Breast Cancer

Question 1

what is the most common type of invasive breast cancer

Answer 1

invasive or infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC)

Question 2

what are some risk reduction options for breast cancer

Answer 2

mastectomy
oophorectomy
tamoxifen
raloxifene

Question 3

what is the primary screening method for breast cancer

Answer 3

mammography

Question 4

At what age breast self exam be done

Answer 4

starting at age 20

Question 5

At what age and how often should clinical breast exams (CBE) be done

Answer 5

every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s; yearly after age 40

Question 6

At what age and how often should mammograms be done

Answer 6

annually beginning at age 40

Question 7

what are the lymph nodes that cancer normally spreads to first in breast cancer

Answer 7

sentinel lymph nodes

Question 8

what are the poor prognosis factors for breast cancer

Answer 8

less than 35 years old
tumor size
nodal involvement
Histological Grade III 
estrogen receptor negative status
HER2 positive disease

Question 9

what drug should be added for HER2 positive breast cancer patients

Answer 9

trastuzumab (Herceptin)

Question 10

If a patient is premenopausal at diagnosis, what should be used for adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer

Answer 10

tamoxifen for 5 years

Question 11

If a patient is post menopausal at diagnosis, what is first line treatment for breast cancer

Answer 11

aromatase inhibitors for 5 years

Question 12

what are the adverse effects of tamoxifen

Answer 12

1. thrombotic events
2. vasomotor symptoms: hot flashes and vag dryness
3. endometrial cancer

Question 13

what are the adverse effects of aromatase inhibitors

Answer 13

vasomotor symptoms
athralgias and myalgias
osteoporosis