Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer in women of all races, according to new data released by the U.S. government. Prostate cancer tops the list of cancers for men, followed by lung cancer and colon/rectal cancer. The report is based on data from 1999 and includes information on statistics for more than one million cases of invasive cancer diagnosed during that year. The report also details cancer incidence by U.S. census region and division, state, and metropolitan area.

Despite the fact that more women die from heart disease than all other cancers combined, the American media continues to focus more attention on breast cancer than cardiovascular disease. A new study of popular magazines finds breast cancer references appear significantly more often than articles devoted to heart disease. Consequently, experts say that many women overestimate their risk of developing breast cancer.

Though the link between oral contraceptives and breast cancer risk has been debated over the years, recent studies have shown that women who take the pill today are typically not at a higher risk of breast cancer, compared to those who do not take the pill. However, a newly published study found that women who have a certain genetic mutation called BRCA1 might, in fact, be more likely to develop breast cancer, if they used oral contraceptives before 1975, when greater amounts of hormones were used in the pills. The findings do not apply to women who have taken the pill after 1975, since modern birth control pills contain fewer hormones, though women with BRCA1 gene mutations should exercise caution when considering oral contraception.

While a personal history of endometrial cancer-cancer of the uterine lining-has been linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, a new study finds that a family history of breast cancer does not increase the chances that women will develop endometrial cancer. The study, which followed nearly 38,000 women over a 14-year period, should help ease concerns about endometrial cancer among women whose families have been affected by breast cancer.

Fibrocystic breast condition affects more than 50% of women at some point in their lives. It is characterized by lumpiness, tenderness, cysts, areas of thickening, fibrosis (scar-like connective tissue), and/or breast pain. This article explains the signs of fibrocystic breast condition, how it can be diagnosed and treated, and whether it increases the risk of breast cancer.