Breast Cancer Facts and Helpful Links

According to the American Cancer Society, the following list is signs of breast cancer:

* lump or mass in the breast

* swelling of all or part of the breast

* skin irritation or dimpling

* breast pain

* nipple pain or the nipple turning inward

* redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin

* a nipple discharge other than breast milk

Note: Although a painless and hard lump with uneven edges is more likely to be cancer, a tender, soft, and rounded lump can also be cancerous. A lump is usually felt in the breast first, but there have been cases where the lump has been felt in the lymph nodes under the arm first.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. More Caucasian women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year than any other ethnic group. However, the mortality rate from breast cancer is highest in African American women.

There are seven kinds of breast cancer that is categorized depending on where they start or the symptoms they show. The most common kind is IDC which accounts for 78% of all diagnosis. For a complete list of all seven kinds of breast cancers, click on this List.

Treatment depends on which stage you have when diagnosed. There are six stages of breast cancer depending on how far the cancer has spread. Stage 0 normally has a 100% survival rate after 5 years with the survival rate decreasing for each stage after that. For complete information on the stages of breast cancer, go to: Stages.

Every woman should be checked for breast cancer on a regular schedule. If you have a family history of breast cancer, you should start testing earlier and more often than the normal times that are recommended. There are several tests to screen for breast cancer including breast self-exam (BSE), clinical breast exam (CBE) and mammogram.

Most insurance plans cover the cost of breast cancer testing, but if you don't have insurance, you can still be tested. There is a special program, National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), that offers help to receive breast cancer screening for free or at a reduced cost. You can contact your State Department of Health for information on how to apply for this program.

Breast cancer treatments are very expensive and many insurance policies do cover the cost of the treatments. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer and have no insurance, there are programs to help. You can contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at 1-800-CDC INFO (1-800-232-4636) or on the Internet at this link to receive information about these programs.

I wish to offer my thanks and appreciation to the following websites for all the helpful information for this article:

1. www.cancer.org
2. www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp