Things To Know About Breast Cancer Causes

Things to know about Breast Cancer

Know All About Breast Cancer

Causes & Preventions

www.drelizabethpoynor.com

http://www.drelizabethpoynor.com/

What Is Cancer?

• The term “cancer” refers to more than 100 different diseases that begin in the cells, the body’s basic unit of life.

• 2nd leading cause of death, behind heart diseases.

• Cancer develops when cells grow and form more cells without order or control.

• Under normal circumstances, new cell growth and old cell death are kept in balance.

• A group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.

• Everyone is at risk of developing cancer.



What is Breast Cancer?

• A malignant tumor from cells in the breast

• *Main Types: Ductal carcinomas and lobular carcinomas.

• Mostly found in women but men can get it too!



Facts About Breast Cancer

• Breast cancer is the 2nd most common type of cancer in American women.

• Breast cancer can develop in men.

• The chance of getting or dying from breast cancer increases with age.

• Many women who develop breast cancer have no family history of the disease.



FAQs and Myths

• Yes, healthy diet and exercise can reduce risk

• Yes, drinking alcohol increases risk when consumed in excess

• No, large breasts do not increase risk

• Yes, using birth control pills for more than five years increases risk

• Yes, being overweight post-menopause increases risk

• Yes, being slightly overweight pre-menopause reduces risk somewhat



Risk Factors

• Being female

• Getting older

• Family history

• Genetics

• Having children after 30

• Overweight

• High socioeconomic status

• Drinking alcohol

• Not exercising

• Having first period before 12

• Current/recent use of birth control pills

• Being tall

• Not breastfeeding



The Numbers Don’t Lie

• Breast cancer impacts over 240,000 new patients a year in the United States alone.

• 70% of breast cancer cases occur in women who have no identifiable risk factors.

• Less than 5% of cases occur in women under 40

• Occurs in 1 of every 3,000 pregnancies

• 3,010 new cases and 560 deaths estimated for men in ’13

• 124 women in every 100,000 are diagnosed every year



Warning Signs

• Breast lump or thickening

• Nipple changes or drainage

• Skin irritation or dimpling

• Skin scaliness or redness

• Enlarged lymph node

• *Early cancer in most cases has no symptoms or warning signs. Early detection guidelines should be followed.



Contributing factors

• Late detection

• Treatment compliance

• Concurrent disease

• Access to care

• Barriers to care



How is Breast Cancer Treated?

• Treatment depends on stage of cancer

• More than one treatment may be used

• Surgery

• Radiation therapy

• Chemotherapy

• Hormone therapy

• Targeted therapy



Breast Self Exam Information

• It is easy to do and the more you do it, the better you will get at it.

• When you get to know how your breasts normally feel, you will quickly be able to feel any change, and early detection is the key to successful treatment. A breast self-exam could save your breast - and your life.

• Most breast lumps are found by women themselves, but in fact, most lumps in the breast are not cancer.



When to do a Breast Self-Exam

• The best time to do breast self-exam is right after your period, when breasts are not tender or swollen. If you do not have regular periods or sometimes skip a month, do it on the same day every month.



How is Breast Cancer Treated?

• Treatment depends on stage of cancer

• More than one treatment may be used

• Surgery

• Radiation therapy

• Chemotherapy

• Hormone therapy

• Targeted therapy


Treatments

• Surgery

• “Lumpectomy” vs. “mastectomy” aka partial vs. whole

• Radiation

• High energy x-rays, always coupled with surgery

• Chemotherapy

• Anticancer drugs used after radiation and surgery

• Hormonal therapies

• Prevents release of hormones that make tumors grow

• Targeted therapies

• Attack specific molecules in cancer process


Treatments

• One of the most widely used treatments is radiation therapy.

• Radiation therapy is targeted directly to the specific area and the side effects are limited to the area being treated.

• Radiation works by killing all the cells in the effected area.

• There are two types of radiation, one is administered externally and one internally.

• External radiation is delivered over a 5-7 weeks and 5 times a week. It is delivered by an liner acceptor. And is the most common of the two.

• Internal radiation is where radioactive material is delivered directly into the site where the tumor was.

• This is usually done at the end of traditional radiation to give it an extra “boost” at the end of treatment.


Chemotherapy

• Chemotherapy effects the whole body even if the cancer has not spread.

• Chemotherapy is often administered prior to surgery to reduce the size of the tumor to leave clear margins.

• Chemotherapy also reduces your leukocytes (white blood cells that is also our immune system), making you more susceptible to every day bugs.

• The side effects include nausea and, losing all your hair.

• Its administered through and IV or its also available in pill, and liquid form.

• As always its your choice and should not be taken lightly.


Detection: Mammograms can save your life!

• A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast

• Medicare, Medical and most insurances will pay

• Help exists for low income women with no insurance

• Get a mammogram yearly once you turn 40


What can I do to reduce my risk for breast cancer?

• Regular exercise

• Breastfeeding during pregnancy

• Maintain a healthy diet

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Limit alcohol consumption

• Consult with your clinician regarding menopausal hormone use


Alternative medicine

• There are also several alternative medicines that can help to reduce or eliminate breast cancer.

• Vitamin A, Betacarotine, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E all increase the effect of chemotherapy.

• CO-Q10 reduces the toxicity of chemotherapy

• Vitamin D, and Cholecalciferol helps inhibits growth in cancer cells

• Melitonin (which is a natural chemical produced in our brain) blocks the estrogen receptors to the cancer


For More information Regarding Breast Cancer

Please Visit Us At


Dr. Elizabeth Poynor

1050 Fifth Avenue New York,

New York 10028

T. 212.426.2700

F. 212.426.4657

E. [email protected]

Health & Medicine

Things To Know About Breast Cancer Causes