Breast cancer is a cancer that occurs in the cells of the breast. It can occur in adult men or women of any age (which is why frequent self-checks are so important), but is most-common in older women. It is the second-most diagnosed cancer in the United States; but campaigns for breast cancer awareness and research have helped to greatly improve early diagnosis and survival rates.
Make an appointment to see your doctor if you discover any noticeable changes in your breasts. Early detection is key to successful treatments.
Under certain circumstances, people with breast cancer have the opportunity to choose between two treatments:
- Mastectomy: complete surgical removal of a breast; or
- Lumpectomy: breast-conserving surgery in which only the cancerous lump is removed from the breast. This procedure is followed by radiation to destroy any remaining cancer cells.