Breast Cancer General FAQ


What exactly is a clinical trial? Should I participate in one?

Clinical trials are studies that help evaluate a new treatment. Clinical trials attempt to answer scientific questions and to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. An institutional review board (IRB) carefully reviews the study before patients begin participation in the clinical trial. Also, some studies are reviewed […]


How do I decide which treatment option is best for me?

Speak with your physician about treatment options. Although there are four standard ways to treat breast cancer (surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy), several treatments may be combined. Your physician can recommend specific treatments depending on the type and location of the cancer, the stage at which it was […]


What should I do if I find a lump while performing a monthly breast self-exam?

Check the other breast. Some lumpiness is normal. However, if the lump is new or unusual, it warrants examination by a physician. A lump found during a breast self-exam, a clinical breast exam or a mammogram does not necessarily mean that a woman has breast cancer. Nearly 80 percent of […]


What causes breast cancer?

No one yet knows what causes breast cancer, but medical research has generated a lot of knowledge about the disease. Researchers at the Comprehensive Cancer Center have made some important discoveries in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer, ranging from understanding more about the genetic aspects of cancer to […]


What are the warning signs?

The most common sign of breast cancer is a lump or thickening in the breast. Other signs include: change in the size or shape of the breast, discharge from the nipple, or change in the color or feel of the skin of the breast or nipple (dimpled, puckered or scaly; […]