Breast Cancer

• Hormone Treatment for Breast Cancer

  Some breast cancers need the hormones estrogen or progesterone to grow. These cancer cells have "receptors" on their surfaces. Receptors are like doorways to let hormones in. These types of breast cancer are called estrogen-receptor-positive (ER+)...

• Breast Cancer: Help for Skin Changes From Radiation

  Get tips for managing skin changes caused by radiation treatment.

• Deciding About Breast Reconstruction

  Compare the pros and cons of having breast reconstruction.

• Thinking About Bilateral Mastectomy for Early-Stage Breast Cancer

  For years, studies have shown that for early-stage breast cancer, women who have breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) followed by radiation treatments live just as long as women who have mastectomy. This was good news for women who wanted to avoid...

• Radiation for Early-Stage Breast Cancer

  When is radiation used for early-stage breast cancer? Radiation therapy is given to most women with early-stage breast cancer who choose breast-conserving surgery such as lumpectomy. Their other surgery option is mastectomy, which removes the whole breast. Many women choose breast-conserving surgery...

• Lumpectomy

  Learn what a lumpectomy is and how it is done.

• Lumpectomy: Returning Home

  Learn how to take care of yourself at home after having a lumpectomy.

• Mastectomy

  Learn what a mastectomy is and how it is done.

• Mastectomy: Returning Home

  Learn how to take care of yourself at home after having a mastectomy.

• Lymph Node Dissection: Self-Care at Home

  Learn how to take care of yourself at home after having lymph nodes removed.

• Breast Reconstruction: How Others Decided

  Hear what other women thought about as they decided whether to have breast reconstruction.

• Reducing Cancer Risk When You Are BRCA-Positive

  If you've found out that you have a BRCA gene change, you may be feeling pretty overwhelmed. But when it comes to cancer, knowledge is power. Now that you know you are BRCA-positive, you can take steps to reduce your risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Thinking about cancer risk Experts know that women who are...

• Choosing a Prosthesis After Breast Cancer Surgery

  Whether to wear a breast form (prosthesis) after breast surgery is a very personal decision. Some women feel better about themselves when their clothes fit just as they did before surgery. Other women feel comfortable just as they are. You can buy these forms already made, or they can be custom-made from a mold of...

• Breast Cancer Screening: When Should I Start Having Mammograms?

  Guides through decision on when to start having mammograms. Discusses the benefits and risks of having a mammogram and the risk for getting breast cancer. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

• Breast Self-Examination

  Discusses doing regular self-exam to help find breast lumps or changes early. Covers how it is done and what to look for. Also discusses what results mean and when you should see a doctor.

• Breast Cancer Treatment (Adult) (PDQ®): Treatment - Patient Information [NCI]

  Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. The breast is made up of lobes and ducts. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes. Each lobe has many smaller sections called lobules. Lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can make milk. The lobes, lobules, and...

• Breast Cancer Treatment During Pregnancy (PDQ®): Treatment - Patient Information [NCI]

  Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. The breast is made up of lobes and ducts. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes. Each lobe has many smaller sections called lobules. Lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can make milk. The lobes, lobules, and...

• Breast Cancer Prevention (PDQ®): Prevention - Patient Information [NCI]

  Cancer prevention is action taken to lower the chance of getting cancer. By preventing cancer, the number of new cases of cancer in a group or population is lowered. Hopefully, this will lower the number of deaths caused by cancer. To prevent new cancers from starting, scientists look at risk factors and protective...

• Breast Cancer Screening (PDQ®): Screening - Patient Information [NCI]

  Screening is looking for signs of disease, such as breast cancer, before a person has symptoms. The goal of screening tests is to find cancer at an early stage when it can be treated and may be cured. Sometimes a screening test finds cancer that is very small or very slow growing. These cancers are unlikely to cause...

• Childhood Breast Cancer Treatment (PDQ®): Treatment - Patient Information [NCI]

  Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. The breast is made up of lobes and ducts. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes. Each lobe has many smaller sections called lobules. Lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can make milk. The lobes, lobules, and...

