While many comprehensive texts have been written about breast cancer treatment, the most common type of cancer among women, there are relatively few that deliberately cover prevention and early detection of the disease. The aim of this work is to present what experts feel in the current knowledge and future direction of prevention of breast cancer and early detection. The first part of the book begins with a review of risk factors, genetic and environmental.

In the future we will review progress in the use of chemical prevention. Chemotherapy risk reduction studies have led to FDA approval of two drugs that significantly reduce the incidence of women who are at increased risk, although there are some side effects associated with treatment.

New agents are also discussed in the pipeline, which may also reduce the risk among women of natural risk. Surgical risk reduction strategies complement the prevention section, including the benefits of treatment and negativity, to this more aggressive approach.

Even with strong prevention strategies, some women develop breast cancer. For these women, early detection is critical to reducing the spread of the disease and increasing long-term survival. The second part of this book reviews current and upcoming approaches to early detection. Imaging strategies, including mammography, mammary ultrasound, MRI, and PET imaging are reviewed.

The possibility of targeting the molecular tumor is presented to detect the disease before the mass formation is visible through anatomical imaging.