Mostly a concern of women, but also some men, breast cancer, as the name implies, strikes the breast. The breast is composed of a collection of glands and fatty tissue which lies between the skin and chest wall. Inside a womans breast, these glands produce milk after the birth of a baby. Each milk gland is composed of 1520 lobes. The milk is then delivered to the nipple by way of special tubes, referred to as ducts. The size of the ducts and glands enlarge as the breast fills with milk. The size and shape of the breast is primarily determined by fatty tissue. At times, tumors can form in the breast which may be cancerous.

Malignant (cancerous) tumors are created when abnormal cells begin to reproduce at a rate much faster than normal. Benign tumors are noncancerous and incapable of spreading through the body. A tumor diagnosed as malignant is cancerous and capable of spreading throughout the body. When a malignant tumor is discovered in the breast, the patient is told she has breast cancer. Though it is possible for any breast tissue to develop malignant tendencies, normally cancer cells develop in either the ducts or glands. The most common form of cancer diagnosed in the women of Europe and North America is breast cancer. The number of cases of breast cancer diagnosed each year exceeds 200,000. Breast cancer is the second most deadly form of cancer for American women, with lung cancer being first.

Though dangerous, breast cancer does not have to be deadly. The chance of a woman developing breast cancer is 1 in 8; but her chance of dying from it is 1 in 28. A womans age is her greatest risk factor for breast cancer. Women who are older have a higher risk for breast cancer. If she had her first menstrual period at a young age, this will influence her risk. In addition, other factors to consider are whether or not there is a presence of breast cancer in the womans family; how old she was at the time of her first pregnancy and the possibility of mutations on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Gene mutations can be tied to 310% of breast cancers, so a woman with breast cancer in her family lineage should undergo genetic testing as a precaution. A woman can help reduce her risk of breast cancer if she will maintain a healthy weight, limit her alcohol consumption to no more than five drinks per week and exercise regularly. 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. On a final note, if a woman is at high risk of developing breast cancer, she should consider discussing the use of a drug called 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%.

A woman is offered a greater chance to survive breast cancer with early detection. Incorporating selfexams, clinical exams and mammograms into her healthcare routine increases a womans chances for early detection. {{{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