What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk). It occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare.

How do members experience breast cancer?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with breast cancer*

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Top treatments taken by people for breast cancer*

*Data from patients with breast cancer, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Compare treatments taken by people with breast cancer*

Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
for breast cancer (5 evaluations)
Side effects
dry eyes dry mouth 6 more
Total evaluations
5
Tried for
breast cancer (10)
Treatment

(Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy (TSEBT))
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
breast cancer (7)
Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
for breast cancer (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
breast cancer (5)
Treatment

(Modified radical mastectomy)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
breast cancer (4)
Treatment

(Mediastinal Lymph Node Dissection)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
breast cancer (2)

*Data from patients with breast cancer, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Who has breast cancer on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 5
20s 86
30s 280
40s 629
50s 1,602
60s 2,087
70+ 1,447

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 204
Female 5,898

We’re all in this for good.

By sharing your stories and data, you will:
  • help each other live better and uncover the best ways to manage your health today
  • help researchers shorten the path to new treatments tomorrow

How much good can your data do? A whole lot, as member Garth explains in this video.

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk). It occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare.



Common symptoms reported by people with breast cancer

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it

Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.
Last updated:



Treatments taken by people for breast cancer

Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment name(s)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
1,982
Tried for
breast cancer (10)
Treatment name(s)

(Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy (TSEBT))
Type
Procedures
How many have tried
2,048
Tried for
breast cancer (7)
Treatment name(s)
Type
Surgery
How many have tried
1,757
Tried for
breast cancer (5)
Treatment name(s)

(Modified radical mastectomy)
Type
Surgery
How many have tried
1,707
Tried for
breast cancer (4)
Treatment name(s)

(Mediastinal Lymph Node Dissection)
Type
Surgery
How many have tried
1,731
Tried for
breast cancer (2)

Data from patients with breast cancer, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:


Compare treatments taken by people with breast cancer

Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
for breast cancer (5 evaluations)
Side effects
dry eyes dry mouth 6 more
Total evaluations
5
Tried for
breast cancer (10)
Treatment name(s)

(Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy (TSEBT))
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
breast cancer (7)
Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
for breast cancer (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
breast cancer (5)
Treatment name(s)

(Modified radical mastectomy)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
breast cancer (4)
Treatment name(s)

(Mediastinal Lymph Node Dissection)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
breast cancer (2)
  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
  • Severe
  • Moderate
  • Mild
  • None

Data from patients with breast cancer, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:



Who has breast cancer on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 9 new patients joined this month
  • 5,707 say breast cancer is their primary condition

Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 5
20s 86
30s 280
40s 629
50s 1,602
60s 2,087
70+ 1,447

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 204
Female 5,898

Types
Condition Types Proportion # of patients
Angiosarcoma of the breast 62
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) 1,303
HER2-positive breast cancer 263
Hormone-receptor positive breast cancer 422
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) 145
Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) 1,929
Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) 422
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) 131
Paget's disease of the nipple 28
Phyllodes tumor of the breast 19
Triple negative breast cancer 167
Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 4,484
Not Diagnosed 152

These charts show data from breast cancer patients who have completed their condition history
Last updated: