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Breast Cancer Facts
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women,
except for nonmelanoma kin cancers. It is estimated that in 2002
about 203,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer (stages I to IV)
will be diagnosed among women in the United States. Carcinoma in
situ (CIS) accounts for about 54,300 new cases each year. CIS (stage
0) is noninvasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer. Breast
cancer also occurs in men. An estimated 1,500 cases will be diagnosed
in men.
The breast cancer incidence rate, a measure of the number of new
breast cancers per 100,000 women, increased by about 3.7% per year
during the 1980s. During the 1990s this rate of increase slowed.
The incidence is now increasing at about 0.5% a year.
In 2002, about 40,000 women will die from breast cancer in the United
States. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death
in women, exceeded only by lung cancer. Death rates from breast
cancer declined significantly during 1992 to 1996, with largest
decreases in younger women – both white and black. These decreases,
which are continuing, are believed to be the result of earlier detection
and improved treatment.
Expert agree that the detection of smaller breast malignancies correlates
directly to the probability that the disease will be successfully
treated. All agree that the accurate interpretation of mammograms
provides the earliest opportunity to detect and treat the disease
and enable breast conservation.
MAMMOCAD MATH
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Breast Cancer ‚ by the numbers
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1 million |
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new cases of breast
cancer worldwide |
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200,000 |
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new cases of breast
cancer in the US |
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40,000 |
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annual morbidity from
breast cancer |
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1:8 |
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women
who will get breast cancer |
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Screening Mammo ‚ by the numbers
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34 million |
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screening mammograms
in the US annually |
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500:1 |
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normal vs abnormal
screening mammos |
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95% |
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5 year survival where
early detection made |
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20% |
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false
negative mammograms without CAD |
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Solution offered by MAMMEX MammoCAD
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20% |
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MAMMEX
MammoCAD increases detection by 20% |
Mammography is still the first
line of defense against breast cancer.
The detection of breast malignancies, when they are
small, correlates directly to the probability that the disease will
be successfully treated. The accurate interpretation of mammograms
provides the earliest opportunity to detect and treat the disease,
and enable breast conservation.
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If breast cancer is detected
before spreading to the lymph nodes, the patient's five-year
survival rate is more than 90%.
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Once cancer spreads beyond the breast and reaches
the lymph nodes, the survival rate drops dramatically. Women who
have already had cancer in one breast have a higher than average
probability of the disease developing in the other breast.
How frequently a woman should have a mammogram depends
on her medical history and various risk factors. Twice as many women
over the age of 65 are diagnosed with breast cancer than women between
the ages of 40 and 64. Studies also show that a woman who has a
mother or sister with breast cancer is two to five times more likely
to develop the disease than a woman without a family history of
breast cancer.
Mammography has its limitations.
While mammography is still the best screening tool
currently available, up to 30% of cancers are missed during routine
mammography screenings. There are many reasons for this. Often,
unsuitable equipment and poorly trained technologists are a problem.
In many cases, microscopic cancers and calcifications are difficult
to read and interpret visually on mammography film even by the most
experienced mammographers. The results are subjective, can be inconsistent
and of variable accuracy. A study of 10 radiologists examining 150
mammograms was published in 1994 by Yale University in the New England
Journal of Medicine. The doctors in the study agreed on interpretation
details in only a fraction of the cases.
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A 29-year study in Sweden published in April 2001 shows that
mammograms save twice as many lives as previously thought. The
mortality drop was 2/3 due to screening and 1/3 to improved
therapy and awareness.
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“The MAMMEX MammoCAD
device can be used in conjunction with traditional readings to reduce
both the number of false readings. And missed diagnoses.”
In 1992, the United States Congress recognized the
problem of unreliability and inconsistency in U.S. mammography centers
and passed the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA). This law
was implemented by the Federal Food and Drug Administration in 1994
and requires specific equipment performance standards as well as
demonstrated and certified competency of technologists and mammographers.
SCANIS believes that the MAMMEX will support qualification to these
standards.
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A study of 12,860 patients in Texas showed that the use of mammography
computer-aided detection increased the detection of breast cancer
by 20%. This was reported in a scientific paper presented at
the November 2000 annual meeting of the Radiological Society
of North America.
