Breast CancerThe Power of the Pink Ribbon

By: Gabrielle Sorapuru

What is Breast Cancer

• Breast cancer is a condition in which malignant (cancer) cells develop within the breasts tissue.

• A heterogeneous disease– Different and varied cells combine

• Categorized into groups based on where it forms.– The Ducts and Lobes (Organs that produce breast milk)

are the most common but it can also form in other tissues within the breast in rare occasions

Affect of Breast Cancer On Women

• Approximately 1 in every 8 female will develop some sort of breast cancer within their life time.

• Roughly 15% of women with breast cancer have a relative with breast cancer also

Breast Cancer and men

• Many males don’t know that they are at risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.

• Affects approximately 1 in every 1000 men. Believed to be caused by a mutation in DNA.

Discovering Breast Cancer

• Breast lumps– Most breast lumps are not cancerous, however,

there are instances in which they are• Mammograms are the most common way to

discover if a person has breast cancer– Routine check ups

Stages

• 5 possible stages for breast cancer• 0 stage is the low stage also the beast stage to

treat breast cancer– Cancer is confined to where it started

• 5 stage is the high and worst stage– Cancer has spread to various other tissues within

the breast

Treatments

• Several different kinds of treatment options– Chemotherapy/Radiation• Radiation to the designated area of cancer to kill the

cancerous cells

– Surgery• Doctors remove cancerous tissue

– Biological• Treatment used to strengthen the immune system to

help fight off the cancer.

Ratings of Survival

Stage 5-yearSurvival Rate0 93%1 88%2A* 81%2B * 74%3A * 67%3B * 41%3C * 49%4 15%

*A represents early in that stage*B represents later in that stage*C represents its almost spread to the next stage

Organizations

• Organizations such as the Breast Cancer Foundation promote events that raise awareness– Walks– Charities– Breast Cancer Awareness Month

• October

Reference Page

• http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/staging.jsp

• http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/