Male Breast Cancer Survivor

Most people associate breast cancer with women. But Eric Hansen knows first hand that male breast cancer is very real.

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Young Mother Battling Breast Cancer

Jennifer Harlow, a healthy and active wife and mother, is diagnosed with breast cancer. Like many women under 40, she never imagined this could happen to her.

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Nancy Brinker, Founder Of The Susan G. Komen Foundation

Just 25 years ago, breast cancer was rarely discussed in public and little was known about the disease. Nancy Brinker helped to change that when she founded the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

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Consultario Comunitario - Community Clinic Of The Air

For 18 years, Dr. Elmer Huerta has produced and hosted a local Spanish-language radio program to educate men and women in the Latina community about breast cancer and early detection.

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Lobular Carcinoma In Situ

It's a pre-cancerous condition that is rarely detected through a mammogram. One local Virginia business woman tells 9NEWS NOW how a diagnosis of lobular carcinoma in situ changed her life.

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The Promise

For the 25th anniversary of Komen For the Cure, the organization is re-engaging and re-energizing Komen survivors and activists with a bold new message.

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Inflammatory Breast Cancer

IBC accounts for 1% to 4% of ALL breast cancers. However, this rare form of breast cancer is often misdiagnosed.

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The ChemStriders

Employees at the American Chemical Society team up to make a difference in the war on breast cancer.

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NIH Lymphedema Study

National Institutes of Health conducts a preliminary study on a debilitating complication that can result from breast cancer surgery.

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Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis

A local couple share their story of a medical misdiagnosis so others might learn from their ordeal.

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Woodbridge High School Raises Money For Race For The Cure

People of all ages are involved in the fight against breast cancer.

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All In The Family

After losing a relative to breast or ovarian cancer throughout four generations, a test reveals just how firmly breast cancer has been rooted in one family's medical tree.

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Yoga Survivors

In Sanskrit, Yoga means union. A union of mind, body and spirit. Some new research shows this union can help prevent breast cancer or at least minimize your cancer risks.

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Prophylactic Choice

Breast cancer is a disease no woman wants to experience, let alone more than once. That?s why some women at higher risk of a recurrence are choosing a controversial procedure.

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Too Young For Cancer

This year 28,000 women under age 45 in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer. That's a fact many young women and their doctors don't know.

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Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Joanne Ruddy

Inflammatory Breast Cancer is a rare, aggressive form of cancer that accounts for only 1 to 4% of all breast cancers.

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Rare Form Of Breast Cancer Often Misdiagnosed

A mammogram is not enough to catch a relatively rare but often deadly form of breast cancer.

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I'm Still Me

Victoria LaRosa knows from experience what a cancer diagnosis brings. Now, she's helping other breast cancer survivors get on with the business of living.

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Medical Travel

Many Americans are turning to other countries to get the medical treatment they need.

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Male Breast Cancer

An aeronautical engineer says early detection of breast cancer also pays off for men who are diagnosed with the disease.

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Woman Perseveres Through 6 Bouts Of Breast Cancer

She had a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. After 16 months, she was deemed cancer free. But it was not to be. As she approached the 5 year mark, her breast cancer returned. Cancer has returned 4 more times.

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Basal-Like Breast Cancer

We know that African American women are less likely to get breast cancer than white women, yet more likely to die from breast cancer when they get it. A new study shows one reason why.

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Chemo Or No?

A new test helps doctors decide if a woman needs chemotherapy or not based on her genes - 21 of them to be exact.

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Couture Gowns Hold Life Lesson

With each couture gown she designs, Aimee Lauren makes a bride's dream come true. But the little pink ribbon in every dress holds a message from this breast cancer survivor.

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Buddy Check 9 Survivor Nancy Carter Foster

Breast cancer is the third leading cause of death for women in the U.S. The good news is that its a disease that can be treated and cured. According to the ACS, finding the cancer cells early and doing the right treatment has lowered the death rate from breast cancer in the last 20 years.

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SUPPORT

Many women reach out to their support system for help in dealing with the diagnosis of breast cancer. Support may come from any of the following:

-Family and friends
-Clergy
-Health professionals
-Mental health professionals
-Support groups
-Help lines

Many of the emotions that cancer patients feel range from anger to confusion. Talking to others that have been through breast cancer may help answer many questions about cancer and coping with it. Support group members can provide helpful hints on dealing with your feelings, family and treatment side effects.

These are some issues to consider before becoming involved with a support group:

-Are you comfortable sharing your feelings with others in a similar situation?
-Are you interested in hearing others' feelings about their situation?
-Could you benefit from the advice of others who have gone through cancer treatment?
-Do you enjoy being part of a group?
-Would reaching out to support other cancer survivors give you satisfaction?
-Would you feel comfortable working with survivors who have different ways of coping?
-Are you interested in learning more about cancer and survivorship issues?

NUTRITION

Good nutrition is essential to a healthy life.
It is especially significant during treatment when the body is under added stress. Once treatment is completed, eating a healthy diet, low in fat and high in fiber, continues to be important.

Nutrition can help many aspects of treatment and recovery:
-helps boost the immune system and fight infection
-help minimize fatigue
-help rebuild damaged tissues
-help patients handle larger doses of certain treatments be a source of stored  nutrition

Cancer treatment can have side effects that affect the way the body handles food.
Patients can talk to other cancer patients and medical professionals to find solutions to some of the eating problems.

Be sure to discuss any nutritional changes with your doctor, nurse or registered dietitian before adding vitamin and mineral supplements to your diet. Vitamins and minerals might change the way the cancer treatment works or stop the treatment from working.

EXERCISE

Exercise is one important way a woman with breast cancer can regain some control over her body. It increases her self-esteem, relieves stress and improves overall fitness. Exercise also improves arm strength and range of motion on the affected side.

PROTHESIS

A woman may choose a prosthesis (artificial form) to restore her outward appearance following breast cancer surgery. Breast prostheses are usually made to have the look and weight of a breast. It may also help a woman to feel better balanced.

RECURRENCE

Breast cancer recurrence can occur at anytime. However, many recurrences happen within the first two years following diagnosis.

Breast cancer may recur locally within the breast/chest area, in areas adjacent to the breast (underarm lymph nodes), or at distant locations (metastatic). The most common sites for metastatic breast cancer are the lungs, liver, bones and brain.

Is there a test that can tell me if I am cured?
No test is currently available that can tell if a woman has been cured. There is also no test that can find small amounts of breast cancer.

Who finds most recurrent breast cancer?
Women find 80 or 90 out of 100 breast cancer recurrences. Tests such as chest x-rays, CAT scans and bone scans find only a very small number.

What can be done for recurrent breast cancer?
Treatment for recurrent breast cancer depends on where the cancer has recurred and how the cancer was initially treated. The woman needs to take an active role in the treatment process by understanding the goals of the treatment and the potential side effects. She may be eligible to participate in clinical trials.

Local recurrence of breast cancer in a breast previously treated with radiation can be treated by mastectomy. Local chest wall or skin recurrence in the mastectomy side can be controlled; however, the breast cancer may come back in other areas.At the present time, all other breast cancers that come back can be controlled but not cured. Treatments can make the disease go away for some time, reduce symptoms or slow its progression.