Can teenagers get breast cancer?(teenager breast cancer)




How Does Breast Cancer Start?( breast cancer )

Humans are mammals, and all mammals have breasts, which are the organs that make milk to feed babies. In the breast are lobules (LOB-yools) that look like bunches of grapes. Channels, or ducts, from the lobules enable milk to flow to the nipple. The lobules and ducts are surrounded by fatty tissue and ligaments called stroma (STRO-ma).
Cancer in situ

Breast cancer begins when a single cell in a duct or lobule undergoes changes (mutations) that cause it to start growing out of control. At first, even though the cells are growing very rapidly, they stay within the duct or lobule. At this stage the cancer is called cancer in situ. Later, the cells may break out of the duct or lobule into the fat and surrounding tissue, where they continue to divide and multiply. Since a tumor needs nourishment to grow, it sends out signals in the form of proteins that cause new blood vessels to form and support it. Without a blood supply, a tumor will die.
Metastasis

Cancer cells may enter the bloodstream, where they may be killed by the immune system (the body's defense against disease). If they are not killed by the immune system, the cancer cells may travel to distant organs of the body, settle there, grow, and divide. This process of spread is called metastasis (me-TAS-ta-sis).

Breast cancer cells are most likely to find their way to the lungs, liver, and bones. Cancer is named for the place where it starts. So even when breast cancer travels to the lungs or the bones, it is still called breast cancer.
Who Gets Breast Cancer?

No one knows yet exactly what causes breast cancer to start. It is impossible to catch it from another person.



Can teenagers get breast cancer?


Breast cancer in teenagers is very rare. A girl whose breasts are developing may feel some discomfort from time to time. And once her periods start, she may retain water during the last part of her cycle, which can cause her breasts to ache. But these pains are a normal part of the body's functioning. They are not a sign of cancer.

Anatomy of the breast. Ducts carry milk from the lobules to the nipple. The lobules and ducts are surrounded by fatty tissue and ligaments called stroma.


What Happens When Women Have Breast Cancer?
Signs and symptoms

Usually, a woman will notice a painless lump in her breast. Or her doctor may feel the lump during a routine examination. The shape, color, or texture of the breast or nipple may change or the nipple may be tender or have a discharge. Sometimes cancers are found before symptoms occur. In these cases, routine or "screening" mammography (mam-MOG-ra-fee) (x-ray examination of the breasts) shows changes that indicate a possibility of cancer, which must be checked.
Diagnosis

If screening tests or a woman's symptoms suggest cancer, the doctor may request a biopsy (BY-op-see). In this procedure, a small amount of tissue is removed from the abnormal area of the breast and examined under a microscope. Most biopsies show that the woman does not have cancer. If the tissue is benign (be-NINE) (not cancer), no further treatment may be needed. But if the diagnosis is cancer, then the woman will want to learn about the disease and discuss her options for treatment with health professionals, her friends, and family.
Treatment

For tumors that do not appear to have spread, it may be possible to remove only the tumor and leave most of the breast. This is called a lumpectomy (lump-EK-to-mee). Sometimes, however, it may be necessary to perform a mastectomy (mas-TEK-to-mee), an operation that removes the breast. Whether mastectomy or lumpectomy is the best choice depends on the size and sometimes the kind of tumor.
Men and Breast Cancer

* About 1 percent of all cases of breast cancer occur in men.
* A family history of breast cancer is a risk factor for men as well as for women.
* Breast cancer in men is often not detected until the cancer is advanced and more difficult to treat.
* Breast cancer in men usually shows up as a lump beneath the breast area, fixation of skin to the lump, and discharge from the nipple.
* Treatment usually involves surgical removal of the lump, followed by chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
* Treatment and cure rates for men are similar to those for women.

3,000 YEARS OF BREAST CANCER