breast cancer

Examples of breast cancer in the following topics:

• Breast Cancer

  • Breast cancer is one that grows in the breast tissue of humans and often originates in the milk ducts.
  • Breast cancer (malignant breast neoplasm) is a type of cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply them.
  • In 2008, breast cancer caused 458,503 deaths worldwide, and 13.7% of all cancer deaths in women.
  • The earliest breast cancers are detected by a mammogram.
  • Normal breast tissue left versus cancerous breast tissue right, as shown by mammography images.

• Effects of Smoking

  • Figure 1 shows the correlation between smoking and lung cancer.
  • Among the diseases that can be caused by smoking are vascular stenosis, lung cancer, heart attacks, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  • Tobacco use leads most commonly to diseases affecting the heart and lungs, with smoking being a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (including emphysema and chronic bronchitis), and cancer (particularly lung cancer, cancers of the larynx and mouth, and pancreatic cancer).
  • The primary risks of tobacco usage include many forms of cancer, particularly lung cancer, kidney cancer, cancer of the larynx and head and neck, breast cancer, bladder cancer, cancer of the esophagus, cancer of the pancreas, and stomach cancer.
  • There is some evidence suggesting a small increased risk of myeloid leukemia, squamous cell sinonasal cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, cancers of the gallbladder, the adrenal gland, the small intestine, and various childhood cancers.

• Metastasis Through Lymphatic Vessels

  • Cancer occurs after a single cell in a tissue is progressively genetically damaged to produce a cancer stem cell possessing a malignant phenotype.
  • These cancer stem cells are able to undergo uncontrolled abnormal cell division, which increases the total number of cancer cells at that location.
  • Micrograph showing a lymph node invaded by ductal breast carcinoma and with extranodal extension of tumour.
  • Surrounding the lymphocytes and extending into the surrounding fat (top of image) is ductal breast carcinoma.
  • The cancer (forming glands) is seen at the centre-top.

• Spinal Cord Compression

  • Tumors that commonly cause cord compression are lung cancer (non-small cell type), breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, thyroid cancer, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
  • Some tumors are highly sensitive to chemotherapy (e.g. lymphomas, small-cell lung cancer) and may be treated with chemotherapy alone.

• Ovarian Cancer

  • Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary.
  • Since the ovaries and tubes are closely related to each other, it is thought that these fallopian cancer cells can mimic ovarian cancer.
  • These cancers are grouped into the category of gynecologic cancer.
  • In most cases, the exact cause of ovarian cancer remains unknown.
  • This can halt or slow breast and ovarian cancers that need these hormones to grow.

• Overview of Cancer

  • Not all tumors are cancerous.
  • Cancer is the new "great imitator".
  • Carcinoma: Cancers derived from epithelial cells.
  • This group includes many of the most common cancers, particularly in the aged, and include nearly all those developing in the breast, prostate, lung, pancreas, and colon.
  • Cancer prevention is defined as active measures to decrease the risk of cancer.

• Testicular Cancer

  • Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.
  • Over his lifetime, a man's risk of testicular cancer is roughly 1 in 250 (0.4%).
  • Testicular cancer has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers: in excess of 90%; essentially 100% if it has not spread (metastasized).
  • Although testicular cancer can be derived from any cell type found in the testicles, more than 95% of testicular cancers are germ cell tumors .
  • However, the American Cancer Society suggests that some men should examine their testicles monthly, especially if they have a family history of cancer.

• Breast Augmentation and Reduction

  • Breast augmentation is surgical enhancement of the breasts to increase size, while reduction is surgical removal of tissue to decrease size.
  • Breast augmentation denotes the breast implant and fat-graft mammoplasty procedures for correcting the defects, and for enhancing the size, form, and feel of a woman's breasts.
  • In breast reconstruction practice, the tissue expander is a temporary breast-implant device used to prepare the implant-pocket (recipient site), as part of a staged reconstruction mammoplasty procedure.
  • Reduction mammoplasty (also breast reduction and reduction mammoplasty) is the plastic surgery procedure for correcting over-sized breasts.
  • Moreover, the correction of gynecomastia (woman's breast) is the analogous, enlarged male-breast reduction surgery procedure, wherein there is no consideration of lactation capability.

• Taste and Smell at Birth and in Old Age

  • Infants are responsive to the olfactory cues associated with maternal breast odors.
  • They are able to recognize and react favorably to scents emitted from their own mother's breasts, despite the fact that they also may be attracted to breast odors from unfamiliar nursing females in a different context.
  • Newborns who do not gain access to the mother's breasts would die shortly after birth.
  • Maternal breast odors signal the presence of a food source for the newborn.
  • Other known causes include loss of taste sensitivity from aging (causing a difficulty detecting salty or bitter taste), anxiety disorder, cancer, renal failure and liver failure.

• Fibrocystic Disease of the Breasts

  • Fibrocystic breast disease is a condition where noncancerous lumps develop in the breast, causing discomfort during the menstrual cycle.
  • Fibrocystic breast changes or fibrocystic breast disease is a condition of breast tissue affecting an estimated 30-60% of women.
  • Women with fibrocystic changes may experience a persistent or intermittent breast aching or breast tenderness related to periodic swelling.
  • Breasts and nipples may be tender or itchy.
  • At peak, breasts may feel full and swollen.