What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that grows in one or both of the breasts. Breast cancer usually develops in the ducts or lobules of the breast.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women (after lung cancer). Although African-American women have a slightly lower incidence of breast cancer after age 40 than white women, they have a slightly higher incidence rate of breast cancer before age 40. However, African-American women are more likely to die from breast cancer at every age. Breast cancer is much less common in males. In 2005, it's estimated that about 1,690 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the US.
Types of breast cancer
There are several different types of breast cancer that can be divided into two main categories — noninvasive cancers and invasive cancers. Noninvasive cancer may also be called carcinoma in situ. Noninvasive breast cancers are confined to the ducts or lobules and they do not spread to surrounding tissues. The two types of noninvasive breast cancers are ductal carcinoma in situ (referred to as DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (referred to as LCIS).
Noninvasive breast cancer. There will be approximately 58,490 new cases of noninvasive breast cancer in the US in 2005. Of these, 85% will be DCIS. In DCIS, the cancer cells are found only in the milk duct of the breast. If DCIS is not treated, it may progress to invasive cancer.
In LCIS, the abnormal cells are found only in the lobules of the breast. Unlike DCIS, LCIS is not considered to be a cancer. It is more like a warning sign of increased risk of developing an invasive breast cancer in the same or opposite breast. While LCIS is a risk factor for invasive cancer, it doesn't actually develop into invasive breast cancer in many women.
Invasive breast cancer. There will be approximately 211,240 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women in the US in 2005. Invasive or infiltrating breast cancers penetrate through normal breast tissue (such as the ducts and lobules) and invade surrounding areas. They are more serious than noninvasive cancers because they can spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones, liver, lungs, and brain.
There are several kinds of invasive breast cancers. The most common type is invasive ductal carcinoma, which appears in the ducts and accounts for about 80% of all breast cancer cases. There are differences in the various types of invasive breast cancer, but the treatment options are similar for all of them. Resources
This list of resources is provided merely as a convenience. AstraZeneca takes no responsibility for the content of or services provided by the resources and makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information provided and shall have no liability for any damages or injuries of any kind arising from the information provided.
Get the information you need
Every woman responds differently to the crisis that breast cancer brings to her life. You may choose to confide in and seek advice from as many people as possible, or you may prefer to refrain from talking about your condition. You should try to gather as much information as possible to educate yourself about the disease.
The following resource lists can help you get the information and support you need:
Toll-free hotlines
Online support and community
Online treatment information
Breast cancer organizations
General cancer organizations
Medical associations and government agencies
Clinical trial information
Books and publications
Toll-free hotlines
American Cancer Society: 1-800-ACS-2345
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization: 1-800-221-2141
Cancer Care: 1-800-813-HOPE
National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service: 1-800-4-CANCER
Living Beyond Breast Cancer Hotline: 1-888-753-LBBC
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Helpline: 1-800-IM-AWARE
AstraZeneca Cancer Support Network (AZ CSN): 1-866-99-AZCSN (1-866-992-9276)
