Breast Cancer Pictures

Breast Cancer Mammogram

2006-10-17T08:20:00.000-04:00

Found this interesting information on the Breast Cancer Newsgroup. Thanks for sharing.

Ok, well my mum had the lumpectomy and they've now told her that four out of the five lymph nodes they removed were positive and that she is now a Grade 2 and has to have a mastectomy.

What I don't understand is the following and I'd be really grateful if somebody could advise:-

1. Why did they initially think it was a grade one when they did thebiopsy, what sort of tests do they do on the tissue to determine this and why is it now all of a sudden a grade two?

2. If they took 5 random nodes and 4 turned out to be positive does this mean that if they took 20 other random nodes, could those 20 have been positive?

3. She's not due to start chemotherapy for at least two weeks after the lumpectomy, istn't there a chance the cancer could spread even further in that time?

4. If the Cancer now resides in 4 out of 5 lymph nodes what's it's next most likely port of call, I mean does it spread in like a foot path of nodes or is it more complex than that?

5. She had a mammogram last June and they gave my mum the all clear, she believes that the cancer was there then. If they had actually done a scan as well as a mammogram would the scan have picked it up?

Thanks in Advance. I never expected my mum to get breast cancer as she has always been so health conscious, she has never smoked, drunk alcohol and has always been so consiencious about what food she eats. I also feel very guilty because for the last five years I have suffered from Depression and I have often talked in the past about wanting to die because of my depression.

Kind Regards.....

* If anyone has some answers, please respond below or email me and I will make sure to reply to the newsgroup.

Picture Source: University of Michigan Lab

Breast Cancer Drug

2006-06-19T20:05:00.000-04:00

New Drug Delays Breast Cancer

ATLANTA -- A new experimental drug delayed the growth of advanced breast cancer in women who had stopped responding to the drug Herceptin and were out of treatment options, doctors reported Saturday.

The experimental drug, Tykerb, worked so well that an international study of it was stopped early, in April, based on results in 321 women.

Those who received Tykerb plus the chemotherapy drug Xeloda had no growth of their tumors for 8 1/2 months. That compares to 4 1/2 months for those given only Xeloda, said Dr. Charles Geyer Jr. of Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.

He led the study and reported results Saturday at a meeting in Atlanta of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Tykerb's manufacturer, British-based GlaxoSmithKline, said it would expand global access to the drug under compassionate use provisions, and would seek approval to sell it in the United States and elsewhere later this year.

"This is huge," said Dr. Roy Herbst, a cancer specialist at the University of Texas' M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who had no role in the study but has consulted for Glaxo in the past. "The next step will be to use it in patients instead of Herceptin up front," to see whether it is more effective, he said.

Herceptin and Tykerb are members of a new generation of cancer medicines that more precisely target tumors without killing lots of healthy cells. Herceptin has been an important option for many women with advanced breast cancer, but eventually it stops working and women succumb to the disease.

Tykerb works in a similar yet completely novel way. Like Herceptin, it targets a protein called HER-2/neu, which is made in abnormally large quantities in roughly one-fourth of all breast cancers. Herceptin blocks the protein on the cell's surface; Tykerb does it inside the cell, and blocks a second abnormal protein, too.

In the study, Tykerb also showed signs of being able to prevent cancer from spreading to the brain. That happened to four of the 161 women given Tykerb and Xeloda, compared to 16 of the 160 women given Xeloda alone.

About 14 percent of women on the Tykerb-Xeloda combination and 11 percent on Xeloda alone stopped treatment because of side effects. Diarrhea and rash were more common in those who received Tykerb.

No patients developed heart failure, but four of the 161 on the drug combination had a modest decrease in pumping power of the main chamber of the heart -- side effects that also have been seen with Herceptin.

Tykerb has one big advantage over Herceptin -- it's a pill instead of an intravenous drug, which should make it cheaper and easier to use, doctors said.

Studies are in the works to test it in combination with Herceptin as well as other breast cancer drugs.

Breast cancer is the most common major cancer in American women and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women. About 213,000 new cases are expected to occur in the United States this year and more than 1 million worldwide.

