Breast cancer

Breast cancer is a cancer of the breast tissue, which can occur in both women and men.

Worldwide, breast cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, and colon cancer). In 2005, breast cancer caused 502,000 deaths (7% of cancer deaths; almost 1% of all deaths) worldwide.^[1] Among women worldwide, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the most common cause of cancer death.^[1]

In the United States, breast cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer and colon cancer). In 2007, breast cancer is expected to cause 40,910 deaths (7% of cancer deaths; almost 2% of all deaths) in the U.S.^[2] Among women in the U.S., breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer).^[3] Women in the U.S. have 1 in 8 lifetime chance of developing invasive breast cancer and a 1 in 33 chance of breast cancer causing their death.^[3]

The number of cases has significantly increased since the 1970s, a phenomenon partly blamed on modern lifestyles in the Western world.^[4][5] Because the breast is composed of identical tissues in males and females, breast cancer also occurs in males, though it is less common.^[6]

Types of breast cancer

• Ductal carcinoma 65-90%
• Lobular carcinoma 10%
• Inflammatory breast cancer
• Medullary carcinoma 5%
• Colloid carcinoma 2%
• Papillary carcinoma 1%
• Metaplastic carcinoma

Symptoms

Early breast cancer can in some cases be painful. Usually breast cancer is discovered before any symptoms are present, either on mammography or by feeling a breast lump. A lump under the arm or above the collarbone that does not go away may be present. Other possible symptoms include breast discharge, nipple inversion and changes in the skin overlying the breast^{[citation needed]}.

Breast cancer awareness

In the month of October, breast cancer is recognized by survivors, family and friends of survivors and/or victims of the disease. A pink ribbon is worn to recognize the struggle that sufferers face when battling the cancer.

Pink for October is an initiative started by Matthew Oliphant, which asks that any sites willing to help make people aware of breast cancer, change their template or layout to include the color pink, so that when visitors view the site, they see that the majority of the site is pink. Then after reading a short amount of information about breast cancer, or being redirected to another site, they are aware of the disease itself.

(Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_cancer)