Breast Cancer: Lower Risk and Go Causes

Breast anatomy

Before discussing breast cancer, it helps us learn the anatomy of the breast first. Normal breast consists of glands that produce milk that is connected to the surface of the skin of the nipple. Glands and ducts are supported by connective tissue made up of fat and fiber. Blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatic channels to the lymph nodes is mostly forming breast tissue. Breast anatomy is contained under the skin and on top of the chest muscles.

Recognize Breast Cancer

As in all forms of cancer, abnormal tissue that form of breast cancer is our own cells that have been duplicated many times until uncontrollably. Such cells can also relocates to parts of the body does not actually need these cells, which means the cancer including metastasis.


Breast cancer develops in the breast tissue, especially in the milk ducts (ductal carcinoma) or glands (lobular carcinoma). Cancer is still called and treated as breast cancer even if first discovered in other areas of the body. In such cases, the cancer is referred to as metastatic or advanced breast cancer.

Breast cancer usually begins with a small establishment, in the form of a tumor (lump), or as the calcium deposits (microcalcifications) and then spread through the channels in the breast to the lymph nodes or through the bloodstream to other organs. Tumors can grow and invade surrounding breast tissue, such as skin or chest wall. Various types of breast cancer grow and spread at different rates. In some cases take years to spread beyond the breast while others grow and spread quickly.

Some can be benign lump is not cancer, but it can be precancerous. The only safe way to distinguish between benign lump and cancer is to see a doctor.Men can get breast cancer, too, but the case is quite rare. It happened about one percent of all breast cancer cases. For women, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer.Fortunately, breast cancer is highly treatable if detected early. Local tumor can usually be treated successfully before the cancer spreads, and in nine out of 10 cases, women will live at least another five years. However, breast cancer is usually biased to grow in the future.Once the cancer begins to spread, treatment becomes difficult, although treatment can often control the disease for many years.What Causes Breast Cancer?Although the exact cause of breast cancer is not clear, we know what the major risk factors. However, most women who are considered at high risk for breast cancer do not get it. On the other hand, 75% of women who develop breast cancer do not know the risk. Among the most significant factor is the advanced age and family history. Slightly increased risk for a woman who has a few lumps in the breast and increased significantly in women who previously suffered from breast cancer or endometrial, ovarian, or colon cancer.

A woman whose mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer have a risk two to three times more for breast cancer, especially if there is more than one close relative who developed breast cancer. This is especially true if the cancer develops in women during her premenopausal, or if the cancer develops in both breasts. Researchers have now identified two genes responsible for some cases of familial breast cancer - BRCA1 and BRCA2. About one in 200 women carry one of these genes. Has the BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 will increase a woman's breast cancer and, although it does not guarantee that she will get breast cancer, the risk of his life is 56% -85%. This gene is also responsible for ovarian cancer and are associated with pancreatic cancer, melanoma, breast cancer and male (BRCA2).Because of this risk prevention strategies for those with BRCA gene is more intensive. There are other genes that have been identified can increase the risk of breast cancer, including PTEN gene, ATM gene, TP53 gene, and the gene CHEK2. However, this gene carries a lower risk of developing breast cancer than the BRCA genes.Generally, women over 50 are more prone to developing breast cancer than younger women.The relationship between breast cancer and hormone today becomes clearer. Researchers think that the greater the hormone estrogen in a woman, the more vulnerable she is breast cancer. Estrogen to tell the cell to divide, the more cells split, the more likely they are to be abnormal, potentially cancerous.Levels of estrogen and progesterone in a woman increases and decreases during his lifetime. This is influenced by the age when she started menstruating and stopped menstruating (menopause), the average length of the menstrual cycle, and her age when she first gave birth. A woman's risk for breast cancer increases if she began menstruating before age 12 (less than 2 times the risk), having a first child after 30, stops menstruating after 55, or not to breastfeed. Current information about the effects of birth control pills and breast cancer risk somewhat vague. Several studies have found that the hormones in birth control pills may increase breast cancer risk or protect against breast cancer. However, other studies indicate that the increased risk of breast cancer in women taking birth control pills new.Some studies show that the use of hormone replacement therapy with estrogen and progesterone-containing compounds that increase the risk of developing breast cancer. They also showed, after 7 years of follow-up, that the use of estrogen alone does not increase or decrease the risk of breast cancer development.High levels of radiation, such as by exposure to nuclear or radiation therapy, is a bias factor that causes breast cancer.The relationship between diet and breast cancer is still being debated. Obesity is a risk factor that is quite important, predominantly in postmenopausal women, obesity alter the metabolism of estrogen women. Drinking alcohol regularly also increases the risk of breast cancer. Many studies have shown that women who eat foods high in fat, either from red meat or high-fat dairy products, more likely to get this disease. Researchers suspect that if a woman lowers her daily calories from fat - about 20-30 percent - can help protect them from breast cancer.