The Encyclopedia of Breast Cancer (Facts on File Library of Health and Living)

321 Pages·2004·1.01 MB·English

by  Carol Turkington, Karen J. Krag

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
BREAST CANCER
Carol Turkington
Karen Krag, M.D.
The Encyclopedia of Breast Cancer
Copyright © 2005 by Carol Turkington
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, elec-
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Turkington, Carol.
The encyclopedia of breast cancer / Carol Turkington, Karen Krag, M.D.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-8160-5028-7 (hc: alk. paper)
1. Breast—Cancer—Encyclopedias. I. Krag, Karen. II. Title.
RC280.B8T876 2004
616.99'449'003—dc22 2003049533
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Text and cover design by Cathy Rincon
Printed in the United States of America
VB FOF 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
To all those who have lost the fight against breast cancer
and to the memory of
Linda Buser Leber
Grace Turkington Merchant
Eleanor Turkington Roulston
Florence Turkington Haas
Nancy Turkington Cluelow
Robert Dayton Turkington
Mabel Crowley Turkington
h
CONTENTS
Foreword vi
Acknowledgments viii
Introduction ix
Entries A–Z 1
Appendixes 225
Glossary 279
Bibliography 283
Index 293
FOREWORD
reast cancer is the most common cancer among tions. There are even medications to strengthen the
BAmerican women after skin cancer, affecting bones of women who suffer from treatment-
more than 200,000 women each year and making induced bone thinning or fragile bones due to the
up almost a third of all cancer diagnoses in women. tumor.
Fortunately, breast cancer mortality continues to fall Although all women are at risk for breast cancer,
as better treatments are utilized and as cancers are we can now predict those who are at highest risk.
diagnosed earlier due to more widespread use of Doctors can test for genes found in some families
mammography. Yet breast cancer continues to affect that significantly increase risk, and the search for
women of all ethnic groups, all ages, and all walks of other such genes continues. We also understand the
life. Knowledge—of risk factors, screening tools, and hormonal risks—early onset of periods, late preg-
treatments—is essential to continue the fight against nancies, use of hormone replacement therapy—as
this cancer. well as other risks such as postmenopausal obesity
Over the past 20 years our understanding of this and excessive alcohol use.
disease has grown immensely. Radical mastectomy We also know how to decrease the risk of devel-
was once the treatment of choice because we oping breast cancer, by maintaining normal body
thought that aggressive local treatment would cure weight, taking folic acid if alcohol is frequently used,
the majority of women, but we now understand and possibly getting plenty of exercise. We know
that cells often break off and spread to other organs that women at very high risk for breast cancer may
early in the growth of this cancer. This has led to halve that risk by using tamoxifen, and other med-
broader and earlier use of systemic adjuvant therapy ications to reduce the risk of breast cancer are being
(chemotherapy and hormone therapy that reaches investigated. We also know the importance of yearly
all parts of the body). As a result, more women are mammograms so that cancer can be caught earlier,
cured when their disease is confined to the breast or treated more easily, and hopefully cured.
breast plus lymph nodes at diagnosis. We all hope for a magic bullet that will either
Also, our tools to treat this disease have increased eradicate cancer or cure all women when they are
in number. We initially had few chemotherapy diagnosed with the disease, but that is unlikely. Yet,
drugs, but we now have many; we once used each small step we make improves survival. These
mainly tamoxifen for hormonal therapy, but we steps have included better screening, better under-
now have options, including the aromatase standing of those at risk, more aggressive local treat-
inhibitors. Although women in the past who chose ment, more widespread use of adjuvant treatment,
chemotherapy often became deathly ill from the and better drugs for these treatments.
treatments, today many women experience only Most women diagnosed with breast cancer will
minimal nausea. New medications support red cells not die of their disease. However, they will face the
and white cells, thus avoiding anemia and infec- agony of hearing the diagnosis, the pain of surgery
vi
Foreword vii
and radiation therapy, and the side effects of hor- and assure patients that their cancer has been erad-
monal therapy or chemotherapy. icated. Understanding of this disease is key. Knowl-
Afterward, they must live with the knowledge edge provides tremendous power, both to those who
that the cancer can return. Someday we will be able treat and those who suffer from this disease.
to prevent most breast cancers, diagnose earlier
