The main goal of breast cancer radiation is to stop the multiplication of cancerous cells and at the same time minimizing damage to healthy tissues. Radiation therapy has been shown to increase survival in women with breast cancer. The therapy using a large machine called a linear accelerator to send and precise pinpoint amounts of high-energy radiation to destroy cancer cells.

This treatment may be used to kill any cancer cells that remain in the chest wall, breast, or underarm area after breast cancer surgery. The treatment may also be needed after mastectomy in patients with either a cancer larger than 5 cm in size, or when cancer is found in the lymph nodes.

There are two types of breast cancer radiation therapy: Click here to read more »

The success of breast cancer recurrence treatments, these are depends on a number of factors such as the stage and grade of your cancer, is the cancer hormone sensitive?, how long ago your original breast cancer was,  the size of the cancer and is the cancer HER2 positive?

If your breast cancer recurrence is found only in the area of the breast where your original cancer was removed and/or it’s been a long time since you were first treated, then it can often be successfully treated.

There is some uncertainty about whether having a local recurrence affects your overall prognosis. The doctor thinks that local recurrence does increase the risk of the cancer spreading elsewhere. Click here to read more »

Breast size or shape changing

Breast changing in size or shape may be a signal that milk ducts or the lobes deeper within the breast are swelling. This could be due to fibrocystic or regular monthly hormonal cycles. If the changes are not in step with regular periodical changes, consult a health professional and get an exam. Having a baseline mammogram can help you and your doctor keep track of changes with accuracy.

Breast and armpit lump or thickening

A lump in the breast tissue may indicate a problem in the duct or the lobes or it may a cyst. Some swelling or lumps in the breast tissue may be due to hormonal changes. But if a lump or thickening persists, whether it is in the breast or in the armpit area, it may be a cause for concern. Swelling in the armpit, where the lymph nodes are located, may indicate that the body is fighting an invasion. See your doctor or nurse practitioner for a screening. Here is an overview of lumps. Click here to read more »

Prof Ana Soto is a researcher in cancer development at Ulster University that it has been noted that bisphenol A (BPA) is a risky product and that Government should launch a precautionary ban.

Bisphenol A is a chemical that commonly used for making plastics shatterproof and is also used in baby bottles, plastic forks and knives, CD cases, and the lining of food or drink cans. Researchers are worried as it imitates female sex hormone oestrogen and there prevails a possibility of its interference in the way of functioning of the hormones.

Prof. Soto and his team have been warned that the bisphenol A in baby bottles can result in breast cancer occurrence later in future. Click here to read more »

A doctor could predict a woman with breast cancer’s survival rate based on the specified stage of breast cancer. There are statistics available that sum up survival rates by breast cancer stage. These statistics are from the American College of Surgeons National Cancer Data Base and are based on studies of a five year breast cancer survival rate. The patients are diagnosed from 1995-1998.

A five-year breast cancer survival rate refers to the average number of patients who are still alive five years after diagnosis with a specific stage of breast cancer. Five-year survival rates do not include patients who die from other causes. After seven years, the survival rate decreases for each stage.

Some women with advanced breast cancer live significantly longer than seven years and the other are less. It is crucial to know that these survival rates are based on statistics or average. Click here to read more »