Breast Cancer
Incidence and Mortality
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women; one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. In the United States, nearly 240,000 women will be annually diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 women will die from this disease. Moreover, more than 1.1 million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 410,000 will die from the disease. Not only is breast cancer the leading cause of cancer death among young women, the malignancy is the second leading cause of cancer death among all women, second only to lung cancer.
Risk Factors
The causes of breast cancer are primarily unknown, with only about five to ten percent of cases attributed to hereditary factors. The majority of women with breast cancer have no known significant family history or other known risk factors. Women with a BRCA mutation have an estimated lifetime risk of breast cancer of up to 85%. It is noteworthy that breast cancer is no longer considered a single disease; rather, the condition can manifest itself as several, distinct biological subtypes reflecting natural history and a varied spectrum of clinical, pathologic and molecular features with different prognostic and therapeutic implications.
Diet, exercise and other lifestyle choices appear to reduce the incidence rates, but there is no way to completely prevent breast cancer. Since breast cancer is a complicated disease, it is essential to work together with a team; the physicians at Gynecologic Oncology Associates (GOA) and the WCRF can help you sort through the maze of preventive/prophylactic choices, treatment options, and develop an individualized care plan that meets your personal needs. Further, in patients who carry one of the identified breast cancer genes, the highly skilled and experienced GOA/WCRF team can help you to understand the absolute risk and impact that your gene predisposition might have on other female cancers.
The physicians at GOA and WCRF are equipped and committed to assisting all patients afflicted with breast cancer. They work cohesively in addressing interdisciplinary factors in collaboration with the radiologists, pathologists, surgical oncologists and supportive allied health professionals.
All patients receive comprehensive treatment, regardless of their respective background; we have culturally sensitive physicians and other breast health care professionals on staff. We also participate in programs that help eliminate barriers to access such as healthcare beliefs, cultural barriers, poverty, misperceptions, lack of awareness, false sense of security, and geography.
Survival
There are currently about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors alive and thriving in the United States. The relative survival rates for women diagnosed with breast cancer are:
- 89% at 5 years after diagnosis
- 82% after 10 years of diagnosis
- 75% after 15 years of diagnosis
- The five-year survival rate for regional disease is 84% and 27% for distant-stage disease
- Considering all races, the 5-year relative survival rates are as follows:
–98% for localized disease
–84% for regional disease
–23% for distant-stage disease
(Source: American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Facts & Figures, 2009-2010)
Advances in Testing: Choosing the Best Treatment
1. Sentinel lymph node biopsy
To check for the possible spread of breast cancer, surgeons used to remove many of the lymph nodes under the arm near the affected breast. This sometimes led to a swelling of the arm called lymphedema, or numbness and pain in the arm. Now, surgeons can often remove one to three key nodes (sentinel lymph nodes) to assess the spread of cancer.
2. HER2/neu
Her-2/neu is a protein that appears on the outside of some breast cancer cells and may help aggressive tumors grow. About one in four women with breast cancer have Her-2/neu positive breast cancer. These women could benefit from targeted treatments such as Herceptin.
3. Hormone receptor status
Some breast cancers are “fed” by certain hormones. Tests that determine if tumor cells have receptors for these hormones are instrumental in determining appropriate patient treatment. For example, women who test positive for hormone receptors may be treated with drugs that block the receptors or stop the hormones from being made.