The ABC's of Breast Cancer
A - What month is recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month?
October
What “T” word means a lump or mass?
Tumor
What is a disease that occurs when cells in the breast grow and divide uncontrollably, forming a lump or mass of tissue called a tumor?
Breast Cancer
What is the name for the “0th Stage”?
Non-invasive stage
What symbol of breast cancer awareness was first used in 1991?
Pink ribbon
B - What technique is used to remove and test a small sample of breast tissue?
Biopsy
What “M” term means cancer has spread?
Metastasis
What is a symptom of breast cancer?
A lump or mass
How many stages of cancer are there?
5
Which ancient civilization had the first recorded cases of breast cancer?
Ancient Egypt
C - Which structures divide uncontrollably in breast cancer?
Cells
What “B” word means non-cancerous?
Benign
Can men get breast cancer, and how common is it?
Yes, about 1 out of every 100 breast cancer cases in the U.S. occurs in a man.
What are some treatments used to combat breast cancer?
Surgery, Radiation Therapy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy
Innovations in what type of medically induced sedation increased the survival rate of breast cancer removal operations?
Anesthesia
D - What “D” word means looking closely for disease signs?
Detection
What “M” word means cancerous?
Malignant
What is the difference between a benign and malignant tumor?
A benign tumor is noncancerous and does not spread to other tissues, while a malignant tumor is cancerous and can invade surrounding tissues or spread to distant organs.
What is a treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells or stop their growth?
Chemotherapy
Which breast cancer screening procedure received pushback in recent years for perceived overuse?
Mammogram
E - What hormone fuels some breast cancers?
Estrogen
What “C” word describes uncontrolled cell growth?
Carcinoma
Which two main types of breast cancer are most common?
invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC)
What stage is a tumor that is confined to the breast, with no lymph node involvement?
Stage I
The radical mastectomy was the most common breast cancer surgery from the late 19th century to the mid 20th century. This procedure removed not just the breast tissue, but also what other part of the chest?
Pectoral muscle