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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Breast cancer is cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it's far more common in women.
After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. But breast cancer rates have fallen in recent years, though doctors aren't certain why. Still, for many women, breast cancer is the disease they fear most.
Public support for breast cancer awareness and research funding has helped improve the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Breast cancer survival rates have increased and the number of deaths has been declining, thanks to earlier detection, new treatments and a better understanding of the disease.
- Cancer facts & figures 2008. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/2008CAFFfinalsecured.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- What you need to know about breast cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/breast/allpages/print. Accessed March 30, 2009.
- Abeloff MD, et al. Cancer of the breast. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1875.
- Breast cancer. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/breast.pdf. Accessed March 30, 2009.
- Breast cancer prevention (PDQ): Patient version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/breast/patient/allpages/print. Accessed March 30, 2009.
- Questions to ask yourself and your doctor. Breast Cancer Network of Strength. http://www.networkofstrength.org/support/selfcare/questions.php. Accessed April 1, 2009.
- Hulvat MC, et al. Multidisciplinary care of patients with breast cancer. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2009;89:133.
- Avastin (prescribing information). San Francisco, Calif: Genentech; 2008. http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2008/125085s145lbl.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Tykerb (prescribing information). Research Triangle Park, N.C.: GlaxoSmithKline; 2007. http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2008/022059s004lbl.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Found 1084 studies with search of: breast cancer | Open studies | Interventional studies. ClinicalTrials.gov. http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=breast+cancer&recr=Open&rslt=&type=Intr&cond=&intr=&outc=&lead=&spons=&id=&state1=&cntry1=&state2=&cntry2=&state3=&cntry3=&locn=&rcv_s=&rcv_e=&lup_s=&lup_e=. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Gnant M, et al. Endocrine therapy plus zoledronic acid in premenopausal breast cancer. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;360:679.
- Bardwell WA, et al. Breast cancer and fatigue. Sleep Medicine Clinics. 2008;3:61.
- Cancer-related fatigue. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/fatigue.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Breast cancer. Cancer.Net. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Breast+Cancer. Accessed April 15, 2009.
