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The name says it all breast cancer is a disease of the breast; most often affecting women, but men are not immune. Fatty tissue, together with special glands, compose the breast between the skin and chest wall.Inside a womans breast, these glands produce milk after the birth of a baby. 1520 lobes compose each gland. The milk is then delivered to the nipple by way of special tubes, referred to as ducts. The glands and ducts increase in size as the breast fills with milk. Fatty tissue in the breast is the primary factor determining the size and shape of the breast. At times, tumors can form in the breast which may be cancerous. Abnormal cells, growing at an out of control rate, are the building blocks of a cancerous tumor. A benign (noncancerous) tumor is not capable of spreading through the body. Tumors with the ability to spread through the body are referred to as malignant, or cancerous. When a patient is given a diagnosis of breast cancer, it means a malignant tumor has been found. The first place cancer cells are found in the breast is in the glands or ducts; however, they have been known to develop in other areas as well. The number one cancer diagnosis for North American and European women is breast cancer. Over 200,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year. The most deadly form of cancer for American women is lung cancer, with breast cancer running a close second. Keep in mind, just because breast cancer is serious, there are many who survive it. Women have a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer, but a 1 in 28 chance of dying from it. A womans age is her greatest risk factor for breast cancer. The older a woman is, the greater her chances of developing it. If she had her first menstrual period at a young age, this will influence her risk. Additional factors affecting a woman include: a history of breast cancer in her family, how old she was at the time of her first pregnancy and the possibility of mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. If a woman knows breast cancer is in her lineage, she is advised to undergo genetic testing as 310% of breast cancers are related to gene mutations. By maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and limiting alcohol consumption to no more than five drinks per week, a woman can lower her risk of developing breast cancer. Additional ideas that are thought to help include: bearing a child prior to age 30 and breastfeed the baby, and avoid longterm use of hormone replacement at menopause. One final note, a woman at high risk of breast cancer should discuss the drug Tamoxifen with her doctor. Using this drug for a period of five years has been shown to help reduce a womans risk of developing a tumor by 50%. Early detection is a womans best defense when it comes to surviving and curing breast cancer. A womans chances for early detection will increase if she incorporates selfexams, clinical exams and mammograms in her routine medical care.{{{Between the ages of 2039, a woman should undergo a clinical exam every three years. | A woman between the ages of 20 and 39 is advised to undergo a clinical exam once every three years. | A clinical exam should be part of a womans health care every three years between the ages of 20 and 39. | Between the ages of 2039, women are advised to have a clinical exam once every three years
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