Breast cancer is considered as a killer disease and it is known to be the top cause of cancer death among women. According to American cancer society, about 1.3 million new breast cancer cases are diagnosed on an annually basis which includes 465,000 deaths. In order to successfully tackle this devastating disease, we must encourage innovative scientists to study cancer at its most basic level. In other words, breast cancer research work should be conducted at its molecular level. Also, besides the governments, private organizations should provide flexible funding to scientists who will be conducting breast cancer research work. Proper funding of breast cancer research projects; can not only lead to better prevention strategies but it can also help towards earlier diagnostic techniques and new anticancer drugs and treatments.

A world renowned cancer researcher, named Lothar Hirneise has come to an understanding that cancer exist with stress. He is of the opinion that when the mind is under constant stress, the body then produces high levels of stress hormone called Cortisol. The immune system gets suppressed with high levels of Cortisol in the body. Also, a stressed mind will release out Adrenaline to an extent of depletion. People suffering from cancer are found to be having almost no adrenaline in their cells. In fact, cells of cancer patients are often overloaded with insulin and plenty of sugar. Another  leading German cancer researcher by the name of ‘Ryke-Geerd Hamer has gone through twenty thousand cancer patients and found a direct relationship between psycho-emotional conflict and cancer patients. This occurs between 1 to 3 years, prior to cancer diagnosis and cancer forming within the body. Cancer patients, who have experienced a psycho – emotional conflict shock, in the form of loss of a loved one etc, few years prior to their cancer urine, has experienced emotional pain and stress within themselves. Such a state of mind can have an adverse effect on the immune system of the person’s body.

Recently, researchers who are working towards breast cancer research project, have developed and successfully tested a breast cancer vaccine which is likely to treat women with treatment – resistant HER2 – positive breast cancer and thus be able to prevent cancer re – occurrence. Breast cancer researchers look forward to use HER2 DNA vaccines for cancer – free women, in order to prevent initial development of such tumours. At present, therapies such as trastuzumab and lapatimib are used towards treating breast cancer patients. However, it was lately noticed that a huge group of patients develop a resistance towards trastuzumab and lapatimib. HER2 receptors are known to promote a particularly aggressive type of tumour that affects about thirty percent of breast cancer patients.

The new breast cancer vaccine is produced by the body’s own cells. It delivers a cancer fighting gene into cells, which then produce immune system proteins and also tumor – destroying cells. According to the lead researcher Wei – Zen Wei, a professor of immunology and microbiology at the Karmanos Cancer Institute, the vaccine is made by using so – called naked DNA from genes that produces the HER2 receptor. This DNA is put along with an immune stimulant. The process involved in the making of the vaccine, is called as electroporation. In this process, pulses of electricity were used in order to inject the vaccine into the leg muscles in mice. The genes moved towards the cells, which then produced HER2 receptors that led to activation of antibodies and immune cells called Killer T cells. This vaccine is unique and much more research will be further required so that it can one day be applicable towards humans for treating breast cancer.

Overview

When a group of cells display uninhibited growth, which refers to division beyond the normal limits, this phenomenon is commonly referred to as cancer. Other characteristics include an attack and destruction of surrounding tissues, and the spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood, which is known as metastasis.

These malignant, which refers to a severe and progressively worsening disease, properties of cancers differentiate them from benign tumors, which are self-limited and do not invade or metastasise.

A tumor refers to a swelling or lesion formed by an unusually high growth of cells and occurs with most cancers. However, some, like leukemia, do not produce tumors.

Breast cancer becomes established, initially, in the cells of the breast in men and women. On a worldwide basis, the second most established form of cancer, after lung cancer, is that of breast cancer. It represents 10% of all cancers relating to both sexes. It is the fifth most common cause of cancer death.

The most common type of cancer specifically related to women, globally, is that of breast cancer. It occurs at more than twice the rate of that of colorectal cancer and cervical cancer and about three times that of lung cancer. Further, in the case of women, deaths from breast cancer, worldwide, is approximately 25% more than that from lung cancer.

In a study in 2005, it was found that breast cancer produced 502,000 deaths worldwide. To get this into context, this represents about 7% of all cancer deaths, and nearly 1% of all recorded deaths. Further, there has been a substantial increase, globally, in breast cancer since the 1970s. This statistic, it is suggested, may be associated with modern lifestyles in the western world.

On a global basis, the occurrence of breast cancer differs significantly according to region. It is less widespread in less-developed countries and more so in the further-developed countries. In the twelve designated regions of the world, the annual incidence rates per 100,000 women are as follows: Eastern Asia, 18; Southern Central Asia, 22; sub-Saharan Africa, 22; South-Eastern Asia, 26; North Africa and Western Asia, 28; South and Central America, 42; Eastern Europe, 49; Southern Europe, 56; Northern Europe, 73; Oceania, 74; Western Europe, 78; and in North America, 90.

The United States has the highest incidence rates of breast cancer in women, globally. A study has shown 141 cases among white women and 122 among African American women. Also in the US, breast cancer amongst women is the most prevalent cancer. After lung cancer, it produces the second highest occurrence of deaths from all cancers.

