MiddletownJournal.com

An estimated 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2008. Approximately 40,480 women will die from breast cancer in 2008. Breast cancer is the most common site of cancer in women (besides skin cancer) and the second-leading cause of cancer death in women.

The five-year relative survival rate for localized breast cancer has increased from 72 percent in the 1940s to close to 100 percent for stage 0 and I breast cancers, and 92 percent for stage IIA. If the cancer is in stage IIB, the five-year survival rate is currently 81 percent, and it is 67 percent for stage IIIA, 54 percent for stage IIIB, and 20 percent for stage IV.

Survival after a diagnosis of breast cancer continues to decline beyond five years. Ten-year survival and beyond is also stage-dependent, with the best survival observed in women with early stage disease.

Well-known estrogen-related risks for developing breast cancer include early menstruation (at age 12 or younger); late menopause (after age 55); and no full-term pregnancy or first child until after age 30.

Approximately 80 percent of biopsied breast abnormalities are noncancerous, but any breast lump must be evaluated by a physician. New, less invasive biopsy procedures permit removal of breast tissue in a physician or radiologist's office.

Sometimes more than one mammogram may be necessary to evaluate an abnormality. Common reasons for additional mammograms include film views that are unclear or different views requested by the radiologist.

Some mammography centers are able to provide immediate interpretation of your mammogram. This service can help prevent anxiety caused by waiting days to hear your results. Any additional films required also can be taken during the same visit.

Many women panic when they see the "one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime" statistic, but when the numbers are broken down, this means one in 233 women in her thirties will be diagnosed with breast cancer; one in 69 in her forties; one in 36 in her fifties; and one in 27 in her sixties. The annual risk of a 85-year-old woman being diagnosed with breast cancer is 15 times that of a 30-year-old woman.

Some breast cancer cases are the result of a mutation in the BRCA 1 or 2 genes, which can be inherited from a family member. Hereditary breast cancer makes up approximately five to 10 percent of all breast cancer. Some altered genes related to breast cancer are more common in certain ethnic groups. Women who have an altered gene related to breast cancer and who have had breast cancer in one breast have an increased risk of developing breast cancer in the other breast. These women also have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer and may have an increased risk of developing other cancers.

Different types of treatment are available for patients with breast cancer. Some treatments are standard, and some are being tested in clinical trials. The four types of standard treatment currently used are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.