BreastCancerproject

__**Breast Cancer**__

__What is it? How does it spread? Who is likely to get it? Is it limited to the US, or any one type of person?__

Breast cancer is cancer of the breast that mostly occurs in women. It begins from the milk ducts of the breast. Usually, when breast cancer spreads, it spreads to the bones being called metastatic breast cancer. Usually, the body creates healthy, normal cells that do just what they're supposed to do. This includes cells in the breasts, the two rounded areas on the front of the chest. A cell changes into an abnormal, sometimes harmful form, it can divide quickly over and over again without dying, making many, many copies of itself. A **tumor i** s formed, abnormal body cells grouped together in the form of a mass or lump, can start to form and grow. Breast cancer is a kind of tumor that develops in the cells of a person's breast. You may think that only women can get breast cancer, but because all people have breast tissue, men can get breast cancer as well - though this is very rare. It can occur to any type of person, either man or women, but is mostly rare for males as it was said before. Breast cancer happens because of smoking, drinking and your diet, meaning what you eat daily. Breast cancer can occur to any person whether healthy or not without knowing it.

__How can a person avoid breast cancer, reduce your risk? This is called preventive measures or habits.__

Try to maintain/obtain a healthy body, also as you know alcohol is a big factor of getting breast cancer, so try to minimize or avoid drinking alcohol. Talk to your doctor about quiting smoking about getting a nicotine patch or gum, to help stop smoking. Try to get a full servings(7) of fruits and vegetables every single day. Try eating vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts and cauliflower ; dark leafy greens such as collards, kale, and spinach ; carrots and tomatoes. Fruits that help prevent breast cancer include citrus, berries and cherries. Remember along with a healthy diet you should squeeze in time into your schedule and exercise for about 30 minutes a day, remember the more the better. Eat the right amount of fats and carbs. Take your daily supplement of vitamins and minerals. Lastly, make an effort to sleep for 7-8 hours a day.

__Are there warning signs? If so what are they? How can a woman check for breast cancer?__

There are some main warning signs of breast cancer.The most common warning sign is a lump or an area of stiffening that you feel or your doctor feels. It will feel hard and irregular, like a stone. It feels different from the rest of the breast tissue. But **DO** get it checked out by your doctor right away. Our breasts are hormonally active; they are constantly changing. If you notice that the contour of your breast has changed, and become dimpled, twisted, or retracted, that's something to see your doctor about. Look also for bulges or concavities. A natural scaffolding of ligaments inside your breast helps to hold your nipple in place. Looking at your breast in the mirror should be a regular part of any self-exam; notice if your nipples look different--such as if one is pulled in a different direction or if there is any type of unusual discharge. Another symptom that can come up rather quickly is breast inflammation. If your breast suddenly feels swollen, has a pink-red color and the skin looks like orange peel, get it checked out immediately. There are lymph nodes under your arms that can also be affected by breast cancer. When you examine your breasts monthly, you should also feel under your arms for lumps. Fatigue and loss of appetite are symptoms of later stage breast cancer. But if you have unusual fatigue and/or have back, hip or neck pain that you can't trace, don't delay in seeing your doctor. If you just have a sense that something is wrong or out of the ordinary with your breasts--even if you can't find a definite lump--go see your doctor and have it checked out with an exam and/or mammography. Age and genetics are actually risk factors, not warning signs, but when it comes to breast cancer, the more proactive you are the better. You should do monthly self-exams, get yearly breast exams and start getting mammograms at the age of 40.

__Who does a woman see for help? Is there treatment for it? If so what? Is it fatal?__

Going to a specialist helps and seeing your private doctor to find out more information. Talk to your doctor about treatments for breast cancer. Surgery, either mastectomy or lumpectomy also called breast-conserving therapy. There are also different types of mastectomies and lumpectomies. Radiation therapy, systemic treatments are used to destroy or control cancer cells all over the body. They include: Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Side effects can include nausea, hair loss, early menopause, hot flashes, fatigue, and temporarily lowered blood counts. Hormone therapy uses drugs to prevent hormones, especially estrogen, from promoting the growth of breast cancer cells that may remain after breast cancer surgery. Side effects can include hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Biological Therapy, works by using the body's immune system to destroy cancer cells. Biological Therapy targets breast cancer cells that have high levels of a protein called HER2.Systemic therapy can be given after local treatment (adjuvant therapy) or before (neoadjuvant therapy). Adjuvant therapy is used after local treatments to kill any cancer cells that remain in the body and may be in other parts of the body. A patient may have just one form of breast cancer treatment or a combination, depending on her needs. Breast cancer sometimes can be fatal.

__If a person has it what might happen if it goes undiagnosed or untreated? What might life be like if one has it? What kinds of people or things would one need?__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If a person has breast cancer and have it undiagnosed or untreated a person can die and find out on the last stage of the cancer that they have breast cancer. It will be hard to have it treated in time, but it will be a miracle if it goes away after treatments. Life will not be the same because you’ll have the feeling as if something just happened to you, your daily life schedule might not be the same it used to be. Also, if someone has breast cancer they want people around them that are motivators and encouragers that will help them fight not surrender. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> __What can we do as young women leaders to help?__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">

We can donate money to different organizations to help fund breast cancer awareness. We also as young women leaders can help walk for a cure during Sunday, October 17th of 2010. WE can also:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sell items and help make money to donate to breast cancer awareness.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Make posters detailing about breast cancer.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Donate money as said before.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">__What programs or organizations can help us find information on this disease?__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some programs or charities that fight is the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, National Breast Cancer Foundation, and Breast Cancer network of Strength.