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Print ArticleBreast Cancer Health Center
Overview & Facts
Is your breast cancer information based on facts or fear? Nix worry by learning about breast cancer causes, risk factors, symptoms, and prevention.
What Is Breast Cancer?
Read a detailed description of breast cancer.
Breast cancer stages run from 0 to 4, noting the size and spread of the tumors. Get definitions of all stages of breast cancer.
Learn about the healthy, normal breast and breast anatomy in this brief article.
Causes
It’s often hard to say exactly what causes a given person’s cancer. But some factors are associated with breast cancer. Read about them here.
Are You at Risk?
Nearly one in eight U.S. women develops breast cancer some time in her life. Doctors don’t always know why breast cancer starts, but some risk factors stand out. Read an overview.
Learn about the genetic risk factors for breast cancer.
Checking for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations may help screen for breast cancer. But the results don’t mean breast cancer is certain or impossible. Get the facts.
Breast cancer affects all women. But it may differ by racial and ethnic group. For instance, breast cancer is found more often in white women but kills more black women. Read more.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been linked to a higher breast cancer risk. Get the facts on hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer.
Read about the debate on what role, if any, birth control pills may play in breast cancer risk.
Drinking alcohol regularly may raise a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Read what researchers say about the topic.
Prevention
Doctors can’t make any promises, but some habits -- like exercise and a healthy diet -- may cut your risk of breast cancer. Read more about breast cancer prevention.
The drug tamoxifen may be used to help prevent breast cancer in women at high risk of breast cancer. This article and drawing explains tamoxifen’s use for breast cancer prevention.
Read why the osteoporosis drug Evista may help cut breast cancer risk in high-risk postmenopausal women.
Preventive mastectomy is the surgical removal of the breasts to avoid breast cancer in high-risk women. Learn about it here.
VIVELLE-DOT (estradiol transdermal system) IS AVAILABLE BY PRESCRPTION ONLY.
INDICATION
Vivelle-Dot is used after menopause to: reduce moderate to severe hot flashes; treat moderate to severe dryness, itching and burning in or around the vagina; help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones); and treat certain conditions in which a young woman's ovaries do not produce enough estrogens naturally. Vivelle-Dot 0.025 mg/day is only used to prevent osteoporosis from menopause. If you use Vivelle-Dot only to treat your dryness, itching, and burning in and around your vagina or if you use Vivelle-Dot only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your healthcare professional about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus (womb). Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are taking estrogens. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb).
Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes. Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens with progestins may increase your risk of dementia (decline in memory and thinking skills).
Vivelle-Dot should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding; currently have or have had certain cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus; had a stroke or heart attack in the recent past (for example, in the past year); currently have or have had blood clots; currently have or have had liver problems; or think you may be, or know that you are, pregnant.
The most common side effects that may occur with Vivelle-Dot are headache, breast tenderness, and back pain.
You and your healthcare professional should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with Vivelle-Dot.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Full Prescribing Information for Vivelle-Dot.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a new study reveals why a high number of women with the disease still prefer to have the entire breast surgically removed instead of just the tumor. It's not always because doctors recommend it.
