Handouts
- After chemotherapy - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene testing (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast biopsy -- stereotactic (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast biopsy -- ultrasound (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast cancer (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast cancer staging (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast lump (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Breast self exam (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Hormone therapy for breast cancer (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Understanding Chemotherapy (National Cancer Institute) - PDF Also in Spanish
- What to Know about Brachytherapy (A Type of Internal Radiation Therapy) (National Cancer Institute) - PDF Also in Spanish
- What to Know about External Beam Radiation Therapy (National Cancer Institute) - PDF Also in Spanish