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*
Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Common symptom
Fatigue
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Common symptom
Stress
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Common symptom
Right arm contracture
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Nothing reported yet
Common symptom
Shortness of breath with exertion
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Nothing reported yet
Common symptom
Pain
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.
Buoy Health’s symptom checker.
Top treatments taken by people for breast cancer*
Treatment
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment
Chemotherapy
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
1,982
Tried for
breast cancer
(11)
Type
Procedures
How many have tried
2,048
Tried for
breast cancer
(7)
Type
Surgery
How many have tried
1,707
Tried for
breast cancer
(4)
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.
Compare treatments taken by people with breast cancer*
Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment
Chemotherapy
Perceived effectiveness
for breast cancer (5 evaluations)
Total evaluations
5
Tried for
breast cancer
(11)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
breast cancer
(7)
Treatment
Lumpectomy
Perceived effectiveness
for breast cancer (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
breast cancer
(5)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
breast cancer
(4)
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 | 4 | |
| 20s | 88 | |
| 30s | 280 | |
| 40s | 626 | |
| 50s | 1,609 | |
| 60s | 2,085 | |
| 70+ | 1,419 |
Distribution of sex
Sex
| Sex | Proportion | # of patients |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 202 | |
| Female | 5,884 |
Learn more about our community’s experience with breast cancer.
Talk to people with breast cancer
6,900
6K+
members say they have this condition
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Learn from others like you living with breast cancer.
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