There is a 12.5% chance of women in the US developing invasive breast cancer within their lifetime. Further, there is a 3% chance that the breast cancer that they may contract will actually cause their death. A forecast has suggested that, in 2007, breast cancer would be the cause of 40,910 deaths in the US. This would represent some 7% of cancer deaths, and almost 2% of all deaths.

For the last few years, both the incidence and death rates from breast cancer in the US have been in decline. In 2005, a study conducted in the US by the Society for Women’s Health Research concluded that breast cancer remains the disease that causes the most concern. This is an interesting outcome since heart disease is a much more widespread determinant when considering all deaths among women.

Breast cancer is also prevalent in men. This is due to the fact that the breast is composed of identical tissues in respect of both genders. However, it must be remembered that the manifestation of breast cancer in men is some 100 times less common than that in women.  Conversely, men with breast cancer are considered to have the same statistical survival rates as women.

Breast Cancer – How To Succeed

Peter Radford writes Articles with Websites on a wide range of subjects. Breast Cancer Articles cover Background, Symptoms, Risk, Prevention, Treatment.

His Website contains a total of 41 Breast Cancer Articles, written by others and carefully selected.

View his Website at: breast-cancer-how-to-succeed.com

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Breast cancer type

Breast cancer type is categorized by whether it begins in the ducts or lobules, the organs responsible for breast milk production. Medullary carcinoma accounts for 15% of all breast cancer types. This breast cancer type represents 5% of all diagnosis. IPR015525 Breast cancer type 2 susceptibility protein Header EBIDatabasesInterPro Search Open in usermanual InterPro: ” /> Jump to: InterProScan Databases Documentation FTP site Help Click on the icon for context sensitive help from the user manual. The breast cancer type 2 susceptibility protein (BRCA2) is a breast tumour suppressor with a potential function in the cellular response to DNA damage. Some breast cancer types express one or more of these proteins on their cell surface, while others express none. Media Relations Contacts Online Press Kit Rumors, Myths, and Truths Glossary About the American Cancer Society Breastfeeding, Other Factors May Affect Risk of Breast Cancer TypeAtlanta 2008/08/25 -Factors such as age at menopause as well as a woman?s breastfeeding practices can influence her risk of developing certain types of breast cancer.

The investigators found that reproductive risk factors varied considerably by breast cancer subtype. Their analysis included 1,023 women with breast cancer whose cells express the estrogen and progesterone receptors (called luminal cancers), 39 women with HER2-overexpressing breast cancer, and 78 triple-negative cases (no expression of estrogen, progesterone, or HER2 receptors). The study also included 1,476 women without breast cancer. ? They added that additional studies on the causes of breast cancer subtypes are needed to better understand the biology of the disease. Learn more about our commitment to providing complete, accurate, and private breast cancer information. The study?s results suggest that there are distinct and separate hormonal risk factors associated with different subtypes of breast cancer. Women with what is referred to as “triple-negative” breast cancer are more likely than other women with breast cancer to experience a relapse, a new study by Canadian researchers shows. Despite having a high risk of early recurrence, the study indicates that triple-negative breast cancer patients who remain disease-free for eight years are unlikely to die of breast cancer and may be “cured” of their disease.

Breast Feeding Will Lowers Risk Of Breast Cancer

Breastfeeding for 6 months or longer was associated with a lower risk of luminal cancer as well as triple-negative cancer, a type that can be particularly aggressive and difficult to treat. Understanding the specific type of breast cancer can help you ask better questions and work with your physicians to get the best breast cancer treatments. For more information on the types and stages of breast cancer, watch Beyond the Shock®. Medullary carcinoma accounts for 15% of all breast cancer types. Infiltrating lobular carcinoma is a type of breast cancer that usually appears as a subtle thickening in the upper-outer quadrant of the breast. Making up about 2% of all breast cancer diagnosis, tubular carcinoma cells have a distinctive tubular structure when viewed under a microscope. Typically this type of breast cancer is found in women aged 50 and above. Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and very aggressive type of breast cancer that causes the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast to become blocked.

Breast Cancer Risk

The study’s results suggest that there are distinct and separate hormonal risk factors associated with different subtypes of breast cancer. Amanda Phipps, a predoctoral research associate at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, and her colleagues conducted a study to better understand the specific risk factors for the subtypes of breast cancer, which are classified by expression of the estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and the HER2 receptor. The investigators found that reproductive risk factors varied considerably by breast cancer subtype. Breastfeeding for 6 months or longer was associated with a lower risk of luminal cancer as well as triple-negative cancer, a type that can be particularly aggressive and difficult to treat. Both late age at menopause and use of estrogen plus progestin hormone therapy were associated with an increased risk of luminal disease. Finally, no differences in risks associated with number of children or the age when a woman first gave birth were observed by subtype. The study authors concluded that their results indicate that “certain reproductive factors may have a greater impact on risk of certain molecular subtypes of disease compared to others. Despite having a high risk of early recurrence, the study indicates that triple-negative breast cancer patients who remain disease-free for eight years are unlikely to die of breast cancer and may be “cured” of their disease. Insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and changes in the signaling of growth hormones and steroid hormones associated with diabetes may affect the risk of breast cancer. Despite many proposed potential pathways, the mechanisms underlying an association between diabetes and breast cancer risk remain unclear, particularly because the 2 diseases share several risk factors, including obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and possibly intake of saturated fat and refined carbohydrates, that may confound this association. Although the metabolic syndrome is closely related to diabetes and embraces additional components that might influence breast cancer risk, the role of the metabolic syndrome in breast carcinogenesis has not been studied and thus remains unknown.