• Tissue Flap Surgery for Breast Reconstruction

  Discusses breast reconstruction surgery done after mastectomy. Covers two ways of doing the surgery: pedicle flap and free flap. Looks at types of flap surgery: TRAM, latissimus dorsi, DIEP, SIEA, TUG, and gluteal free. Covers what to expect after surgery and risks.

• Breast Implant Surgery for Breast Reconstruction

  Breast implants are a way to recreate the shape of a breast after part or all of the breast is removed (mastectomy) because of cancer. There are several types of implants that are available. Some of the most common implants have a soft silicone...

• Breast Cancer: Should I Have Breast Reconstruction After a Mastectomy?

  Guides through decision to have breast reconstruction after a mastectomy. Describes what options are available for breast reconstruction and how it is done. Covers benefits and risks. Includes an interactive tool to help you make your decision.

• Breast Cancer: Lymph Node Surgery for Staging Cancer

  Whether you have a mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) for breast cancer, your doctors need to know whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Lymph node involvement increases the likelihood that cancer cells have spread through the bloodstream to other parts of the body. Women with some forms of...

• Breast Cancer

  Provides info on breast cancer for women who have been diagnosed for the first time. Discusses symptoms and how breast cancer is diagnosed. Covers mammogram and clinical breast exam. Discusses treatment options, including mastectomy and chemotherapy.

• Breast Cancer Types

  Breast cancer is the abnormal growth of the cells that line the ducts and lobes of the breast. When breast cancer has spread outside the ducts or lobes into normal breast tissue, it is said to be invasive. The main types of invasive breast cancer are: Ductal carcinoma, which is cancer that begins in...

• Breast Cancer: Should I Have Breast-Conserving Surgery or a Mastectomy?

  Guides you through decision about which surgery to have for early-stage breast cancer. Lists benefits and risks of both mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

• Breast Exam

  A clinical breast examination (CBE) is a physical examination of the breast done by a health professional. Clinical breast examinations are used along with mammograms to check women for breast cancer. Clinical breast examinations are also used to check for other breast problems. A clinical breast examination may be...

• Breast Cancer in Men (Male Breast Cancer)

  Breast cancer in men develops in the small amount of breast tissue found behind a man's nipple. It is often a type called invasive ductal carcinoma. Although the exact cause of breast cancer is not known, most experts agree that some men have a...

• Breast Cancer Screening

  Experts agree that mammograms are the best screening test for people at average risk of breast cancer. But they don't all agree on the age at which screening should start. And they don't agree on whether it's better to be screened every year or every two years. Here are some of the recommendations from experts...

• Breast Cancer: Should I Have Chemotherapy for Early-Stage Breast Cancer?

  Guides you through decision to use chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer. Lists reasons for and against chemotherapy. Covers side effects. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

• Breast-Conserving Surgery for Breast Cancer

  Discusses lumpectomy and partial mastectomy, two types of breast-conserving surgery. Covers what is done and what to expect after surgery, including having radiation therapy. Also looks at risks.

• Mastectomy (Removal of the Breast) for Breast Cancer

  Discusses breast cancer surgery. Covers simple mastectomy, modified mastectomy, and radical mastectomy. Also discusses preventive mastectomy. Covers what to expect after surgery. Looks at risks. Links to info on breast reconstruction.

• Inflammatory Breast Cancer

  What is inflammatory breast cancer? Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare, fast-growing type of breast cancer. It is often called IBC for short. Unlike other breast cancers, this type of cancer may not cause a lump in the breast. So regular breast exams and mammograms often fail to catch it early. Because it grows so...

• Family History and the Risk for Breast or Ovarian Cancer

  The average woman has a small chance of getting breast cancer and an even smaller chance of getting ovarian cancer. But if someone in your family has had breast or ovarian cancer, your chances of getting those cancers may be higher. And if you have 2 or 3 relatives who have had these cancers, your chances may be even...

• Breast Cancer: What Should I Do if I'm at High Risk?

  Guides you through testing and treatment choices if you're at high risk for breast cancer. Covers extra checkups, medicines, and surgery. Lists reasons for and against for each option. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.