To hear the word cancer spoken is often frightening, but to actually have any type of cancer is even worse. Breast cancer is a common cancer found in both men and women of all ages. It can be fatal, and while two thirds of the cases occur among mature women, it also strikes younger females and about nine thousand males each year (Landau 13). The percentages of individuals who are diagnosed with breast cancer are steadily increasing each year. Most people do not know very much about this disease. Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by cells that change and divide abnormally (McGwinn 14). There are many types of cancer, but most often only two forms affect the breast, they are ductal carcinoma and lobular carcinoma (14). Ductal carcinoma is the most common form of breast cancer though. Breast cancer can be diagnosed, prevented, and treated properly if individuals are well informed about it.

Diagnosis of breast cancer is very important. The earlier it is found the more likely it is that it can be cured. Currently there are approximately ten different ways doctors can diagno

se individuals with breast cancer. As technology further advances new diagnostics are being developed. Through palpation a physician can learn a great deal about the growth of a lump on the breast (Landau 32). This process consists of the physician feeling the lump and the surrounding tissue. Round smooth lumps that move easily when held between two fingers are usually not malignant, meaning non cancerous (McGwinn 98). Hard jagged - shaped lumps that feel firmly attached within the breast are more likely to be cancerous (98). A second way to diagnose breast cancer is through mammography. This is a process in which two separate x-rays of the breast, the side and the top. The x-rays are studied for unusual shadows, masses, distortions, unique patterns of tissue density, as well as any variations between the patients two breast (McGwinn 98). Computerized Tomography also called CT Scanning is a third device used in detection of breast cancer (Landau 37). This device is useful in detecting breast lesions that don't show up well on either mammograms or palpations, such as tumors extremely close to the chest wall (37). Two new diagnosis devices are a saliva test and ductal lavage. In saliva test the saliva levels of HER2; a protein that is elevated in some breast cancer cases is

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Approximate Word count = 868
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)