Breast cancer is a rapid, uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in
one or both breasts. It is the most common type of cancer in women, but it is
highly curable when caught early.
While the number of women who have breast cancer increases with
age, the disease can affect women in their 40s and, rarely, women in their 30s.
Having a family history of breast cancer is an important risk factor, but most
women who develop breast cancer do not have any known risk factors other than
their age. Although rare, breast cancer can occur in men.
The most common symptom of breast cancer is a lump or thickening in
the breast. Other symptoms include changes in the skin of the breast,
spontaneous nipple discharge or bleeding, and scaling or crusting of the
nipple.
Treatment for breast cancer depends on the stage of the breast
cancer, whether nearby lymph nodes contain cancer cells, and how the cancer
cells look under the microscope. Treatment usually includes surgery to remove
the cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation may also be used to treat breast
cancer.
