Download What is Breast Cancer?

Breast & Prostate Cancer
Wednesday, October 17 2007
Introduction
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Who we are
Why we’re here today
What is breast cancer
What is prostate cancer
Statistics
How this affects you
– Prevention or Living with it
Breast Cancer
What is Breast Cancer?
• Cells in the breast tissue divide and grow without normal
control
• 85% of breast cancer originate in the mammary ducts,
17% arise in the lobules
• Cancer in the breast usually grows very slowly, by the
time a lump is found it could be 10years.
• There is a 12% chance a women will develop breast
cancer at some point in life.
• As of 2007, 178,480 new cases were diagnosed in the
United States
• There are however; 2.5 million breast cancer survivors
Percent of U.S. Women Aged 40 Years and Older Who Have Had a
Mammogram in the Last 2 Years by State, 2006
Risk Factors
• Factors that may increase your chance of being diagnosed with
breast cancer:
– Getting older; the more you age, the greater the risk
– Having inherited mutation in the BCRA1 or BCRA2 breast
cancer genes
– Breast cancer history in the family
– Being exposed to large amounts of radiation
– Starting menopause after age 55
– Never having children
– Having your first child after 35
– High bone density
– Not breast feeding
– Being overweight
– Current use of birth control
– Continuous alcohol consumption
Diagnosis
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Breast Cancer is suspected when a lump is felt during a breast exam
or by an abnormal mammogram.
Best way to know for a FACT is follow up tests
After follow up tests are performed and cancer can not be excluded a
biopsy is the next step, this removes tissue or cells to closer examine
them under a microscope
There are two types of biopsy:
– Needle Biopsy: uses one of the three different needles to remove
tissue or cells directly from the breast tissue
– Surgical Biopsy: this is an incision made into the breast to remove
tissue
There are advantages and disadvantages to each method
This method produces a pathology report which contains a large
amount of information
9 out of 10 women will not be diagnosed with breast cancer using
these methods
Treatment
• Treatment is a necessity for a fully successful recovery
• Types of treatment:
– Surgical
– Radiation
– Hormone Therapy
– Chemotherapy
– Targeted Therapies
• Types of Cancer:
– DCIS (Ductal carcinoma in situ)
– LCIS (Lobular carcinoma in situ)
– Stage 1 and 2, Stage 3 (locally)
– Stage IV (metastic)
– Male breast cancer
– Breast Cancer during pregnancy
After Treatment
• There are more than 2 million breast cancer
survivors in the United States today!
• The best steps people can take is to continue regular
medical treatments and continue regular screenings.
• The most common concerns with women and breast
cancer:
– Concerns for family members
– Living with cancer
– Being sexual
– Having children
– Postmenstrual hormones
– Medical Costs
– Stress and weight gain
Prevention
• Since there is no significant cause of breast cancer it
is difficult to pin point ways to prevent it but there
are some things that may help lower your risk of
breast cancer;
– Physical activity (30-60min. Most days of the
week)
– Annual check-ups with your doctor starting at
20years of age if breast cancer runs in your family
or 35 for everyone else
– Eating a healthy, green, leafy diet
– Doing self-exams monthly
– Eliminating smoking
– Controlling alcohol consumption
– Breast feeding
Support Groups
• Emotional support and practical help are very
important for people living with breast cancer
• Social interactions are very important to maintain or
create in the life of cancer survivors
Common Myths
• I’m only 25, breast cancer only happens in older women
– While the risk increases with age all women are at
risk
• You can prevent ever getting breast cancer
• There is no way to absolutely prevent breast cancer.
If you develop it early, detection and treatment are the
best methods for surviving
• If I have a mammogram every year that will increase the
exposure to radiation which will increase my risk for
breast cancer
• The small level of radiation is safe with the benefits
outweighing the risks
Prostate Cancer
Prostate Facts
• Male Sex Gland
• Location (walnut size):
– Front of rectum, below bladder
– Surrounds urethra
• Function:
– Helps in emptying urine
– Makes most of semen to carry sperm
• Affected by:
– Sex hormones (Testosterone)
Prevalence of Prostate Cancer
Cancer Facts
• What is Cancer?
– Multiple, out of control cell growth  Tumor
• Benign vs Malignant
• Why is it Out of Control?
