Have you noticed a lump or thickening in your breast? Do you find your breast size uneven? Do your nipples appear retracted or inverted? Are you worried that you might have breast cancer?

The second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S among women is breast cancer, the first being lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, only about 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are hereditary in nature. It is estimated that about 75 percent of breast cancers occur in women who do not even possess the risk factors. Breast cancer is also seen in men but this occurrence is often rare.

Breast cancer is a malignancy that starts as a single abnormal cell that duplicates itself beyond control. Breast cancer frequently develops in the ducts that carry milk to the nipple. This can also form in the milk producing small sac of the breast. Breast cancer can exhibit either a slow growth or a quick and aggressive growth that can spread to nearby lymph nodes or even to more distant areas.

In order to provide early treatment, it is important to be able to identify the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

1. A person with breast cancer usually finds a thickening or a lump around her breast or armpit area.

2. The nipple often exhibits an inverted or retracted appearance.

3. Those who are suffering from breast cancer may find changes in their breast including a change in size, contour and color.

4. A clear or bloody discharge may appear in the nipple.

5. The breast skin will show pitting or dimpling which resembles the skin of an orange.

Without any doubt, finding any of the above signs and symptoms will be very frightening to any one of us. Breast cancer is undoubtedly one of women's most dreaded illnesses.

Breast cancers treated during the early stage promise more than 95 percent success rate. The treatment procedures for breast cancers depend on a variety of factors which include the following:

1. The age, weight and general health of the patient.

2. The type and the development stage of cancer.

3. The characteristics of cancer cells.

4. The involvement of the other breast.

Even the menopausal status of the patient will also affect the type of treatment that will be provided. A combination of surgery is typically the treatment plan involved in breast cancer cases. These surgical procedures can include lumpectomy or the removal of only the lump, mastectomy or the removal of the entire breast, lymph node removal, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy. Hormone therapy is often administered with the drug tamoxifen which may prevent the recurrence of the cancer cells.

A patient has a higher chance of recovery if breast cancer is discovered early and proper treatment administered immediately. Therefore it is important especially for women to perform a routine self-examination to determine if any suspicious growth or lump is developing along the breast and armpit area.

Myth: Breast cancer is primarily a genetic disorder.

Only 5 percent to 10 percent of breast cancer is owing to abnormal genes. The two genes, Breast Cancer Gene 1 (BRCA 1) and Breast Cancer Gene 2 (BRCA2) are thought to be those that increase the risk of breast cancer. However, the percentage of breast cancer cases in relation to BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutated genes is only 5%. It must be noted that this is only one of the risk factors when considering breast cancer. The other risk factors being age, high fat content diet and obesity, to name a few.

Myth: Radiation therapy causes a person to be radioactive.

Only in certain instances do you become radioactive when you receive radiation internally as a "boost". This is because the radioactive material is within you but while you receive this treatment, you generally will be in a private room in the hospital. If you receive radiation therapy externally this in no way makes you radioactive.

Myth: In early breast cancer detection, mammography is 100% accurate.

Nearly 85 to 90 percent of all breast cancers are detected by mammography, but a small percentage of breast cancers do go undetected by mammography. These go undetected sometimes because the irregular tissue and the surrounding breast tissue are of the same density. Therefore, if a patient has a lump in her breast or has any other change in her breast and also the mammogram gives a negative reading it is always best to continue to pursue the matter.

Myth: It is not necessary for women who are older and diagnosed with breast cancer to undergo "full" treatment.

The mortality rate of older women who have breast cancer is on the increase because of the fact that they do not receive the full treatment at the time they are diagnosed. Even though breast cancer is supposed to have a slow growth rate, some can be aggressive and can spread to other parts of the body.

Myth: Breast self-examination is best practiced in the shower.

It may be carried out in the shower, but it may not be the best of places to so as wet soapy hands may make it difficult to judge properly any abnormalities. Cold water or air too may cause the breasts and the nipples to contract. Breast self examination should be carried out monthly in three positions, that is standing up, lying down and upright in front of the mirror.

Myth: A woman's risk of developing breast cancer is increased by fibrocystic change.

Fibrocystic change is a breast condition, which is non-cancerous and has no risk whatsoever of increasing breast cancer. In some cases, however, this condition can cause detection with mammography a bit difficult because in fibrocystic breasts the breast density may tend to eclipse the breast cancer on a mammogram. It is therefore very important that breast self-examination as well as clinical breast examination is carried out. If cancer is suspected in these conditions, an ultra sound scan is also carried out.