CANCER-BREAST

Overview

Breast cancer forms in the breast when cells grow out of control forming a tumor. These tumors can be seen in an x-ray or often physically felt in the breast in the form of a lump or a mass. The tumor is considered cancerous or malignant if it begins to invade surrounding tissues or spread into other areas of the body (metastasize). Although breast cancer is predominantly found in women, men can also get breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates approximately 250,000 cases of breast cancer in women in 2017. It is the most common cancer in women, with the exception of skin cancers1. Approximately 30% of new cancer cases in women will be attributed to breast cancers.2

1. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/about/how-common-is-breast-cancer.html

2. (http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/understand_bc/statistics

Common symptoms can include:

• Lump in the breast or underarm
• Warm or red breast without a rash
• Change in breast shape, size or texture
• Ongoing pain in the breast
• Physical changes to the breast or nipple
• Nipple discharge
• Soreness in nipple area
• Irritation in the skin

A series of tests, procedures and scans are needed to diagnose cancer in the breast. These might include self-examination, imaging tests, or biopsies. Genomic tests are also performed to predict the risk of recurrence.

• Self-examination: Breast cancer typically has no symptoms, so knowing how your breasts normally look or feel is important. Early detection of breast cancer provides a better chance of successful treatment. You can examine your breast by using your hands gently in small circular motions around the entire breast and under the arm to feel for any unusual lumps. Additionally, check for discharge from the nipple area by squeezing the nipple.
• Imaging Tests: These tests show pictures of the inside of the breast in a suspicious area found during normal screening. There are various types of imaging tests that may be performed to accomplish this:
  • Diagnostic mammography
  • Ultrasound
  • MRI
• Biopsy: The removal of a tissue sample from a suspicious area in the breast for microscopic examination. There are different types of biopsies using different techniques to collect the tissue.
  • Fine needle aspiration biopsy
  • Core needle biopsy
  • Surgical biopsy
  • Image-guided biopsy
  • Sentinel lymph node biopsy

Breast cancer occurs in different areas of the breast such as ducts, lobules, or the tissue in between. Tumors can be non-invasive, invasive, recurrent, or metastatic. There are also molecular subtypes of breast cancer.

• Endocrine receptor-positive:
• (also referred to as hormone-receptor (HR) positive)Estrogen-receptors (ER) and/or progesterone-receptors (PR) found on breast cancer cells grow in response to estrogen, progesterone, and other hormones.
• HER2-positive:
• HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) is a protein that appears on the surface of some breast cancer cells. The HER2 protein is an important part of the pathway for cell growth and survival
• Triple positive:
• Positive for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and HER2
• Triple negative:
• Not positive for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and HER2

Albrighton Pharmacy, a specialty pharmacy for breast cancer, dispenses specialty and non-specialty breast cancer medications including (but not limited to):

Abraxane® (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension)

Afinitor® (everolimus)

Halaven® (eribulin)

Herceptin® (trastuzumab)

Ibrance® (palbociclib)

Ixempra® (ixabepilone)

Lynparza™ (olaparib)

Kadcyla® (ado-trastuzumab)

Kisqali® Femara® Co-pack (ribociclib, letrozole)

Kisqali® (ribociclib)

Nerlynx ® (neratinib)

Perjeta® (pertuzumab)

Tykerb®  (Iapatinib)

Verzenio™ (abemaciclib)

Xeloda®(capecitabine)

Zoladex® (goserelin acetate)

Albrighton Pharmacy also dispenses traditional chemotherapy medications as well as supportive care medications ordered by your prescriber that are not listed above.

Financial assistance coordination may be available to help with your medication costs, including manufacturer and community programs. Albrighton Pharmacy representatives are available to help find a program that may work for you.

• Patient Access Network Foundation| (866) 316-7263
• Good Days (Chronic Disease Fund) | (877) 968-7233

There are many organizations that support research and advocacy for cancer. See below for a few of those organizations.

• Breast Cancer.Org
• Susan G. Komen
• Breast Cancer Research Foundation
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer

• American Cancer Society
• American Society of Clinical Oncology
• Association of Cancer Online Resources
• Cancer Support Community
• Livestrong Foundation
• OncoLink
• National Foundation for Cancer Research
• Prevent Cancer Foundation
• Conquer Cancer Foundation
• Inspire.com
• CancerCare
• Cancer GRACE
• National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
• National Comprehensive Cancer Network
• Patient Advocate Foundation

• National Cancer Institute

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