• forward arrow
    Main Menu

  • Book & Article Categories

  • forward arrow
    Main Menu

  • Book & Article Categories

Home
Body, Mind, & Spirit Books
Physical Health & Well-Being Books
Diseases Books
Cancer Books
Kimlin Tam Ashing
Marshalee George
|
Published:
August 28, 2017

Detecting & Living with Breast Cancer For Dummies

Buy Now
Subscribe on Perlego
Engage with Book

Overview

Your trusted, no-nonsense guide to detecting and managing breast cancer

From the breast health experts at the American Breast Cancer Foundation comes a sensitive and authoritative guide to the most common cancer in women: breast cancer. Covering everything from prevention to dealing with a diagnosis to coping with life after cancer, it serves as a trusted resource for anyone whose life has been touched by this dreaded disease.

Advancements in breast cancer prevention, detection, and treatment are being made every day, but it can be overwhelming and confusing knowing where to turn and who to trust. Detecting & Living with Breast Cancer For Dummies distills the information into one easy-to-follow guide, giving you quick, expert advice on everything

you'll face as you manage your breast health. From getting to know your treatment options to talking to loved ones about breast cancer—and everything in between—it does the legwork for you so you can take a deep breath and focus on your health.

  • Perform regular self-exams the right way
  • Cope with the many decisions that need to be made if you're diagnosed
  • Ask the right questions about surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and breast reconstruction
  • Decipher complicated pathology reports with confidence

Whether you're at risk for breast cancer or have been diagnosed and want to know your options, Detecting & Living with Breast Cancer For Dummies empowers you to take your health into your own hands.

Read More

About The Author

Marshalee George, PhD, is Faculty and Oncology Nurse Practitioner at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Surgical Oncology at Johns Hopkins Breast Center.

Kimlin Tam Ashing, PhD, is Professor and Founding Director of City of Hope's Center of Community Alliance for Research and Education. Together they have over 40 years combined experience in treating breast cancer patients through diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and recurrent illness, as well as survivorship and follow-up care.

Sample Chapters

Read Sample
detecting & living with breast cancer for dummies

CHEAT SHEET

Breast cancer is a particularly devastating and intimate disease. Although not as deadly as some other forms of cancer — five-year survival rates in the United States are between 80 percent and 90 percent — the toll that breast cancer takes on the body, mind, and psychology make it an especially difficult disease to contend with.
View Cheat Sheet
View Cheat Sheet

HAVE THIS BOOK?

