The National Cancer Institute (NCI) says that the average woman in the U.S. has a one in eight chance of having breast cancer develop sometime during the course of her life.

The significant risk factor for breast cancer is age, since about two thirds of cases occur in women over 50 years old. If the individual has a family history of the disease, in particular if it has occurred in a mother, sister or daughter, the risk is also greater.

Some of the secondary risk factors are: early start of menstruation; late menopause; recent use of oral birth control pills or postmenopausal estrogens; giving birth after age 30; excessive consumption of alcohol; and of course obesity.

Breast cancer is not unique in where it begins--most cancers begin germination in the cells of the body.

In healthy cells, there is a symbiosis between the needs of the body and the division and replication of cells. When the body needs new cells, a normal process occurs and the cells divide and duplicate accordingly.

It is is still a mystery, but sometimes cells will not obey this law, and will duplicate regardless of whether there is a need for them or not. When this happens, these extra cells form a mass of tissue, which is called a tumor.

Nevertheless, many tumors, in spite of their scary name, can still be harmless, ( or 'benign'.)

Unfortunately not all tumors are such.

These are called malignant--or cancerous. In such a case, cells will continue to divide and this will cause damage to nearby tissue and even entire organs.

As if this wasn't bad enough, cancer cells can also become free agents, roaming the bloodstream (or lymphatic system, see illustration) and then spread to other parts of the body. In the process they can form new tumors that in turn, damage other organs.

At this point, where cancer has infiltrated parts of the body which are outside of it's original location or point of germination, it is said to have metastasized.

In a woman's breast, there are thin tubes that connect the various small pockets throughout the breast, and this is where breast cancer gets a foothold.

Called carcinoma in situ Most early breast cancer cells (or DCIS). Even though malignant, it is still good that DCIS cells have not yet spread beyond the milk duct to damage any organs.

If the cancer can be diagnosed and treated at this point, the patient's prognosis is generally very good.

If, however, the cancer cells move to lymph nodes, the possibility for serious and harmful damage to the body arises.

Where to look for metastasized breast cancer?

It can usually be found in lymph nodes under the arm. If the cancer has reached this point, it is in a position to spread further. It can travel  to the bones, brain, lungs or other parts of the body, where it can form new growths, called metastases.

Certainly the best tool available for detecting breast cancer at an early stage, is the mammogram.

Mammograms are capable of detecting tumors before they become lumps big enough to be felt by the patient (or physician). Whereas a mammogram can reveal tumors as small as half a centimeter in diameter, the average size of tumors felt by women or their physicians is roughly 2.5 centimeters, (or about an inch).

That's a great difference and stresses the importance of the mammogram procedure.

In cases where the mammogram reveals abnormalities, the physician may wish to order additional tests. An ultrasonogram, for example, uses high-frequency sound waves to determine whether a lump found in the breast is a fluid-filled cyst (not cancerous) or a solid mass (which may or may not be cancerous).

In most cases, a doctor who spots an abnormality on a mammogram will instruct the patient to have a biopsy.

There are just two kinds of biopsies--needle and surgical. In the case of a needle biopsy, a needle is used to remove tissue from the breast. In a surgical biopsy, a surgeon removes either all or part of the tissue from the lump or suspicious area to have it examined by a lab for cancer cells.

Upon examination of the tissue, if cancer if found, the doctor performs further tests to learn more about the cancer, such as whether it is likely to spread or already has.

Treamtments for breast cancer?

These will vary depending upon the degree and spread of the disease.

Treatments  for breast cancer include: 

• lumpectomy which is a removal of the tumor, or  
•  mastectomy which is a surgical removal of the entire breast, or possibly 
• radiation therapy,
•  chemotherapy or  
• hormone therapy.

Needless to say early detection of those smaller tumors can be crucial in the treatment of breast cancer.

These smaller tumors are less likely to have spread to other parts of the body and are generally easier to treat.

So it is always good to be pro-active in every sense, in dealing with breast cancer.