Breast Cancer

BREAST CANCER Prognosis

There are several prognostic factors associated with breast cancer. Stage is the single most important prognostic factor in breast cancer, as it will take into consideration local involvement, lymph node status and whether metastatic disease is present or not. The higher the stage at the time of diagnosis, the worse the prognosis of breast cancer is. Node negative breast cancer patients have a much better prognosis compared to node positive patients.

Presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors in the cancer cell is another important prognostic factor, and may guide treatment. Hormone receptor positive breast cancer is usually associated with much better prognosis compared to hormone negative breast cancer.

HER2/neu status has also been described as a prognostic factor. Patients whose cancer cells are positive for HER2/neu have more aggressive disease and may be treated with trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets this protein.

Ashkenazi Jewish women and black women tend to have higher rates of fatalities.

INDEX

History of breast cancer
Types of breast cancer
Risk factors and etiology
          Age
          Alcohol
          Environmental causes
          Genes
          Hormones
          Light levels
          Obesity
          Unproven
Prevention in high-risk individuals
Prevention of Environmental Causes
Symptoms
Screening
Diagnosis
Treatment
          Surgery
          Radiation therapy
          Indications for radiation
          Types of radiotherapy
          Side effects of radiation
          Systemic therapy
          Chemotherapy
          Hormonal treatment
          Targeted therapy
          Preclinical
          Flax seeds
          Alternative medicine
Prognosis
Breast cancer in males
Spreading elsewhere
Breast cancer awareness               References