View Book Companion Site
Access practice tests
Additional Book Resources

Articles from
the book

Following are ten inspiration stories from breast cancer survivors — some of them in their own personal words. Survivorship is broken into three categories: Acute survivorship: This is just after getting the diagnosis of breast cancer. Women often experience "the shock" and immediately start thinking about life decisions.
Read More
Read More
The number one risk factor of any type of cancer is age. The older people get, the more incidences of cancer will be found. In the United States, we are becoming a more aged society, with the baby boomers getting older and living longer.With advanced age, there is ample time for breast cells to be altered or mutate due to internal genetic errors.
Read More
Read More
The breast is considered an organ, like your kidney, spleen, and brain. Start with the most fundamental biological unit: the cell. As you may (or may not) remember from biology class in school, the cell is the basic building block of the human body and is where life begins. A group of cells is called tissue. And a group of tissues is called an organ.
Read More
Read More
The purpose of breast cancer screening is, of course, early detection of breast cancer so you can get timely treatment if needed. The earlier anything is caught, the better. That's a no-brainer, right?Unfortunately, some people run into psychological barriers. Some refuse to have a screening mammogram, for example, out of fear of the unknown, or they just don't want to know if they have cancer.
Read More
Read More
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast — or breast MRI — is a test used to detect breast cancers and other changes in the breast. The breast MRI takes multiple pictures of your breast and combines them using a computer to provide more detailed images.MRI has been used to find some breast cancers not seen on mammogram, but it is most likely to find a change in the breast that is not cancer (a false positive).
Read More
Read More
In terms of breast cancer, the process is described in five broad stages, labeled 0 through IV. The following discussion delves into detail on breast cancer stages.Stage 0 (zero)Illustration courtesy of the website of the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov). There are two types of breast cancer in this stage: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) Stage I© 2012 Terese Winslow LLC.
Read More
Read More
Most individuals will begin their breast cancer treatment with surgery. Your doctor may offer you several types of breast surgery and/or a choice about your treatment that is best suited for you. The type of surgery recommended will be based on what the pathology report says about, among other things, the size and location of the tumor.
Read More
Read More
There are several surgical options for treating breast cancer, but it is your stage of breast cancer that determines which surgical options are best for you. Breast reconstruction is when a surgeon rebuilds the breast using one of two main types of breast reconstruction: implant or your own tissue (tissue from belly, back, thigh, or buttock).
Read More
Read More
Breast aches and pains are cause by compression of the nerve endings in the breast. Basically, neurotransmitters in the nerves send messages to the brain that the breast hurts. Anything that causes the nerves to be compressed can cause breast pain, including a breast mass, breast cyst, fluid/inflammation (which can be caused by infection or trauma), and scarring.
Read More
Read More
The earlier breast cancer is detected and diagnosed, the better the chances for successful treatment. Here are the best things you can do to improve your odds of catching breast cancer early: Do regular breast self-exams. Feel all over the breast for any lumps or masses on a regular basis. In the shower is a good time and place as the fingers glide more smoothly.
Read More
Read More
Breast cancer is a particularly devastating and intimate disease. Although not as deadly as some other forms of cancer — five-year survival rates in the United States are between 80 percent and 90 percent — the toll that breast cancer takes on the body, mind, and psychology make it an especially difficult disease to contend with.
Read More
Read More
You've heard the terms tumor and cancer thrown around. But is there a difference — and if so, what is it? Technically there is a difference, although many people use these terms interchangeably.A benign tumor or neoplasm is a mass that is generally harmless, as this is an overgrowth of normal tissue. An example would be a freckle or benign mole that grows on the skin, or the raised lumpy tissue that forms over a cut to create scar tissue.
Read More
Read More
It's surely not surprising that women are far more at risk than men for developing breast cancer. Males and females are both born with breast tissue, but the naturally elevated testosterone levels in males prevents the growth of mature breast tissue. This leaves males with a small amount of underdeveloped breast tissue.
Read More
Read More
Knowing your family history is very important to help determine your risk for breast cancer. You should do some research to figure out which family members had what type of cancer, on which side of the family (paternal or maternal), and at what age they were diagnosed with cancer.If your first-degree relative (mother, father, sister, or brother) had breast cancer or ovarian cancer (females), your risk of having breast cancer is at least five times more than the general population without a family history of breast cancer.
Read More
Read More
The grade and stage of breast cancers are determined by the pathologist based on how different the breast cancer cells are from normal breast cells and how quickly they grow.Breast cancers are graded 1–3, with 1 being the most similar to normal, healthy cells, and 3 being the most different from your normal cells and most aggressive.
Read More
Read More
Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of breast cancer when you are menopausal by 30 percent. Having extra fat in your body after menopause increases the production of estrogen and growth factors because the ovaries are no longer producing hormones and the fat tissue becomes the source of estrogen for the body.
Read More
Read More
Your body makes great efforts to fight off many diseases on its own, but it must have the right resources on its side to be able to do that. Poor nutrition reduces mental function and productivity as well as diminishes your body's immunity against diseases such as cancers.When you are getting sufficient calories for energy and sufficient nutrients to support body function and growth, you can say you have good nutrition.
Read More
Read More
Even though White women (Caucasian and of European heritage) have a slightly higher risk for developing breast cancer over age 45, Black women — those of African American, African, and Afro-Caribbean descent — are more likely to die from the disease. The reasons for this are very controversial. Research in past years has shown that Black women have a higher incidence of triple negative breast cancers, though in clinical practice, cancer providers may observe differently.
Read More
Read More
All breast biopsies involve the removal of breast tissue. However, the procedure varies in terms of the instruments and procedures used to perform it. For example, a core needle biopsy involves the use of a thin needle to extract a tissue sample about the size of a grain of rice, whereas a surgical biopsy involves the use of a scalpel to cut a larger piece of breast tissue out.
Read More
Read More
There are a few different ways of examining your breasts. The following discussion talks about three of the most common ways. Remember, you should do a self-examination once a month, preferably in the week following your menstrual period. Illustration by Kathryn BornGently probe each breast in one of these three patterns.
