Breast Cancer Risk Reduction and Early Detection

While many comprehensive texts have been written on the treatment of breast cancer, the most common cancer among women, there are relatively few which cover in depth the prevention and early detection of the disease. The goal of this work is to present what experts in the ?eld feel is the current knowledge and future direction of breast cancer prevention and early detection. We begin Part I of the book with a review of risk factors, both genetic and environmental. We next review progress in the use of chemoprevention. Notably, chemoprevention risk reduction studies have led to FDA approval of two medications which measurably reduce disease incidence among women at increased risk, although with some risk of treatment related side effects. Newer agents in the pipeline, which may also reduce risk among normal risk women, are also discussed. Surgical risk reducing strategies complete the section on prevention, including both the bene?ts and downsides to this more aggressive approach. Even with aggressive prevention strategies, some women will develop breast cancer. For these women, early detection is critical to minimize disease spread and maximize long term survival. Part II of this book reviews current and upcoming approaches to early detection. Imaging strategies, including mammography, breast ultrasound, MRI, and PET imaging are reviewed. The potential for molecular tumor targeting to detect disease prior to the formation of a mass visible by anatomic imaging is presented.

Breast  Cancer Risk Reduction and Early Detection provides an in-depth overview of the factors of breast cancer risk and what health care providers and individuals can do to impact the risk of breast cancer in their patient or themselves.  Many books address breast cancer in general or focus on treatment; few focus on prevention and early detection, including current practices and new strategies in:   epidemiology, primary prevention, chemoprevention, surgical prevention, breast specific (physical examination, imaging, intraductal) and systemic screening and early detection. 

Written by experts in their fields, this book is a resource to researchers, clinicians and the broad group of health care providers.  It is a source of accurate information for individuals to use to reduce risk of new or recurrent breast cancer and to apply best practices for early detection.