Breast cancer: What does it actually mean?

April 6, 2006 7:45 PM

A friend has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. I need data.

I'm looking for information on survivability, short and long term effects. I'm interested in knowing about treatment regimes and their respective implications. I'm not so much interested in anecdotes, personal narratives, or support sites, sorry. Obviously I'm upset and afraid for my friend and this is how I deal.

posted by Ritchie to health & fitness (10 comments total)

Like most things medicial, it varies extremely widely and without intimate knowledge of her Dx and Hx and *x, it's hard to say anything. A lot of support sites have laymen and medical professionals alike that will help interpret pathology reports and doctor's notes. I'd hate for you to get a bunch of guesses from unqualified people based on third-hand knowledge (here), because that's about what you'll get.

The ACS site is a good starting place. If you want statistics and will wade through fairly technical pages to get it, try SEER. There's also PubMed for technical publications. As you can tell, you said little about what you wanted, so I gave you the full range. :)
posted by kcm at 7:53 PM on April 6, 2006

I'm so sorry about your friend. IANAD but more info would be helpful. Is it ductal carcinoma, and if so is it invasive or in situ? There are lots of different types of breast cancer, some more survivable than others, and the more specific you are, the more data MeFites may be able to provide.
posted by meerkatty at 7:54 PM on April 6, 2006

The information I have is sketchy at the moment, but that is okay. I'm looking to understand as much as is possible (for a layman) about breast cancer and it's treatment.

I am not, repeat not, going to act as some half-assed expert based on what I find out. I'm just trying to drive the darkness back a little.

So general links, of the kind kcm provided, are fine. I can't believe I missed seeing PubMed myself. Put it down to being scatterbrained at the moment.
posted by Ritchie at 10:43 PM on April 6, 2006

Here are some sites that might help.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center:
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/293.cfm

CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/index.htm

University of Michigan Cancer Center:
http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/learn/breastinfo.htm

Medline Plus:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/breastcancer.html
posted by jeri at 11:53 PM on April 6, 2006

Y-Me Breast Cancer Support Organization - a good resource for support, questions answered, etc.
posted by Dreama at 12:15 AM on April 7, 2006

Hi. I'm sorry to hear about your friend. Breast cancer runs in my family, so I know a bit about what you're going through. I beg that you listen to me on this one.
Do not go hunting for medical information on the internet. To quote my sister, a breast cancer survivor:
"Get one or two resources on the disease, and read them thoroughly. DO NOT spend excessive time on the internet researching your disease... Non-scholarly sources are likely to contain bad information, and online scholarly forums are written for researchers for whom your disease is a sort of a challenge. Reading their statistics on and assessments of your treatment is a good way to get the shit scared out of you. If you are concerned that you are not getting appropriate care, get a second professional opinion."
A good book to start with Is Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book. It's very comprehensive and clearly written, and is frequently updated.
posted by Sara Anne at 8:40 AM on April 7, 2006

Breast cancer runs in my family as well, unfortunately, and I second Susan Love's Breast Book. Her website has a lot of good information as well, and she's generally highly respected on the topic.

I'm sorry for your friend's diagnosis. Keep in mind while you read that there are different types of breast cancer, each requiring different treatment, and much of what you read may not apply to your friend's particular case. Once you have more concrete information, you can read up more about her particular type of cancer.
posted by boomchicka at 9:44 AM on April 7, 2006

Imaginis is a really good resource with lots of info about the whole process, diagnosis, detection, treatment etc. It gives really good explanations in laymen's terms, and is very well organized. The information is good, the site is sponsored by Siemens Medical Solutiosn, a big imaging company. It can be a little bit out of date though, particularly with some of the diagnostic techniiques, but overall it's really reliable.
posted by orangskye at 5:30 PM on April 7, 2006

Not a doc or scientist, so take these research recommendations w/ that in mind: 1) know that you are dealing with biology here, specifically microbiology (just so you know where to head in the library or bookshop). 2) Familiarize yourself w/ the concept of metastasis.

Books:
- How Cancer Works by Lauren Sompayrac
- The Cancer Book by Geoffrey Cooper (a bit dated but will familiarize you w/ terminology)
- Health and Healing by Andrew Weil (for a very general view of different medical treatments).

Links:
-Abramson Cancer Center (Upenn)
-CancerQuest (Emory College)
-Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
-American Cancer Society

-National Health and Medical Research Council Australia, page on breast cancer.

Best of luck in your research.
posted by slow, man at 5:58 PM on April 7, 2006

I've heard Johns Hopkins Breast Center is a great resource, especially the ask-an-expert service I linked.
posted by babar at 12:29 AM on April 8, 2006