those we cannot prevent, treat with less morbidity, —Karen Krag, M.D.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
s always, the creation of a detailed encyclope- Cancer Institute, American Board of Plastic and
Adia involves the help and guidance of a wide Reconstructive Surgeons. Thanks also to the Look
range of experts. Without their assistance this book Good . . . Feel Better program, National Bone Mar-
could not have been written. row Transplant Link, National Marrow Donor Pro-
First of all, thanks to all the staff at Fox Chase gram, American Brachytherapy Society, ENCORE
Cancer Center in Philadelphia and to Dr. Mary Daly plus, National Alliance of Breast Cancer Associa-
at the Fox Chase Family Risk Assessment Program. tions, National Breast Cancer Coalition, National
Also thanks to the staffs of the National Institute of Lymphedema Network, Susan G. Komen Breast
Mental Health, the National Institute of Nursing Cancer Foundation, Y-Me, Cancer Care, Cancer
Research, the American Medical Association,
Hope Network, Cancer Information and Counsel-
National Institutes of Health, American Association
of People with Disabilities, American College of ing Line, Cancer Information Service, Cancer Net,
Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Heart Cancer Research Institute, Cancer Survivors Net-
Association, American Psychiatric Association, work, CanSurmount, I Can Cope, and Interna-
American Psychological Association, American tional Union Against Cancer. Thanks also to James
Society of Hematology, Cancer Information Ser- Chambers and Vanessa Nittoli at Facts On File, to
vice, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bert Holtje and Gene Brissie at James Peter Associ-
the Food and Drug Administration, the National ates, and to Michael and Kara.
viii
INTRODUCTION
reast cancer is the most common type of can- nosed, there is no single treatment that is right for
Bcer among women in the United States after all women.
skin cancer. According to the National Cancer Insti- New treatments are available today that were
tute, a woman in the United States has a one-in- not even imagined a few years ago, and medical
eight chance of developing breast cancer during her researchers continue to find better ways to prevent
lifetime. and treat breast cancer. If women have any doubts
But statistics can be misleading. A one-in-eight about their care, they should feel comfortable in
chance seems very high—but if you reverse that sta- asking more than one doctor about their diagnosis
tistic, it indicates that an average woman has a and treatment plan. In fact, a woman’s doctor can
seven-out-of-eight chance of never developing breast help her arrange an appointment with another spe-
cancer. In addition, the one-in-eight statistic does cialist. Many health insurance companies pay for
not mean that a woman has a one-in-eight chance other opinions, and some even require it.
of developing breast cancer at each stage of her life. All of this information about breast cancer treat-
These numbers are weighted, which means that the ments and statistics—plus much, much more—is
risk of having breast cancer changes as a woman gets available in The Encyclopedia of Breast Cancer, which
older. includes the most up-to-date information designed as
A woman’s actual chance of being diagnosed a guide and reference to a wide range of subjects
with breast cancer from age 30 to age 40 is only one important to the understanding of breast cancer. The
out of 252. From age 40 to age 50, her risk is one book also includes a wide variety of contact informa-
out of 68, and from age 50 to age 60 it is one out of tion for organization and governmental agencies
35. From age 60 to age 70, a woman’s risk is one out affiliated with breast cancer issues, including current
of 27. Web site addresses and phone numbers. The book is
Every woman has some chance of developing not designed as a substitute for prompt assessment
breast cancer during her lifetime, but that particu- and treatment by oncologic experts in the preven-
tion, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer.
lar risk depends a great deal on a variety of issues,
including genetics and lifestyle. The biggest risk fac- In this encyclopedia, we have tried to present
the latest information in the field, based on the
tor, of course, is simply age—as women get older,
newest research. Although information in this
their chances of being diagnosed increase. But
book comes from the most up-to-date medical
although breast cancer is more common in older
journals and research sources, readers should keep
women, it also occurs in younger women and even
in mind that changes occur very quickly in the field
in a small number of men.
of oncology. A bibliography has been included for
Just as it is important to understand a woman’s
those who seek additional sources of information.
true breast cancer risk, it is also important to
remember that once breast cancer has been diag- —Carol Turkington
ix