Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in the United States. More than 180,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and this disease causes more deaths than any other form of cancer in women under 55 years of age. However, breast cancer has a very high cure rate, with 97 percent of women surviving for five years if the cancer is detected early.

The multidisciplinary team of UF physicians at the Breast Center at the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center provides patients with breast disease or breast cancer with the full range of cancer care and breast reconstruction and collaborate to develop the optimal treatment plan for each patient. The Breast Center team consistently leads the way in developing innovative treatments and therapies, including performing the first MR-guided breast biopsy in North Central Florida.

Tumors

The body is made of many types of cells. Normally, cells grow and divide to produce more cells only when the body needs them. Sometimes, however, cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed. These extra cells form a mass of tissue, called a growth or tumor. Tumors can be benign or malignant.

• Benign tumors are not cancerous.
• Malignant tumors are cancerous.

Risk factors

Studies show that the risk of breast cancer increases as a woman gets older. This disease is very uncommon in women under the age of 35. Most breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50 and the risk is especially high for women over age 60. Some risk factors include:

• Personal history of breast cancer - women who have had breast cancer face an increased risk of getting breast cancer in their other breast.
• Family history - a woman's risk for developing breast cancer increases if a relative had breast cancer, especially at a young age. Ten percent of breast cancers are hereditary. Genetic counseling is available at Shands Healthcare.
• Estrogen, which may play a role in breast cancer in various forms such as, women who began menstruation at an early age (before age 12), who experienced menopause late (after age 55), who never had children or those who took hormone replacement therapy for long periods of time.
• Late childbearing - women who have their first child after they are 30 years old.
• Radiation therapy -women exposed to radiation therapy have higher risk of developing breast cancer.
• Alcohol- some studies suggest a slightly higher risk of breast cancer among women who drink alcohol.

Detection

Physicians recommend self-examinations, mammograms and clinical breast examinations to aid in early detection. The following are the American Cancer Society’s guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer:

• Yearly mammograms are recommended starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health.
• Clinical breast exam (CBE) should be part of a periodic health exam, about every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over.
• Women should know how their breasts normally feel and report any breast change promptly to their health care providers. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s.
• Women at increased risk (for example, family history, genetic tendency, past breast cancer) should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of starting mammography screening earlier, having additional tests (for example, breast ultrasound or MRI), or having more frequent exams.

Signs and symptoms

Women should look for these symptoms regularly to detect breast cancer:

• Breast or armpit lump or thickening
• Nipple scaling, retraction, thickening or discharge
• Skin dimpling or erythema
• Swelling
• Ulceration
• Breast pain

Stages of breast cancer

• Stage I and II are early stages of breast cancer in which the cancer has spread beyond the lobe or duct and invaded nearby tissue.
• Stage III is also called locally advanced cancer. In this stage, the tumor in the breast is large (more than 2 inches across) and the cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes.
• Stage IV is metastatic cancer. The cancer has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body or involves the entire breast and skin of the breast.
• Recurrent cancer means the disease has come back in spite of initial treatment.

Treatment

There are different types of treatment processes for the different stages of breast cancer. Treatment methods for breast cancer include:

• Surgery
  • Lumpectomy - removes a small tumor and a margin of normal tissue around the tumor.
  • Mastectomy - surgery to remove the entire breast.
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation
• Hormone therapy - prevents cancer cells from receiving the hormones needed to grow.

Breast Reconstruction

University of Florida plastic and reconstructive surgeons work closely with UF surgical oncologist, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and other medical experts at the UF Breast Center to provide women affected with breast cancer a comprehensive and coordinated treatment plan, which may include breast reconstruction.

Uf reconstuctive surgeons will disucss with you in detail the advantages and disadvantages of the different surgical procedures offered and help you make the best decision for your situation. Reconstructive options at Shands include:

• implant and expander-based reconstruction
• autologous reconstruction (i.e., using your own tissue)
• Latissiumus dorsi flap
• TRAM flap
• DIEP flap
• SIEA flap
• combination of implant/expander-based and autologous reconstruction

Related Links

• Shands HealthCast - a podcast featuring Gigi Moore-Higgs, ARNP, AOCN, PhD (c), coordinator of the Breast Center at the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center, discusses the symptoms, treatments, and risk factors related to breast cancer.

Information

To contact the Breast Center at the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center, please call 352.265.7070.

Shands at UF Cancer Services were ranked 46th in the country by U.S.News&World Report. Learn more.

Shands at UF Cancer Services Navigation

History

University of Florida Shands Cancer Center 2007 Annual Report (PDF file)

Types of Cancer

Brain Cancer

Breast Cancer

Colon Cancer

Gastrointestinal Cancers

Genitourinary Cancers

Gynecological Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer

Larynx Cancer

Leukemia

Lung Cancer

Lymphoma

Oropharyngeal Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Skin Cancer

Cancer Treatment

Bone Marrow Transplant

Brachytherapy

Chemotherapy

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy

Radiation Therapy

Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Surgery

Make an Appointment

To make an appointment or find out more information about cancer services offered at Shands at the University of Florida, please call 352.265.8000 or toll-free 1.800.749.7424

You may also email our Consultation Center (consult@shands.ufl.edu) or use our secure online form.