– Chromosome changes within cell
• Cell loses ability to control growth
• Loss is due to: Genetics, infections and exposure to drugs,
tobacco, chemicals, etc.
• How Does it Spread?
– Blood vessels, lymph nodes
• Treatment?
– Kill or control abnormally growing cells
Prostate Cancer Facts
• 240,000 American Men per year
– #1 Cancer Among Men
• 1/6 Men = Diagnosed
– 1/35 Die from Prostate Cancer
• Men <40 yrs = RARE
– >65% of cases, Men >65 yrs (Avg = 70 yrs)
• Cause  Idiopathic
– Early detection is key
Risk Factors (Non-Modifiable)
• Age
– #1 Risk Factor
• Ethnicity
– African-Americans = Highest RF
– White Americans = 2nd Highest
– Not common in Asian or American Indian men
• Genetics
– Father, Brother = Highest RF
• Closer the family member, higher RF
Risk Factors (Modifiable)
• Diet
– High in animal fat (saturated fat) = Highest RF
– High in vegetables and fruit = Lowest RF
• Current Studies
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Obesity, inactivity
Smoking, excessive drinking
Radiation Exposure
Sexually Transmitted Disease
Enlarged Prostate or BPH
Vasectomy
Prevention
• Primarily Unknown
– Research Inconclusive
• What is known…
– Avoid high fatty diets (primarily animal fat)
• Saturated Fats
– Increase Fruits and Vegetables
What Can I do?
• Regular screenings
– Start: 50 yrs
• Earlier if known high risk (45 yrs)
– Family members, genetics, chemical exposures
– Ethnicity
– At least a 10-yr life expectancy
• Prostate cancer is a slow-growing cancer
• Likely cause of death would be otherwise
– New American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines
Symptoms
• Difficult to Identify
– Often mistaken with
• Enlarged Prostate or BHP
• STD
• Urination-Related Symptoms
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Frequent urination (primarily at night)
Difficulty starting urination or stopping
Inability to urinate
Weak or interrupted flow of urine
Painful or burning urination
Blood present in urine
Symptoms (con’t)
• Sex-Related Symptoms
– Difficulty having an erection
– Painful ejaculation
– Pain or stiffness in lower back, hips, upper
thighs
• Enlarged Prostate or BHP
– All symptoms similar
• STDs
– Some symptoms similar
Diagnosis
• American Cancer Society recommends:
– Digital Rectal Exam (DRE)
• Doctor feels for lumps
• Problems: Occasionally lumps are small
– Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)
• Blood test used for measurement
• Higher than normal
• Other Tests
– Ultrasound, X-Ray, Fine Needle Biopsy
Diagnosis (con’t)
• Staging of Cancer
– Stage I
• Cancer too small to be felt via DRE, no symptoms
– Found by chance
– Stage II
• Cancer confined to prostate
• Lumps large enough to be felt via DRE
• PSA may be increased
Diagnosis (con’t)
• Staging of Cancer (con’t)
– Stage III
• Cancer has spread outside of prostate
– Spread to other near tissues
• Problems urinating may be occuring
– Stage IV
• Cancer has spread to lymph nodes around the
body
– Common in bones
• Complications with urination, sex-related, fatigue,
weight loss
Treatment
• Several Treatments
– Individual basis for treatment
• Consider: age, health, feelings surrounding treatment, sideeffects
– Types of treatment
• Surgery (Radical prostatectomy)
• Radiation Therapy (5d/wk, several wks)
– Kill cancer cells, shrink tumor(s)
– Side-effects: impotence, bowel function
• Hormonal
– Deprive cancer cells of hormones needed to stay alive
– Side-effects: Impotence, hot flashes, decreased sex drive,
bone thinning
Current Research
• Predicting Risk Factors
– Increased Testosterone
• Prevention
– Increased Vitamin E, Selenium (via
supplements)
– Tomato-based food consumption
– Finasteride (affects male hormone levels)
– Cryosurgery
• Freezing and destroying cancer tumors
Conclusion
• More Research is Needed
– Prevention, Cause
• Everyone is Affected
– Age, Ethnicity
• Best Way to Help Yourself
– Regular Check-ups
Thank You For Your Time
Next Lunch and Learn:
November 14th, Diabetes!
References
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www.cdc.gov
www.nih.gov
www.komen.org
www.acs.com