Breast Cancer – AHealthyMe – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

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Cancer

Overview
Breast cancer includes a wide range of cancers of the breast. The most common type begins in the lining of the ducts and is called ductal carcinoma.

Understanding Your Diagnosis
It is important to remember that a lump or other changes in the breast, or an abnormal area on a mammogram, may be caused by cancer or by other, less serious problems.

Deciding on Treatment
Although a diagnosis of breast cancer may seem overwhelming, a variety of effective treatments is available. Your doctor will help determine which treatment is appropriate for you.

Managing Side Effects
Side effects from cancer treatment can affect each woman differently. Some women have none, but others may have many. Your health care team can help you manage your symptoms, as well as to treat your cancer.

Prevention and Screening
Detecting breast cancer at its earliest stages is the main goal of routine breast care, but other benign conditions, such as fibrocystic breasts, are also often discovered through routine care.

Advanced Reading
Learn more about breast cancer from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Physician Data Query (PDQ®) for patients. It includes information about prevention, screening, and treatment.

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