Breast

Cancer
AWARENESS
Presented to you by the Emirates Red Crescent Club
Introducti
on
1
What is Breast Cancer?
 Breast Cancer
● Breast cancer is a disease in which cells in the breast grow
out of control.
● There are different kinds of breast cancer. The kind of breast
cancer depends on which cells in the breast turn into
cancer.
● Breast cancer can begin in different parts of the breast. A
breast is made up of three main parts: lobules, ducts, and
connective tissue. The lobules are the glands that produce
milk. The ducts are tubes that carry milk to the nipple. The
connective tissue (which consists of fibrous and fatty tissue)
surrounds and holds everything together. Most breast
cancers begin in the ducts or lobules.
 Kinds of Breast Cancer
The most common kinds of breast cancer are—
● Invasive ductal carcinoma: The cancer cells begin in
the ducts and then grow outside the ducts into other
parts of the breast tissue. Invasive cancer cells can also
spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body and
cause metastatic breast cancer.
● Invasive lobular carcinoma: Cancer cells begin in the
lobules and then spread from the lobules to the breast
tissues that are close by. These invasive cancer cells
can also spread to other parts of the body.
2Commonality
How common is it and who does it mostly affect?
 Who does it mainly affect ?
 The main factors that influence your risk of getting breast
cancer include being a woman and getting older. Most
breast cancers are found in middle-aged and older women
above the age of 50. The median age at the time of breast
cancer diagnosis is 62.

 Some women will get breast cancer even without any other
risk factors that they know of.

 Having a risk factor does not mean you will get the disease,
and not all risk factors have the same effect. Most women
have some risk factors, but most women do not get breast
cancer.
 How common is it ?
 Some variations in breast cancer can be seen between racial and ethnic groups. For example,
• Black women have the highest death rate from breast cancer. This is thought to be partially because
about 1 in 5 Black women with breast cancer have triple-negative breast cancer - more than any
other racial/ethnic group.
• White and Asian/Pacific Islander women are more likely to be diagnosed with localized breast
cancer than Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.
• Asian/Pacific Islanders have the lowest death rate from breast cancer.
• American Indian/Alaska Natives have the lowest rates of developing breast cancer.

 Breast cancer is a relatively common type of cancer. In fact, it is the most common cancer worldwide
and the most common cancer diagnosed in the US. Currently nearly 4 million women in the US
alone are diagnosed with breast cancer.
Risk Factors 3
What are the main risk factors for breast cancer?
 Risk Factors
Not being
1
Getting
older
The risk for breast cancer
2
Family
history
A woman’s risk for breast
3
physically
active
Women who are not
increases with age. Most cancer is higher if she has
multiple family members physically active have a
breast cancers are
who have had breast or higher risk of getting breast
diagnosed after age 50.
ovarian cancer. cancer.

4
Taking hormones
Hormone replacement therapy
Genetic
5
mutations
Women who have inherited
6Drinking
alcohol
Studies show that a woman’s
when taken for more than five changes (mutations) to certain risk for breast cancer
years can cause breast cancer. genes, are at higher risk of breast increases with the more
and ovarian cancer. alcohol she drinks.
 Early
4 Signs
How to know if you have breast cancer?
Early signs of Breast Cancer
Early on, a person may notice a change in their breast when they
perform a monthly breast exam or when minor abnormal pain
doesn’t seem to go away. Early signs of breast cancer to look for
include:
• changes in the shape of the nipple
• breast pain that doesn’t go away after your next period
• a new lump that doesn’t go away after your next period
• nipple discharge from one breast that’s clear, red, brown, or
yellow
• unexplained redness, swelling, skin irritation, itchiness,
or rash on the breast
• swelling or a lump around the collarbone or under the arm
• A lump that’s hard with irregular edges is more likely to be
cancerous.
Treatment 5
How is breast cancer treated?
How can Breast Cancer be
treated?
1. Surgery
● Surgery is usually the first type of treatment for breast cancer. The type of surgery you have will
depend on the type of breast cancer you have.
● There are 2 main types of breast cancer surgery - Breast-conserving surgery, where the cancerous
lump is removed and the second type is mastectomy, where the whole breast is removed in most of
the cases.
● Studies have shown that breast-conserving surgery followed by radiotherapy is a successful cure.
But, secondary stage cancer, also called "advanced" or "metastatic" cancer, is not curable.

2. Reconstruction
● Breast reconstruction is a surgery to make a new breast shape that looks as much as possible like
your other breast.
● It is done by inserting a breast implant or by using tissue from another part of your body to create a
new breast.
3. Chemotherapy: Using special medicines to shrink or
kill the cancer cells. The drugs can be pills you take
or medicines given in your veins, or sometimes both.

4. Hormonal therapy: Blocks cancer cells from getting

the hormones they need to grow.

5. Biological therapy: Works with your body’s immune

system to help it fight cancer cells or to control side
effects from other cancer treatments.

6. Radiation therapy: Using high-energy rays (similar

to X-rays) to kill the cancer cells.
 6Prevention
How can breast cancer be prevented?
How to prevent breast cancer?

A B C

Exercise regularly Maintain a healthy weight. Self examine

women who are Having more fat tissue Do not ignore any lump
physically active for at can increase the risk of in your breasts.
least 30 minutes a day breast cancer by raising Examine regularly.
have a lower risk of estrogen levels.
breast cancer.
 Be Pink:
P- Practice what you know I-Investigate the facts
eat healthy food, be 1 2 Differentiate the facts
active from fiction

N- Know your body norm K- Knowledge is power

For your body and breasts 3 4 The more you know the sooner
you can identify risks.
Self – Check Breast
Examination
 Thank You
Presented to you by the Emirates Red Crescent Club

A special thank you to Ruhi, Preet, Rucha, Shrinithi, Christina, Disha and Tania for the ppt