Breast Cancer: What You Need to Know
Every year, approximately 200,000 women in America are diagnosed with breast cancer, making it the second most common cancer in women. Put another way, about one in eight females will develop breast cancer at some point in life.
Those are frightening statistics, but there is good news, too! Localized breast cancer has a 99% survival rate if detected early, and the more you know about breast cancer, the better your odds of avoiding or surviving it.
What does a normal breast look and feel like?
Breasts can look or feel different depending on menstrual cycles, having children, weight gain or loss, medications, and age. Some breasts feel lumpy or uneven, but most lumps are not cancer. A fibrocystic condition can make breasts lumpy, tender, and sore; breasts can also contain small fluid-filled sacs called cysts. Still, be sure to report ANY lump or change in your breasts to your healthcare provider.
What is breast cancer?
There are several types of breast cancer, depending on where it is in the breast. A breast has three main parts: connective tissue, ducts, and glands.
Connective tissue, which is fibrous and fatty, connects and holds everything together.
Ducts are passages that carry milk to the nipple. The most common type (and earliest form) of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma because it begins in the cells that line the milk ducts. Sometimes, the cancer cells stay in the lining of the ducts; other times, the abnormal cancer cells spread to other breast tissue or other parts of the body.
Another common cancer occurs in the glands that produce milk. It is called lobular carcinoma because cancer cells begin in the lobes (lobules) of the breast. Like ductal carcinoma, the cancer cells sometimes remain in the lobules but sometimes spread.
One less common kind of breast cancer is Paget’s disease, where cancer cells cluster around the nipple; another type is inflammatory breast cancer, which causes severe inflammation. While uncommon (1 case in 100), men can get breast cancer, too.
What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
It’s important to know your risk factors for breast cancer and to talk with your doctor about ways to lower the ones you can control. Risk factors include:
- Starting your menstrual period at an earlier age, and starting menopause at a later age
- Never giving birth or having your first child when you’re older
- Not breastfeeding
- Long-term use of hormone replacement therapy
- Getting older
- Personal history of breast cancer or some non-cancerous breast diseases
- Family history of breast cancer (mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, or son)
- Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest
- Breast density
- Being overweight (particularly after menopause)
- Drinking alcohol (more than one drink per day)
- Lack of regular exercise
How do I know if I have breast cancer?
Some women have no warning signs at all, while others may experience symptoms that include swelling, dimpling of breast skin, redness or flaky skin in the nipple area, nipple discharge other than breast milk, or pain in the breast. These signs do not mean you have cancer, but you should see your healthcare provider if you have these symptoms or others that concern you.
Your best bet for surviving breast cancer is early detection, which is accomplished through regular screenings. Your doctor will know which tests are right for you (and how often they should be performed) based on your risk factors and history.
One type of screening is a breast self-exam, which means checking your own breasts for lumps, bumps, or changes in the size or shape of the breast, and for lumps in the surrounding tissue (underarm). You should begin doing this monthly in your 20s so you become familiar with what looks and feels "normal" for you. (Hint: Do your self-exam 3–5 days after your period starts because your breasts are not as tender or lumpy during this part of your cycle.) Detailed instructions for performing a self-exam can be found by going to the American Cancer Society website (www.cancer.org) and typing ‘breast self exam’ in the search box.
Self-exams should be accompanied by periodic clinical breast exams performed by a doctor or nurse, who feels for lumps. These exams are similar to what you do at home, but a trained professional may find something you’ve overlooked.
A mammogram, which is an x-ray of the breast, is the best method to detect breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat. Mammograms sometimes catch cancer several years before it can be felt.
Regular mammograms can lower your risk of dying from breast cancer, and VA provides mammograms to all Veterans. In line with national guidelines, VA encourages all women between ages 50 and 75 to get mammograms every two years, but women ages 40 to 50 (and those older than 75) should talk with their providers and make a decision based on individual risk factors.
Some women say mammograms are painful, but the experience is different for everyone. You may feel some pressure, but it only lasts a few seconds. (Hint: your breasts may be more sensitive if you are about to have your period.) It’s easier for a doctor to interpret your mammogram if he can compare it to your previous ones, so follow up with regular screenings as recommended by your doctor
An abnormal mammogram doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer. Instead, your doctor will likely order another mammogram or additional tests if anything unusual shows up. Those may include a breast ultrasound (the kind used to provide images of babies in the womb), a more detailed mammogram, an MRI (a type of scan), or a biopsy.
Where can I go in VISN 9 for breast cancer screening?
VA is committed to meeting the health care needs of women Veterans, and providing breast cancer screening is critical because women are the fastest growing group of U.S. Veterans.
VA MidSouth Healthcare Network has programs and facilities to meet the unique needs of female veterans. Each VA Medical Center has a Women Veterans Program Manager who can help coordinate all the services you need, or you may contact the Women Veterans Healthcare Center in Nashville.
