Cancer facts

Prevention & Treatment of Cancers

Research Projects:

Breast Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Kidney Cancer

• Cloning of NORE1 & LSAMP
• BHD Knockout Project
• Mouse Models
• VHL
• VHL Knockout Mice
• PBRM1 Projects
• PBRM1 Knockout Mice
• VHL-PBRM1 Double Knockout Mice

BHD-FLCN papers

BHD Foundation

Myrovlytis Trus

Breast Cancer Projects

Introduction

Breast cancer is a group of diseases originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas. There are many different types of breast cancer, with different stages (spread), aggressiveness, and genetic makeup; survival varies greatly depending on those factors.

Worldwide, breast cancer comprises 10.4% of all cancer incidence among women, making it the second most common type of non-skin cancer (after lung cancer) and the fifth most common cause of cancer death. In 2007, about 1.3 million people were diagnosed with breast cancer. It caused almost 46,500 deaths worldwide (7% of cancer deaths; almost 1% of all deaths). Breast cancer is about 100 times more common in women than in men, although males tend to have poorer outcomes due to delays in diagnosis.

Breast cancer also affects men. Approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases are male breast cancer.

Symptoms

Early breast cancer usually does not cause symptoms. This is why regular breast exams are important. As the cancer grows, symptoms may include:

• Breast lump or lump in the armpit that is hard, has uneven edges, and usually does not hurt
• Change in the size, shape, or feel of the breast or nipple -- for example, you may have redness, dimpling, or puckering that looks like the skin of an orange
• Fluid coming from the nipple -- may be bloody, clear to yellow, green, and look like pus

Risk factors

Age: The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age. The majority of breast cancer cases occur in women older than age 50.

Obesity: Being overweight (especially in the waist), with excess caloric and fat intake, increases your risk, especially after menopause.

Exposure to chemicals: exposure to some chemicals might be linked to breast cancer and other health problems.

Diet: One third of breast cancer risk may be related to the way we eat, drink.

Alcohol: Use of alcohol is linked to increased risk of developing breast cancer. Compared with nondrinkers, women who consume one alcoholic drink a day have a very small increase in risk, and those who have 2 to 5 drinks daily, have about 1.5 times the risk of women who drink no alcohol. Alcohol is also known to increase the risk of developing cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Long-term use of combined estrogen and progesterone increases the risk of breast cancer.

Family history: About 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary, resulting directly from gene defects (called mutations) inherited from a parent.

The most common cause of hereditary breast cancer is an inherited mutation in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. In normal cells, these genes help prevent cancer by making proteins that help keep the cells from growing abnormally. Other gene mutations can also lead to inherited breast cancers. These genes include ATM, TP53, CHEK2, PTEN, CDH1,