Cancer Care (Do Not Delete)

Breast Cancer

Learning you have breast cancer is one of the scariest experiences a woman may face.

It helps to know that there are increasingly effective treatments now available to you if you are diagnosed with breast cancer.

Signs and symptoms of breast cancer

Finding breast cancer early, before it spreads, leads to a better breast cancer prognosis. It’s important to know your family history and to recognize the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, which may include:

A new lump in the breast or underarm (armpit)
Thickening or swelling of part of the breast
Irritation or dimpling of breast skin
Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast
Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area
Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood
Any change in the size or shape of the breast
Pain in any area of the breast
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

See your doctor if you notice symptoms of breast cancer or other changes in your breast.

My Breast Cancer Journey at Tanner – Sabrina Fitzgerald

Sabrina Fitzgerald was only 45 and the picture of health when she found a lump in her breast — and began a journey through the world-class treatment at Tanner Cancer Care. Hear her story by watching this video.

Types of breast cancer

Breast cancer is not just one disease. It can begin in different areas of the breast.

The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma, which originates in the tiny tubes, or ducts, that connect the lobes in your breast.

In contrast, lobular carcinoma begins in the lobes or lobules — the smaller sections of the lobes — and is more often found in both breasts.

Some women develop inflammatory breast cancer, which appears as red, swollen and warm breast tissue.

Risk factors for breast cancer

Even though family history is an important risk factor, only five to 10 percent of all breast cancers are hereditary.

The prognosis for breast cancer is improving. Breast cancer can sometimes come back — or recur — after treatment; however, the number of deaths from breast cancer is steadily declining, and 90% of women diagnosed survive at least five years, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment

If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, your doctor will conduct tests to see if your cancer has spread within the breast or to other parts of your body. If the cancer has spread, your doctor will describe it as metastasizing.

This process of testing is called staging. Staging helps your doctor plan the best treatment for your specific breast cancer.

Your treatment plan may include:

Breast diagnostic testing
Breast surgery
Chemotherapy
Radiation oncology

Tanner Cancer Care is committed to supporting your lifelong breast health. If you have breast cancer, our doctors and other health professionals will be with you every step of the way, from initial diagnosis through treatment and survivorship.

Radiation Innovation for Breast Cancer Offers Heart Protection

Millions of breast cancer survivors are alive and thriving today because of innovations in the detection and treatment of the disease — technologies that are continuously improved for safety and effectiveness. A recent innovation – deep inspiration breath hold – introduced earlier this year at Tanner’s Roy Richards, Sr. Cancer Center, protects women from a potential side effect of their life-saving radiation treatments: heart damage. Learn how this innovation works.