Read More
Read More
Medical outcomes are always better when the patient plays an active role. The same holds true for a breast biopsy. When you know what to expect, you're likely to be less anxious and take the steps necessary to reduce risks.Soon after your biopsy is scheduled, the doctor who will perform it (a radiologist or breast surgeon) should inform you of the type of biopsy you will have.
Read More
Read More
Sometimes you have to be like Sherlock Holmes when it comes to investigating changes in your breast beneath the skin. Lumps, bumps, and mass-like structures can develop in the breasts. Breast cysts and dense breasts are frequent findings on mammograms and breast ultrasounds. Breast masses and fibroadenomas Often when a woman feels a lump or a mass in the breast, the instinct is to panic.
Read More
Read More
You may receive your biopsy results in two forms: a cursory report, typically in the form of a letter, indicating whether or not the biopsy detected cancer, and the pathologist's report, which goes into much greater detail. Some basic medical terminology As you read the biopsy results, you are likely to come across some unfamiliar terminology.
Read More
Read More
A mammogram is a procedure done with a machine that takes an X-ray of the breast. Mammograms can help to find breast cancer early, sometimes up to three years before a mass can be felt. Well-developed breast cancers are almost always seen on a mammogram, but cancers that are not as developed can be missed on a mammogram.
Read More
Read More
The size and shape of your breast are unique to you. Breast growth is mostly influenced by the release of estrogen and other hormones in your body, along with your genes (DNA) that you inherit from your parents. Your breast shape and how it looks are influenced by many factors: Your age History of childbearing Breastfeeding History of breast infections When a female has passed puberty and the breasts are fully developed, that doesn't mean that the size of the breast will always be the same throughout her lifetime.
Read More
Read More
You should watch for changes in your nipples. Remember that knowing your breast through regular self-examinations is the key to identifying changes that may be a sign of breast cancer. Nipple inversion Sometimes women may naturally have inverted nipples — in which the nipple does not protrude. That is their normal.
Read More
Read More
Radiation, or radiotherapy, involves the use of a beam of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells in your breast or lymph nodes under your armpit or chest wall. Radiation therapy is usually recommended after a lumpectomy, when the breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the armpit, or after a mastectomy and the surgical margins are still positive for cancer.
Read More
Read More
Sometimes the option to remove both breasts is based on the disease, and sometimes it's based on the disease plus a patient's anxiety. The guidelines do state that if you have left breast cancer, you can have a lumpectomy with radiation or a mastectomy. Yet often women choose to remove both breasts to reduce the risk of getting another breast cancer.
Read More
Read More
Normally the skin on the breasts is a similar color to the skin on the rest of the body, though it may be lighter due to less sun exposure. The nipple and areola (the dark area around the nipple) are usually a darker color with some bumps and textures. Just like the rest of the skin, there may be freckles or moles on the breasts.
Read More
Read More
Targeted therapy is also called biological therapy. It affects specific protein-receptor targets (called biomarkers) found only on cancer cells. These protein-receptor targets are responsible for the growth and spread of cancer cells. Targeted therapy medicines block the growth and spread of cancer because they interfere with processes in the cells that cause cancer to grow.
Read More
Read More
Breast pain isn't necessarily a sign of breast cancer. Here are some common reasons your breast may be in pain: A poorly fitting bra: You should get refitted for a bra when you gain or lose weight. If your breast jiggles or moves while you are walking, your bra is not fitting well. When your breast isn't supported well in a bra, the weight of the breast is being supported by your chest wall muscles and connective tissue, which causes trauma and pain to those structures.
Read More
Read More
So, you're thinking about breast surgery — or perhaps surgery is already scheduled. Deciding on the best type of surgery can be overwhelming and can pose a dilemma. The most common types of breast surgery include the following: Lumpectomy (partial mastectomy): The tumor is removed from the breast along with a small border of healthy normal tissue.
Read More
Read More
After your biopsy, you can expect to wait for one to seven days to receive the results. The amount of time varies depending on several factors. The method of informing patients of their biopsy results also varies. With some medical centers, the radiologist or surgeon calls the patient directly. Others may send the results to the gynecologist or primary care physician, who then contacts the patient to discuss the results.
Read More
Read More
Familiarizing yourself with the breast biopsy procedure may alleviate your anxiety. This section leads you step-by-step through the procedure, starting from the time the doctor or one of the doctor's assistants retrieves you from the waiting room: The doctor or doctor's assistant reviews the risks and benefits of the biopsy procedure and asks you to sign a consent form.
Read More
Read More
The surgery known as mastectomy is sometimes a necessary treatment for breast cancer, but not all mastectomies are the same. Here are some basic facts about mastectomies to be aware of: You have options. With a total mastectomy, the entire breast is removed. A modified radical mastectomy is where the entire breast along with the lymph nodes under the arm are removed.
Read More
Read More
It's recommended that you check your breasts at least once a month, especially during the week after your menstrual period. If you're post-menopausal, pregnant, or nursing, you should examine your breasts on the first day of the month.Breast tissue enlarges before and during your menstrual period due to hormonal changes and returns to normal afterwards.
Read More
Read More
Breast reconstruction can be done at the same time as the breast cancer surgery (called immediate reconstruction). It can also be done in a two-stage process where tissue expander (a temporary placeholder) is placed at the time of breast cancer surgery. For the final breast reconstruction, a synthetic implant or tissue from another part of your body is used to complete the procedure at a later date.
Read More
Read More
If you have a diagnosis of breast cancer, it will require care from your cancer team who are specialized in different areas of medicine to treat you. This is also called a multidisciplinary team. Here are the usual members of a cancer care team: Breast surgeon (surgical oncologist): A doctor who performs biopsies and other surgical procedures in breast cancer patients.
Read More
Read More
After the breast has been biopsied and breast cells have been examined by a pathologist, a diagnosis is usually made that lets you know what type of tumor is in your breast. Is it benign or is it malignant (cancer)? Knowing what you have is, of course, necessary for you to obtain the right treatment at the right time and at the right place.
Read More
Read More
Load More Articles

Related Books

0:00
0:00
Listen now
Pause
https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6630d85d73068bc09c7c436c/69195ee32d5c606051d9f433_4.%20All%20For%20You.mp3

Frequently Asked Questions

No items found.

Get a Subscription