What is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is a type of uncontrolled growth of abnormal
cells that can develop in one of several different areas of the breast, including: the ducts that carry milk
to the nipple, the breast's lobules (small sacs that produce milk), or the breast's nonglandular tissue. Breast cancer
is the second most common cancer, after skin cancer, in women in the United States, with approximately 212,600 cases
diagnosed in the year 2003. It causes the death of more than 40,000 women each year, and remains the
leading cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 55. A woman's risk of developing breast cancer increases
with age, so that more than three out of four cases occur in women over age 50.
For information on symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention click here.
See
also: Prostate Cancer, Cancer Overview
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Research News
Featuring Harvard Medical School and Affiliated Hospitals
Combined Screening leads
to discovery of gene linked to breast cancer.
Molecular Signature may
identify cisplatin-sensitive tumors.
International Study points
to new susceptibility gene.
Why are African American Women more Likely to Die of Breast
Cancer?
MGH Leading Trial of Breast Cancer Drug Testing
of the novel drug Tykerb has begun.
Consumption of Red Meat associated
with increased risk of breast cancer.
Study Shows Disparities in Care for
disabled women with breast cancer. More info from the Annals
of Internal Medicine.
A New Tool for
understanding estrogen-fueled breast cancer.
Advances in Chemotherapy improve
outcomes in select breast cancers.
Treatment of Milk-duct Growth Requires
more than just surgery, study finds.
New Cellular Flaw Found in some virulent breast cancers.
>More Research News |
Research Stories
From the Harvard University Gazette
Gene
Variants can
significantly increase risk.
Risk of Breast Cancer may be associated with red meat consumption.
Complete Breast Grown from Single Stem Cell New insight for cancer treatment.
Exercise
Shown to Promote Breast Cancer Survival Women who walk three to five hours a week 50 percent less likely to die from breast cancer.
High
Vitamin Levels May Improve Chances of Preventing
Breast Cancer. Women
with highest recorded folate levels 27 percent less likely to
develop breast cancer.
>More
HU Gazette on Breast Cancer
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Scientific Reports
From HMS Faculty Newsletter Focus
Killing the Seed Tumor
study challenges stem cell model.
Expressible Breast Cancer Proteins Made
Public Collection
demonstrated with model system of human breast.
Studies Chip Away
at sex hormone roles in prostate and breast
cancers.
Role Strengthened for Enzyme in Suppressing Breast Tumors.
Mutations greatly increase the risk
of developing breast cancer.
>More
Science Reports
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