About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer originates in breast tissue and arises from the ductal tissue of the breast and, less commonly, the lobular tissue.¹ There are several forms of breast cancer based, in part, on cellular and genetic characteristics.²

Types of Breast Cancer

HER2-Positive

• Overexpression of the HER2 protein classifies the breast cancer as HER2-positive and causes breast cancer cells to multiply, spread more rapidly, and survive longer than other breast cancers³

Hormone Receptor-Positive

• Breast cancer cells that express hormone receptors for estrogen (ER) and/or progesterone (PR) are dependent on the signaling of those receptors²

Triple Negative

• Some women have a more difficult-to-treat form of breast cancer known as "triple-negative," which means they test negative for 3 main receptors (HER2, ER, and PR)²

Each form of breast cancer has a different prognosis. The American Society of Clinical Oncology recommends that all women diagnosed with breast cancer have tumor marker tests, which can help identify which type of breast cancer a patient has and help determine the best

Breast Cancer Epidemiology 

• Family history of breast cancer, or personal history of breast abnormalities, early age at first menstrual period, obesity, and physical inactivity can contribute to development of breast cancer⁵
  • Inheritance of mutations in specific genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 contributes to the relative risk of developing breast cancer⁵
• Prognosis of 5-year survival varies according to different characteristics⁵
• Only 23% of women with distant metastatic disease will live for 5 years⁵
• Women with HER2+ disease have a 5-year survival rate of 68%⁷
• 94% of women with HR+ disease can expect to live for 5 years²
• Women with triple-negative disease have a survival prognosis of 81% for 5 years²

Breast cancer is often detected early through the use of several exams, including self-exams and mammography exams.5 Additionally, there are biomarkers to predict risk for developing breast cancer that can contribute to early detection.4 However, there do remain less common symptoms including changes to the breast or nipple such as thickening, swelling, tenderness, skin irritation, redness, and scaliness that can potentially be misdiagnosed^.5