Source: Wired - New Drug Delays Breast Cancer

Stages of Breast Cancer

2006-04-13T10:03:00.000-04:00

Breast Cancer stages compiled from recent Breast Cancer Treatment Studies

- Ductal carcinoma in situation - an early form which is precancerous and which may develop into cancer if left untreated.
- Stage one tumors - these measure under 2cm, the lymph nodes in the armpit are not affected and there are no signs that the cancer has spread.
- Stage two tumors - these measure between 2 and 5cm, or the lymph nodes are affected, or both. However, there are no signs that the cancer has spread.
- Stage three tumors - these are larger than 5cm, the lymph nodes are usually affected but there are no signs that the cancer has spread.
- Stage four tumors - these are of any size, the lymph nodes are usually affected and the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Sheryl Crow Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

2006-04-04T10:10:00.000-04:00

This Sheryl Crow news has been out for a few weeks, but is see strong and supportive of breast cancer treatment and breast cancer awareness.

Singer Sheryl Crow has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent surgery on Wednesday and will have radiation treatments as a precaution.

It was not released when the star was officially diagnosed, however it has been said that the surgery was minimally. Crow released this statement about her diagnosis:

"Approximately 1 in 7 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime and more than 2 million Americans are living with breast cancer today. I am joining the more than 200,000 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

We are a testament to the importance of early detection and new treatments. I encourage all women everywhere to advocate for themselves and for their future. See your doctor and be proactive about your health.

More than 10 million Americans are living with cancer, and they demonstrate the ever-increasing possibility of living beyond cancer. I am inspired by the brave women who have faced this battle before me and grateful for the support of family and friends."

Crow is no stranger to cancer, especially with her previous relationship with cancer survivor/cyclist Lance Armstrong. She also particpated in the "Rock Against Breast Cancer" concert in 2000.

Her spokesman said that her North American tour would be postponed and hopefully rescheduled. The tour was to begin in April.

Her prognosis is excellent according to her doctors, added her spokesman.

Source: AP, For Pictures too.

Breast lump picture and rebuilt surgery

2006-03-27T11:07:00.000-05:00

Above are some pretty hardcore breast cancer pictures. As you can see the damage the breasts is hard to stomach.

One of these cases is Lorraine who went to see this surgeon because of a lump in her breast. The lump turned out to be benign, but because Lorraine was conscious of a history of breast-cancer in her family, she was easily persuaded to let him perform what he termed the "Rolls-Royce of operations" on her - where he removed both of her breasts & rebuilt new ones out of tissue from her stomach.

Six surgical procedures later, for Lorraine the result turned out to be a disaster which devastated her life - causing a break-up in her relationship at the time & driving her to contemplate suicide.

These pictures should show you that breast cancer can be a serious health issues. There are numerous breast cancer treatment methods and also many breast cancer surgery methods. I urge everyone to consult with different doctors and physicians to determine which method is correct for you.

Source: SBAC News

No long-term cancer risk seen from breast implants

2006-03-15T11:00:00.000-05:00

Article in ABC news about Breast Cancer and Breat Implants

Results of a study that followed women up to 30 years adds to evidence that silicone breast implants do not boost cancer risk.

Read Article, click now

Good response, I read on a Breast Cancer Support group.

This so-called 'study' is more junk science, in my opinion.

Well, I downloaded the PDF of the original article and have read it. I can see no reason why you'd call it "junk science".

I will stipulate that the best, most powerful study would be a randomized controlled trial. That is never going to happen. Thus, we're left with looking at the health of those that receive breast implants. What this article did was compare this to the general public - and it was age matched. It was also comparing apples to apples since the larger control pool was what produced the women who received breast implants. Two great strengths of this paper - one was the large sample size of over 4,000 women. The other was impressive long term followup - something not possible in the US but readily accomplished in this Danish study. They also had a nice overview in their intro complete with many citations of peer reviewed journals showing similar findings.

Again, while this sort of study is not the optimal study, it is the best that we're able to ethically perform. Given a study this large and complete, with this negative finding, it is extraordinarily unlikely that there is a meaningful increase that will ever be detected.

More breast cancer pictures and breast cancer information coming soon, keep checking back.

Breast Cancer Symptons

2006-01-04T10:58:00.000-05:00

Breast cancer often causes no symptoms in its early stages. Women with early breast cancer usually do not feel pain or experience any symptoms at all. Screening tests are better able to detect the disease at this time. As the cancer grows, however, it can cause the following changes.

