ABSTRACT
As the foremost cancer diagnosis and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women in the United States, breast cancer is greatly feared. Incidence rates continue to increase, though at a slower rate than in previous years, possibly reflecting the increased use of hormone replacement therapy or increased prevalence of obesity, or both (1). In 2005, breast cancer is expected to account for 32% (211,240) of all new cancer cases among women (2). Fortunately, disease-related mortality decreased from 1990 to 2001, with an annual decrease of 2.3% (P> 0.05) (2).
