Ask the CIS : Cancer Information Service : October 2006
"Ask the CIS" is a short, easy-to-read cancer column providing answers to cancer related questions. The column is based on the latest cancer information from the National Cancer Institute. The Cancer Information Service of the Mid-South produces four columns, in question-and-answer format, monthly.
Q: What is a mammogram?
A: A mammogram is a picture of the breast made with x-rays. Mammograms can often show a breast lump before it can be felt. They can also show clusters of tiny specks of calcium. Lumps or specks can be from cancer or other conditions. Further tests are needed to find out if they are abnormal cells.
Like many tests, mammograms are not perfect:
- A mammogram may miss some cancers.
- A mammogram may show things that turn out not to be cancer.
- Some fast-growing tumors may grow large or spread to other parts of the body before a mammogram detects them.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) recommends that:
- Women in their 40s and older should have mammograms every 1 to 2 years.
- Women who are younger than 40 and have risk factors for breast cancer should ask their doctor whether to have mammograms and how often to have them.
For more information on mammograms, talk with your health care provider or call the NCI’s Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER.
Q: I keep hearing about something called inflammatory breast cancer. What is it?
A: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare type of breast cancer that grows quickly. In this type of cancer, the cancer cells block lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. (Lymph vessels carry fluid that contains cells which help fight infections and other diseases.) This type of breast cancer is called “inflammatory” because the breast often looks swollen and red, or “inflamed.”
Symptoms of IBC include:
- Redness, swelling, and warmth in the breast, often without a lump.
- Breast heaviness, burning, aching, or tenderness, or a nipple that is inverted (facing inward).
- The skin of the breast may appear pink, reddish purple, or bruised. The skin may also have ridges or appear pitted, like the skin of an orange.
These symptoms may also be signs of other conditions such as infection, injury, or other types of cancer. Talk with your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.
For more information about IBC, contact the Cancer Information Service (CIS) at 1–800–4–CANCER. The NCI also has a fact sheet called Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Questions and Answers. You can get a copy by calling the CIS or going to http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/IBC on the Internet.
Q: I have breast cancer. How can I find a support group?
A: Many women with breast cancer find it helpful to talk with others who have cancer. Several organizations offer special programs for women with breast cancer. Women who have had the disease serve as trained volunteers. They may talk with or visit women with breast cancer, provide information, and lend emotional support. They often share their experiences with breast cancer treatment, breast reconstruction, and recovery.
Doctors, nurses, or hospital social workers may have information about support groups, such as their location, size, type, and how often they meet. Most hospitals have social services departments that give information about cancer support programs. Many newspapers also carry a special health supplement with information about where to find support groups.
The NCI fact sheet National Organizations That Offer Services to People With Cancer and Their Families lists several organizations that can provide information about support groups. This fact sheet is available at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/support/organizations on the Internet. You can also order a copy from the Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER (1–800–422–6237). Some of these organizations have information on their Web sites about contacting support groups.
Q: I want to find out more about complementary medicine. What questions should I ask my cancer specialist?
A: It’s natural to want to help yourself feel better. Some people with cancer say that complementary medicine helps them feel better. An approach is called complementary medicine when it is used along with standard cancer treatment. Massage therapy, herbal products, vitamins or special diets, and meditation are examples of such approaches.
You may want to ask your cancer specialist these questions before you decide to use complementary medicine:
- What benefits can I expect from this approach?
- What are its risks?
- Do the expected benefits outweigh the risks?
- What side effects should I watch for?
- Will the approach change the way my cancer treatment works? Could this be harmful?
- How much will it cost? Will my health insurance pay for this approach?
For more information, you may find it helpful to read the NCI booklet Thinking About Complementary & Alternative Medicine: A guide for people with cancer. This publication is available from the Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER (1–800–422–6237). You can also find it at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/thinking-about-CAM on the Internet.
Q: Does secondhand smoke cause cancer?
A: Yes. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Toxicology Program, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, secondhand smoke is a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). Secondhand smoke exposure causes lung cancer. Thousands of Americans die each year from lung cancer because they were exposed to secondhand smoke.
The U.S. Surgeon General recently released a report stating that breathing even a little secondhand smoke can be harmful.
For information about cancer and the risks of tobacco smoke, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER.
You may find it helpful to read The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. You can find it on the Surgeon General’s Web site at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/.
Q: What makes tobacco smoke so harmful?
A: The National Toxicology Program estimates that at least 250 chemicals in tobacco smoke are known to be toxic or carcinogenic (cancer causing). These chemicals cause lung cancer, heart disease, and breathing problems.
The poisonous gases and chemicals found in tobacco smoke include:
• hydrogen cyanide (used in chemical weapons)
• carbon monoxide (found in car exhaust)
• butane (used in lighter fluid)
• ammonia (used in household cleaners)
• toluene (found in paint thinners)
Smoke is toxic to both smokers and nonsmokers. The U.S. Surgeon General recently released a report stating that breathing even a little secondhand smoke can be harmful.
You may want to read The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. This report is available on the Surgeon General’s Web site at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/.
For information about cancer and the risks of tobacco smoke, call the Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER.
Q: Is it bad for my health to be around my husband while he’s smoking?
A: Yes. The U.S. Surgeon General recently released a report stating that breathing even a little secondhand smoke poses a risk to your health. Secondhand smoke causes lung cancer. Thousands of Americans die each year from lung cancer because of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke also causes heart disease and breathing problems.
You may find it helpful to read The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. You can find it on the Surgeon General’s Web site at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/.
If you want to learn more about the risks of tobacco smoke, call the Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER.
Q: How can I protect my young son from secondhand smoke?
A: Young children are even more vulnerable than adults to the toxins in secondhand smoke. Opening a window, sitting in a separate area, or using ventilation, air conditioning, or a fan cannot eliminate secondhand smoke exposure. You can protect your son by making your home and car smoke-free zones.
Here are some other tips:
- Make sure that your son’s school or day care center is smoke-free.
- Choose restaurants and other businesses that are smoke-free.
- Ask people not to smoke around you and your son.
- Teach your son to stay away from secondhand smoke.
Breathing even a little secondhand smoke can be harmful. The U.S. Surgeon General recently released a report stating that infants and children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), pneumonia, bronchitis, ear infections, and more severe asthma.
You may find it helpful to read The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. You can find it on the Surgeon General’s Web site at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/.
The National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service (CIS) is one of the country’s most trusted resources. Ask the CIS is distributed by the (region) CIS, which serves (list states). Call the CIS toll-free at 1–800–4–CANCER (1–800–422–6237) between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
