Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, and its impact extends well beyond the person diagnosed. In fact, half of early stage breast cancer patients rely on three or more people to help them process treatment decisions.1 While partners and caregivers provide crucial support for women with breast cancer, it's important that the larger community is also informed – be it a neighbor, sister-in-law, or friend of a friend. Learn more about breast cancer — specifically how understanding the size, status, stage and subtype upon diagnosis can help all women make more informed treatment decisions — by taking our quiz below.
1. Approximately how many women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer this year?
2. In what age range is a woman most likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer?
3. True or false? Breast cancer can be classified into subtypes based on the proteins on or in the cancer cells, which can help determine the appropriate treatment.
4. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS A BREAST CANCER SUBTYPE BASED ON THE PROTEINS FOUND IN OR ON CANCER CELLS?
5. True or false? After a biopsy, negative results for HER2 and negative results for the hormone receptors estrogen and progesterone mean breast cancer was not detected.
6. True or false? Only tumors larger than 2cm in diameter can spread to other parts of the body.
7. Where is the first place breast cancer is likely to spread?
8. True or false? Stages 0-I are known as early breast cancer and stages II-IV are known as advanced breast cancer.
Breast cancer is not a one-size-fits-all disease. There are many types of breast cancer based on the unique biology of an individual’s tumor. Understanding the size, status, stage and subtype can help decode a diagnosis and guide appropriate treatment decisions. Learn more here.
References
1. Wallner LP, et al. Decision-support networks of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Cancer 2017 (epub ahead of print).
2. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2017.
3. American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2015-2016.
4. American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Hormone Receptor Status. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/understanding-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis/breast-cancer-hormone-receptor-status.html. Accessed August 30, 2018
5. American Cancer Society. How is breast cancer classified? http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-classifying. Accessed August 31, 2017
6. American Cancer Society. Stages of Breast Cancer. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/understanding-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis/stages-of-breast-cancer.html. Accessed August 31, 2017
7. American Cancer Society. Lymph Nodes and Cancer. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-basics/lymph-nodes-and-cancer.html. Accessed August 31, 2017.
8. National Cancer Institute. Metastatic Cancer. http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/what-is-cancer/metastatic-fact-sheet. Accessed August 31, 2017.