For more info related to this subject and others please visit Breast Cancer Info

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women in the United States.  In 2008, approximately 184,450 patients were estimated to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and an estimated 40,930 were estimated to die of this disease.   Furthermore, over 50,000 female carcinoma in situ breast cases would have been diagnosed.  The etiology of breast cancer is poorly understood with multiple genetic and environmental factors involved in the initiation and progression of cancer. 

Scandinavian Twin Study:  For years, there has been a hot debate as to whether the cause of breast cancer is genetic or environmental.  Then in 2000, Lichtenstein and his colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden published their study of 44,788 pairs of twins from the Swedish, Danish, and Finnish twin registries.  In this study, they looked at cancer risk with 28 different types of cancers and did statistical modeling of genetic and hereditary contributions in eleven different cancer types.  For breast cancer, they clearly showed that only 27% of breast cancers were due to genetic factors.  This was an even lower hereditary component than other common cancers such as prostate and colorectal.  This study and others have confirmed the fact that over 70% of breast cancers are influenced by environmental factors.

BRCA genes:  Although much attention has been made about hereditary breast cancer, only two genes are commonly tested for breast cancer risk assessment.  These two genes are tumor suppressor genes named “BRCA1″ and “BRCA2″ that are involved with DNA repair.  These two genes only account for about 5% of all breast cancers.  Because of the Scandinavian twin study, most experts believed that there are other yet to be discovered genes involved with breast cancer.  Because the chance of having a BRCA mutation in the general population is so low, genetic testing is not indicated in most patients.  However, if a patient has a family history of breast cancer, then a mathematical model can be used to determine if BRCA testing is indicated.  The likelihood of being a BRCA carrier increases with the number of relatives who had cancer and if the cancers occurred earlier in life.  For example, in families with four or more cases of breast or ovarian cancer under the age of 60, over 80% are found to have a damaged version of BRCA1 or BRCA2.  If a patient is a carrier of one or both of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, her risk of breast cancer dramatically increases.  According to estimates of lifetime risk, about 13.2% (132 out of 1,000 individuals) of women in the general population will develop breast cancer, compared with estimates of 36-85% (360-850 out of 1,000) of women with an altered BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.  In other words, women with an altered BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 gene are up to eight times more likely to develop breast cancer than women without alterations in those genes.  The BRCA1 mutation confers a higher risk than a BRCA2 mutation.  Women who inherit a damaged BRCA1 gene have a 60-85% chance of developing breast cancer at some stage in their lives and a 20-40% chance of developing ovarian cancer.  For BRCA2, the risks are 40-60% and 10-20%, respectively.  

Family History and Breast Cancer:  Although the spotlight in hereditary breast cancer has been directed on the BRCA genes, the majority of patients with a family history of breast cancer are BRCA1 and BRCA2 negative.  Even in these BRCA negative patients, however, there is an increased risk of developing cancer with a family history of breast cancer.   Six factors (unrelated to BRCA genes) have been studied in patients with a family history of breast cancer.  They are as follows:

1.  Degree of relationship:  If the family member with a history of cancer is a first degree relative, the increased risk is much greater than for second degree relatives. 

2.  Number of relatives who have had breast cancer:  People with two or more family members who have had breast cancer are at higher risk than those with only one affected relative.

3.  Age of onset of cancer:  If the relative developed breast cancer at an early age (pre-menopausal), the risk is higher than if the relative developed post menopausal breast cancer.

4.  Bilateral breast cancer:  If the relative has a history of bilateral breast cancer, the risk is greater than having a relative with unilateral breast cancer.

5.  Gender of the relative:  If the family member with breast cancer is a man, the risk is higher.

6.  Other related early onset tumors:  If there is a family history of early onset ovarian cancer, this incurs an increased risk for a person.

How to decide whether you need the BRCA gene test

The following is an excerpt from the American Society of Breast Surgeons:

1.  Early onset breast cancer (diagnosed before age 50)

2.  Two primary breast cancers, either bilateral or ipsilateral
3.  A family history of early onset breast cancer
4.  Male breast cancer
5.  A personal or family history of ovarian cancer
6.  Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish heritage
7.  A previously identified BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation in the family

Any one of these features alone indicates a risk for harboring a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.  The presence of more than one of these features raises that risk to greater than 10%, the traditional cutoff for recommending a BRCA test. Such patients should have access to BRCA testing.  A simple risk-calculation model based on the prevalence of mutations seen among women tested for BRCA mutations is available at http://www.brcacalculator.com.