Breast Cancer Facts

The uncontrolled growth of cells in the breast is known as breast cancer. It could result from the mutation or certain changes in the genes responsible for the growth and wear and tear of the cells become abnormal.

The risk of developing breast cancer lingers over each and every women and it increases even more as the age increases. Some breast cancer facts are – About 12 – 13% of woman in America are likely to be affected by invasive breast cancer at least once in their entire life.

It is estimated that by the end of 2010 there would be a total of 207,090 new cases of invasive cancer diagnosed along with 54,010 new cases of non-invasive cases. It is found that approximately 77% of woman above the 50 are diagnosed with breast cancer.

It is found that approximately 2000 men would be affected by cancer and about 25% of them may succumb to it. It is found that breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women between the age group of 15 and 54 while; it is the second leading causes of death for women in the age group of 55 to 74.

The initial signs of breast cancer may not exhibit any symptoms or be felt by the individual. It can only be detected via a mammogram. Hence a yearly mammography and monthly breast self-examination may help in the early detection of such cases thereby increasing the chances of survival.

An individual may be at a higher risk of developing cancer if they have of family history of the same or if their pregnancy was delayed or they had an early menstruation i.e. before the age of 12 or they experienced a late menopause i.e. after the age of 55 or if you have been consuming oral contraceptives since a decade or so and/or you consume alcohol.

Today, more women are becoming aware of the disease and this helps in early detection of the disease. It is estimated that about 96% of women diagnosed with cancer have chances of being totally free from the cell within a time period of five years. This is indicated by the number of breast cancer survivors in the U.S. alone by the end of 2010 which is 2.5 million.