Early detection saves lives & Treatment is individualized

Early detection saves lives

Mammography, an x-ray of the breast, can find tumors too small to feel and is the main screening tool. Finding breast cancer early, before it spreads, greatly improves the chance of successful treatment. Ultrasound and MRI provide additional information in certain situations. When a suspicious area is found, a biopsy, the removal of a small tissue sample, is the only way to confirm whether it is cancer and to identify its type.

Treatment is individualized

Treatment depends on the type and stage of the cancer and often combines several approaches. Surgery removes the tumor, either the lump alone or the whole breast. Radiation therapy destroys remaining cancer cells in the breast area. Chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted drugs act throughout the body against cancer cells that may have spread. Many people treated for early breast cancer live long, full lives, and follow-up care monitors for recurrence.

Key concepts

When cells in the breast grow out of control

Breast cancer begins when cells in the breast grow uncontrollably and form a tumor that can often be felt as a lump or seen on an x-ray.

Risk factors and warning signs

Risk increases with age, certain inherited gene changes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, a personal or family history of breast cancer, dense breast tissue, and long exposure to estrogen.

Early detection saves lives

Mammography, an x-ray of the breast, can find tumors too small to feel and is the main screening tool.

Treatment is individualized

Treatment depends on the type and stage of the cancer and often combines several approaches.

References

• MedlinePlus en español — Breast Cancer