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MammoCAD Glossary
Adjuvant chemotherapy/hormone
therapy: The use of either chemotherapy
or hormone therapy after initial treatment either by surgery or
radiotherapy. The aim of adjuvant therapy is to destroy any cancer
that has spread
Axilla:
The armpit.
Axillary dissection:
Surgery to remove fat and lymph nodes from the armpit. It can be
done either at the same time as a mastectomy or as a separate operation.
It can be partial or complete
Benign:
Not malignant, not cancer. A benign tumour is not capable of spreading
Biopsy:
Removal of a sample of tissue or cells from the body to assist in
diagnosis of a disease. In some biopsies, a very thin needle is
used to draw fluid and cells from a lump. In a core biopsy, a larger
needle is used to remove more tissue.
BRCA1:
A gene which is defective in about 2% of women with breast cancer.
In a woman with a BRCA1 mutation, the estimated lifetime risk of
developing breast cancer is about 50% compared with 12% in the general
population.
BRCA2:
Breast cancer gene 2. Another gene implicated in familial breast
cancer. In a woman with a BRCA2 mutation, the estimated lifetime
risk of developing breast cancer is 55%. BRCA2 and BRCA1 together
account for about 80% of the breast cancer that occurs in women
with strong family histories of the disease.
Breast Conservation Therapy:
Surgery to remove a breast cancer and a small area of normal tissue
around the cancer without removing any other part of the breast.
The lymph nodes under the arm may be removed, and radiation is also
often given after the surgery. This method is also called lumpectomy,
segmental excision, limited breast surgery, or tylectomy.
Calcifications:
The deposition of calcium salts in body tissues. In the breast,
it can be associated with either normal or cancerous tissue.Calcium
deposits within the breast, singly or in clusters, often found by
mammography.
Carcinoma:
A malignant tumor arising from epithelial cells, which are cells
lining the external or internal surfaces of the body. Carcinomas
spread to nearby tissues. They may also spread to distant sites
such as lung, liver, lymph nodes and bone. At least 80% of all cancers
carcinomas.
Carcinoma In Situ:
A malignant tumour which has not yet become invasive but is confined
to the layer of cells from which it arose. A form of pre-invasive
cancer.
Cathepsin D:
A protein secreted by breast cancer cells. It may be a marker of
poor prognosis.
Chemotherapy:
The use of medications (drugs) that are toxic to cancer cells. These
drugs kills the cells, or prevent or slow their growth. Chemotherapy
is often used with surgery or radiation to treat cancer.
Clinical Trial:
Research conducted with the patient's permission which usually involves
a comparison of two or more treatments or diagnostic methods. The
aim is to gain better understanding of the underlying disease process
and/or methods to treat it.
Core Biopsy:
The sampling of breast tissue with a needle to give a tiny cylinder
of tissue for examination by a pathologist.
Cyst: A
fluid-filled mass that is usually benign. The fluid can be removed
for analysis.
Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS):
The most common form of treatable breast cancer, when found early.
It spreads along the ducts of the breast, rather than forming a
lump.
Ducts:
The channels in the breast that carry milk to the nipple.
Dysplasia:
An abnormal growth of cells which look something like cancer cells,
but do not have all the features of cancer.
Estrogen:
A female sex hormone produced primarily by the ovaries, and in smaller
amounts by the adrenal cortex. In breast cancer, estrogen may promote
the growth of cancer cells.
Excisional biopsy:
Used to describe a surgical procedure that removes an entire suspicious
area of breast tissue and is further analyzed for the presence of
tumor cells.
Fibrocystic changes:
Describes certain benign changes in the breast. Symptoms of this
condition are breast swelling or pain. The doctor or nurse will
also look for the presence of nodules, lumpiness, or a discharge
from the nipples.
Grade:
The degree of similarity of the cancer cells to normal cells. This
is assessed by a pathologist. A grade 1 carcinoma is well differentiated
and is associated with a good prognosis. A grade 2 carcinoma is
moderately differentiated and is associated with an intermediate
prognosis. A grade 3 carcinoma is poorly differentiated and is associated
with a poor prognosis. Grade is assessed by a pathologist.