- A lump or thickening in or near your breast or under your arm
- A change in the size or shape of your breast
- Nipple discharge, tenderness, or inversion, meaning the nipple pulls back into your breast
- A change in the way the skin of your breast, areola, or nipple looks or feels. (For example, the skin may look like the skin of an orange.)

These symptoms may be caused by breast cancer or by other, less serious conditions. It’s important to check with a doctor to be sure.

Remember the best treatment for breast cancer is checking for symptons early and getting medical attention.

Breast Cancer Surgery Picture

2006-01-04T10:51:00.000-05:00

A picture of a a breast after a breast cancer surgery.

Breast Cancer Surgery
Surgery is the most common treatment for breast cancer. There are several types of breast cancer surgery. Your doctor or physician can explain each type, discuss and compare the benefits and risks, and describe how each will change the way you look:

Breast-sparing surgery: An operation to remove the cancer but not the breast is breast-sparing surgery. It is also called breast-conserving surgery, lumpectomy, segmental mastectomy, and partial mastectomy. Sometimes an excisional biopsy serves as a lumpectomy because the surgeon removes the whole lump.

The surgeon often removes the underarm lymph nodes as well. A separate incision is made. This procedure is called an axillary lymph node dissection. It shows whether cancer cells have entered the lymphatic system.

After breast-sparing surgery, most women receive radiation therapy to the breast. This treatment destroys cancer cells that may remain in the breast.

Mastectomy: An operation to remove the breast (or as much of the breast tissue as possible) is a mastectomy. In most cases, the surgeon also removes lymph nodes under the arm. Some women have radiation therapy after surgery.

Stay tuned for upcoming other breast cancer treatment alternatives and information.

62 new drugs being tested to treat breast cancer

2005-10-26T09:32:00.000-04:00

BY JOHAN FERNANDEZ

WASHINGTON: Sixty-two new drugs to treat breast cancer are now undergoing tests, according to a survey released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

In all, more than 400 new drugs are being developed to treat diseases affecting American women.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States and Oct 21, National Mammography Day.

“It is heartening to know that there are so many medicines being developed to treat women,” said Billy Tauzin, president and CEO of PhRMA.

The PhRMA survey shows that along with new medicines for breast cancer:

- SEVENTY-TWO are in development for arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders.

- FIFTY-EIGHT for obstetric/gynaecological conditions which affect more than 4.5 million American women between the ages 15 and 50.

- SIXTY-TWO for diabetes which affects 9% of American women over the age of 20.

- FORTY-SEVEN for autoimmune diseases which afflict 23.5 million Americans, most of them women.

Breast cancer will kill an estimated 40,410 American women this year, and an estimated 211,240 women will be diagnosed with the disease.

But America’s research-based pharmaceutical companies are developing new medicines to fight breast cancer.

One medicine, now in clinical trials for metastatic breast cancer, is designed to bind to and inhibit a protein that forms new blood vessels and maintains current blood vessels that feed tumours.

According to the American Cancer Society, better treatments and earlier detection are helping to decrease the breast cancer death rate, which has declined steadily at 2.3% per year since 1990.

“The fact that there are 62 new medicines in development for breast cancer gives so much hope,” said Tauzin.

“Anyone with a loved one who is fighting breast cancer knows the importance of these medicines and this research.”

PhRMA represents the United States’ leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies.

Source: The Star

Breast Cancer Treatment Pictures (GRAPHIC!)

2005-10-06T15:05:00.000-04:00

Graphic Breast Cancer Treatment Pictures

Treatment works for Breast Cancer but a good method is Breast Cancer Awareness, including self check and routine scans.

Source: Just Breast Implants

Pictures of Breast Cancer Breasts

2005-10-06T14:48:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pictures I found. These are a little bit shocking.

Breat Cancer Picture 1

Inflammatory breast cancer

Breast Cancer Picture 2

Advanced Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Picture 3

Nipple retraction due to Breast Cancer

Source of Images: eMedicine

How to do a Breast Cancer Self-Exam

2005-10-05T15:44:00.000-04:00

The best time to examine your breasts is during the week after your period. That's when your breasts will be softest and least tender, and a lump will be easiest to find.

