What is breast cancer ?

Causes and Risk Factors Of breast cancer

I do not know the exact cause of breast cancer. Nevertheless, the research identified a number of factors that can increase the risk of certain individuals, which include ↓







→ Family history who have similar disease
→ Age a growing
→ Not having children
→ First pregnancy at age above 30 years
→ Menstrual period is longer (first menstruation early or late menopause)
→ Hormonal factors (both estrogen and androgen).

Of the risk factors mentioned above, family history and age of the most important factor. Family history who have had breast cancer increases the risk of developing this disease. The researchers also found that mutations of two genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 can increase the risk of cancer of women to 85%. 3 Interestingly, the genetic factor affects only 5-10% of breast cancer and this suggests that other risk factors play a role penting.4

Importance of age factor as risk factors are reinforced by data that 78% of breast cancers occur in patients over the age of 50 years and only 6% in patients less than 40 years. The average age at the time of the discovery of cancer is 62 tahun.4, 5

The study also evaluates the role of lifestyle factors in breast cancer development, including pesticides, alcohol consumption, obesity, fat intake and lack of physical though. 4.5


Diagnostic and Examination

A number of studies show that early detection of breast cancer, followed by therapy can increase life expectancy and provide more treatment options for patients.

An estimated 95% of women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer may survive more than five years after doctors diagnosed that many who recommend that women undergo 'aware' (check your own breasts) at home on a regular basis and suggested doing an annual routine examination to detect lumps in the breast. In general, breast cancer detected by patients themselves and usually a hard lump and small. In many cases these lumps do not hurt, but some women experience a cause of cancer pain.

In addition to physical tests, annual mammography or twice a year and a special ultrasound is recommended to detect breast abnormalities in elderly women and women at high risk of breast cancer, before cancer occurs. If the lump can be felt or abnormalities detected at mammography, a biopsy should be done to obtain tissue samples for testing under a microscope and examine the possibility of a tumor.

If the cancer is diagnosed, it is necessary to do a series of tests such as estrogen receptor status


New types of tests also include tests to determine the status of the tumor HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor-2). This relates to the growth of aggressive cancer cells. Patients said HER2-positive if the tumor was found overekspresi HER2 and less sensitive to certain chemotherapy. Cancer with HER2-positive is known as an aggressive form of breast cancer and have a travel sickness worse than patients with HER2-negative. An estimated 20% - 30% of patients with breast cancer have HER2-positive. ►HER2status




Breast Cancer Treatment

Management of breast cancer conducted with a series of treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation therapy and most recently the monoclonal antibody therapy. This treatment is intended to destroy or limit the spread of cancer and eliminate disease symptoms. The diversity of types of breast cancer requires a detailed diagnostic done before deciding which type of therapy will be used, so the choice is individual.



special tips from zone4health, food recommendations in the treatment of breast cancer

There are a few recommended foods to be consumed on a regular basis. Consumption may only be one type of material or a mixture of several ingredients. If we are attacked by breast cancer, it is recommended to drink the juice of ingredients below, do one glass twice a day.
1. Carrots
2. Radish
3. Plantain
4. Carambola sweet
5. Celery
6. Broccoli
7. Cabbage
8. Apple
9. Garlic
Soy milk drink half a glass, do two times a day, or 100 grams soy for consumption every day.

Green Vegetables variety Cancer Prevention:
1. Beans
2. Cassava leaves
3. Bean
4. Papaya leaf


Primary Systemic Therapy (Neo-adjuvant Therapy)

The selection of primary systemic therapy can be performed before the surgery making the tumor, this depends on the type, distribution and size of tumors at the time of initial diagnostic. This therapy aims to reduce tumor size to allow for the operation while keeping the breast form. It also provides valuable information about the sensitivity of tumors to the drug used. This information will determine the appropriate therapy to overcome the remaining tumor after surgery.


Surgery

Primary tumor is usually removed by surgery. Surgical procedures performed on breast cancer patients depending on disease stage, tumor type, age and general condition of the patient. The surgeon can lift the tumor (lumpectomy), raised some breast and
a lymph gland or removal of the entire breast (mastectomy). To increase life expectancy, surgery is usually followed by additional therapy (adjuvant) as radiation, hormones or chemotherapy.


Adjuvant Radiation TherapyRadiation therapy is done by X-ray high-intensity to kill cancer cells that are not raised during the surgery. This was done in patients who have undergone surgery for a localized tumor in an area. Side effects on the skin include: itching, redness, dry skin and fatigue.

Hormonal therapySome breast tumors express many estrogen receptors (ER) on the cell surface. In this tumor type, female hormone estrogen which support tumor growth bind to RE and regulate cell growth cycle. Breast cancer that depend on estrogen-called RE-positive. Hormonal therapy like tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors, inhibit the growth effects of estrogen and can be used as adjuvant therapy after surgery or at an advanced stage breast cancer (metastatic).

ChemotherapyChemotherapy drugs are used both at an early stage or advanced stage disease (can not do surgery, an advanced stage of localized or metastatic). Chemotherapy drugs can be used singly or in combination for treatment of breast cancer are:

Anthraycline example: doxorubicin, epirubicin
Taxane example: paclitaxel, docetaxel
Fluoropyrimidine example: capecitabine, 5-fluorouracil (5 - Fu)
Alkylating agent example: cyclophosphamide

Imunologik TherapyApproximately 20-30% of breast tumors showing gene amplification overekspresi or excessive. For such patients, trastuzumab, an antibody specifically designed to attack HER2. Trastuzumab inhibits the growth of the tumor and kill tumor cells. Patients should also undergo tests to benefit HER2 therapy with trastuzumab, which is the only imunologik therapy for breast cancer therapy.



Treating Patients At End Stage Disease

Approximately 50% of patients with breast cancer can be cured, either with initial therapy or additional adjuvant therapy. For the other 50%, ie patients with metastatic, more treatment options aimed at improving life expectancy. Among the many cancer drugs studied, only slightly effective in cases of metastatic breast cancer patients, such as trastuzumab and capecitabine.

The focus of therapy in end-stage cancer is prolong life without reducing the quality of life of patients. In breast cancer patients with HER2-positive, trastuzumab given as first line therapy for metastatic breast cancer in combination with other chemotherapy drugs (eg, docetaxel or paclitaxel) was also in second-line or on the third line as a single therapy.


Reference

1. WHO 2003 (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/releases/2003/pr27/en/)
2. Perez EA. Current Management of metastatic Breast Cancer. Seminars in Oncology 1999; 21 (Suppl.7) :19-24.
3. Blackwood MA, Weber BL. BRCA1 and BRCA2: from molecular Genetics to Clinical Medicine. Lancet 1996; 347: 1643-1645.
4. Imaginis (http://www.imaginis.com/beasthealth/statistics.asp # 2)
5. Questions & Answers: Young Women and Breast Cancer. National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations. February 2000.