Hormone:
A chemical substance released into the body by the endocrine glands
such as the thyroid, adrenal, or ovaries. Hormones travel through
the bloodstream and sets in motion various body functions. Estrogen
an example of a female hormone.
Hyperplasia:
Too much growth of cells or tissue in a specific area.
In situ:
In place; localized and confined to one area. A very early stage
of cancer.
Infiltrating or Invasive Cancer:
Cancer that has grown beyond its site of origin into neighboring
tissue. It is the most common type of breast cancer.
Inflammatory Cancer:
Rare form of breast cancer in which there is reddening of the skin,
usually without a distinct lump.
Lobular Carcinoma:
Breast cancer that originates in the lobules.
Lobules:
Parts of the breast that are capable of producing milk.
Lymph Nodes:
Small bean-shaped collections of immune system tissue such as lymphocytes,
found along lymphatic vessels. They remove cell waste and fluids
from lymph. They help fight infections and also have a role in fighting
cancer. Also called lymph glands.
Lymphatic System:
The tissues and organs that produce and store lymphocytes and the
channels that carry the lymph fluid.
Malignant:
A tumor having the capacity to destroy tissue locally, spread and
cause death.
Mammogram:
A soft tissue x-ray of the breast, which may be used to evaluate
a lump or which may be used as a screening test in women with no
signs or symptoms of breast cancer.
Mammography:
The process of taking a mammogram.
Mastectomy:
Surgical removal of the breast and surrounding tissues (muscle,
skin, lymph nodes). May be total (all of the breast) or partial
and surrounding tissues (muscle, skin, lymph nodes).
Metastasis:
The spread of a cancer from the primary site to somewhere else via
the bloodstream or the lymphatic system.
Microcalcification:
Tiny calcium deposits within the breast, singly or in clusters,
often found by mammography. These are also called calcifications.
They are a sign of changes within the breast that may need to be
followed by more mammograms, or by a biopsy. They may be caused
by breast cancer or by benign breast conditions.
Mucinous carcinoma:
A type of carcinoma that is formed by mucus-producing cancer cells.
Multicentric:
Description of cancer that exists in more than one area of the breast.
Neoplasia:
New cell growth, usually referring to abnormal new growth and thus
means the same as tumor, which may be benign or malignant.
Oncologist:
A doctor who specializes in treating cancer.
Paget’s disease:
A rare form of breast cancer that begins in the milk passages (ducts)
and spreads to the skin of the nipple and areola. This affected
skin may appear crusted, scaly, red, or oozing.
Palpable:
Able to be felt by touching.
Pre-operative Needle Localization:
Mammography or ultrasound guided needle placement to mark the location
of the suspicious area for the surgeon.
Progesterone:
A female sex hormone released by the ovaries during every menstrual
cycle to prepare the uterus for pregnancy and the breasts for milk
production (lactation).
Prognosis:
A outlook of the course of disease; the future estimate for the
cure of the patient.
Radiation therapy:
Treatment with high-energy rays (such as x-rays) to kill or shrink
cancer cells.
Radiologist:
A physician who interprets mammograms and other radiologic tests.
Risk Factor: Anything
that increases a person's chance of developing disease. Some known
risk factors for breast cancer include: family history of breast
cancer (especially in a mother or sister), children or having one's
first child after age 30, high fat diet, and others.
Screening:
The search for disease in people without any symptoms in hope of
finding disease at a very early and more treatable phase. Screening
tests for breast cancer include breast self- exam, clinical breast
exam and mammography.
and biopsied:
If the node is cancer- free, no more nodes are removed.
Systemic treatment:
Treatment that reaches and affects cells throughout the body; for
example, chemotherapy. Tamoxifen Drug that blocks estrogen from
binding with breast cancer cells, using in treating breast cancer.
Tumor:
an abnormal lump or mass of tissue. Tumors can be benign (not cancerous)
or malignant (cancerous).
Tumor maker:
Evidence in the bloodstream of the presence of a tumor somewhere
in the body.
X-Ray: A
type of radiation. Low doses of x-rays are used to diagnose disease;
high doses of x-rays are frequently used to refer to the picture
created with x-rays.
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