When it comes to women’s health, being diagnosed with breast cancer is a major concern among American women. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women in the United States. The disease is also the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the U.S.
Detecting breast cancer can be tricky because different people have different symptoms of breast cancer and some people do not have any signs or symptoms at all. The most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass.
Some warning signs of breast cancer may include:
- New lump in the breast or underarm
- Thickening or swelling of part of the breast
- Irritation or dimpling of breast skin
- Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast
- Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area
- Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood
- Any change in the size or the shape of the breast
- Pain in any area of the breast
Finding breast cancer early and getting state-of-the-art treatment are the most important strategies to prevent deaths from breast cancer. Breast cancer that is found early, when it is small and has not spread, is easier to treat successfully. Getting regular screening tests, such as mammograms, is the most reliable way to find breast cancer early.
The type of breast cancer is determined by the specific cells in the breast that are affected. The type of breast cancer can also refer to whether the cancer has spread to other areas of the body. In situ breast cancer (ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS) is a cancer that starts in a milk duct and has not grown into the rest of the breast tissue. The term invasive breast cancer is used to describe any type of breast cancer that has spread into the surrounding breast tissue.
At Alliance Cancer Center, we have been treating cancer patients in our community for over 37 years. We use radiation therapy to effectively treat breast cancer. External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is the most common type of radiation therapy for women with breast cancer. EBRT is administered with a linear accelerator (LINAC) that generates and delivers high-energy X-ray beams to the breast cancer. It destroys cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Treatments are quick, safe, and require no hospitalization. Side effects are usually minimal, and most patients return to their normal, daily routine and activities in a short period.
Increased knowledge and innovations in diagnosis and treatments help make the future brighter for women diagnosed with breast cancer. If you, or a loved one, have had an abnormal mammogram, been diagnosed with breast cancer, or would like to receive a second opinion on breast cancer treatment, please contact Alliance Cancer Center today.