Breast Cancer Background

Breast Cancer Background and How to Inform Yourself

Statistics show that one out of every nine women run the risk of having breast cancer. In fact, a look at the breast cancer background shows that it is the most abundant type of cancer in women. One percent of all breast cancer diagnoses pertain to men. Clearly, no matter what your gender, it pays to be safe.

As you probably know, cancerous cells form in breast tissues when breast cancer is apparent. They go on to grow and generally end up producing tumors. Although history shows that over 80 percent of the lumps found in breasts are not malignant, you can never know for certain. It is essential to go in for regular check ups, breast exams, and mammograms. It also pays to issue self examinations on yourself. A breast cancer background check also shows that an increasing number of women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. The numbers only continue to grow with time.

Taking a literal look into your own background is one way to keep yourself safe and informed. What that means is that if the women – or the men – in your family have a history of breast cancer, you need to be extremely careful yourself. Heredity is one of the only known causes of breast cancer. If your mother, your grandmothers, or even your great grandmothers had breast cancer, there is a very high chance that you could be at risk as well.

There are several stages of breast cancer: stages 0, I, II, III, IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, and IV. With few exceptions, the higher the stage, the less your chances for survival. For example, if you have stage 0 breast cancer, the survival rate is 100 percent. For stage I, it is 98 to 100 percent. Once you get up to stage IV, however, the five year survival rate drops to 16 percent.

Backgrounds do not lie – neither your own familial and medical background, nor the statistical background for breast cancer. Make sure that you get regular breast examinations. Keep yourself informed. By doing so, you can also keep yourself safe, healthy, and alive.