Although you might feel uncomfortable and afraid the first few times you examine your breasts, the more you get to know the individual characteristics of your breasts--where there are bands of tissue, where the breast attaches to the chest--the more comfortable the exam will become. You'll also find it easier to detect lumps, hard knots, skin thickening, or nipple discharge.

Here's a three-step technique for self-exam, courtesy of The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation:

1. In the shower: Raise one arm and place your hand on the back of your head. Slowly and methodically, move the pads of your fingertips over the breast in a circular pattern. Don't forget to feel in the armpit area. Repeat on the other side.

2. Before a mirror: With your arms resting at your sides, look for changes in the shape of your breasts, as well as swelling, dimpling, or indentations in the skin, or changes in the skin or nipples. Then raise your arms over your head and repeat the procedure. Finally, place the palms of your hands on your hips and press down so that your chest muscles flex; again, look for changes in the breasts and nipples.

3. Lying down: Lie down and put a pillow under your right shoulder and your right arm behind your head. Using the pads of your fingertips, make the same circular pattern of your right breast as you did in the shower. Don't forget to feel the armpit and the chest area from the collarbone to below the breast. Repeat, using firmer pressure. Squeeze the nipple gently to see if there's any discharge. Repeat the procedure on the left breast.

Report any strange findings or changes to your doctor immediately!

** Remember, routine exams are an important part of Breast Cancer Awareness *

Do an exam now, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month!!

Source: The Foundation for Better Health Care

Breast Tumors

2005-10-05T13:02:00.000-04:00

Figure 19 (above). The use of infrared photography for the early detection of breast tumors.

Breast lumps that are not cancer are called benign tumors (breast tumors). They are usually found by women during their own breast self exam. These lumps take many forms. Some have fluid within and others are firm and solid. Infection may be found in some, while others have old, dead skin cells inside. The treatment depends on the growth and the cause.

Fluid filled tumors are more common and are also painful. They are called cysts and abscesses. Cysts are caused by fibrocystic changes, or by pockets of milk in women who have recently stopped breast-feeding. An ultrasound test may be needed. This test can tell if a lump is filled with fluid or solid. Cysts are usually drained with a needle for quick relief of pain and to prevent infection or abscess.

Breast Cancer Picture Sources: Massopust, L. & Gardner, W., 1953. "The infrared phlebogram in the diagnosis of breast complaints," Surg. Gynae. Obst. 97:619-626.

Breast Cancer Symptons

2005-10-04T15:34:00.000-04:00

What changes do suggest cancer?

Look for these Breast Cancer signs and symptoms:

A lump or thickening in the breast or armpit

A change in the size or shape of the breast

Dimpling (or indentation) of the skin

Discharge from the nipple

Tenderness in the nipple

A change in the color or feel of breast skin

Darkening of the area around the nipple

Source of pictures and Info: The Foundation for Better Health Care

Breast Cancer Awareness

2005-10-04T13:56:00.000-04:00

Breast Cancer Scanning is an important part of Breast Cancer Awareness

Due to the high incidence of breast cancer among older women, screening is now recommended in many countries. Screening methods suggested include breast self-examination and mammography. Only mammography has been proven to reduce mortality from breast cancer. In some countries routine (annual) mammography of older women is encouraged as a screening method to diagnose early breast cancer.

Mammography is still the modality of choice for screening of early breast cancer. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to detect cancers that are not visible on mammograms, but it has several disadvantages. For example, although it is more sensitive, it is less specific than mammography. It is also a relatively expensive procedure, and one which requires the injection of a chemical agent to be effective. It may be valuable for younger women, whose breasts contain less fat and more connective tissue, making it harder to spot cancers on mammograms. Ultrasound alone is not adequate as a screening tool but it is a useful additional investigation, especially for the characterisation of benign tumours.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Breast Cancer Pink Ribbon

2005-10-01T13:49:00.000-04:00

In the month of October, breast cancer is recognized by survivors, family and friends of survivors and/or victims of the disease. A pink ribbon is worn to recognize the struggle that men and women face when battling the cancer.

Show your support by wearing your Breast Cancer Pink Ribbon!