BREAST CANCER & SSD BENEFITS

DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR BREAST CANCER

SSDI and SSI benefits are available for individuals who have breast cancer. In order to win those benefits, however, we recommend you hire an SSD attorney. Attorneys who practice Social Security law understand how to obtain the medical records you need to win your case. They will also know how to win your breast cancer SSD benefits.

Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) benefits are available for you if you have breast cancer that keeps you from working for longer than 12 months. In order to qualify for SSDI payments, you must have worked and paid taxes. You must also have the proper number of quarters of coverage with the SSA.

Check if you qualify by looking up your work record on Social Security’s website. All you need to do is make a personal account. It takes five minutes to make an account on the SSA website. There, you can check every year of your work record and the amount of your monthly SSD benefit.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are also available for those with breast cancer. In order to win SSI benefits, you must have a severe medical condition and also meet SSA’s income and asset rules.

An attorney can tell you if you have a good chance of winning benefits. They can help you apply for benefits too. Likewise, they will make sure that you appeal any denials. Your attorney can also prepare you to testify in court. If you have breast cancer, then the last thing you want to be worrying about is your Social Security benefits. Contact Cannon Disability Law today for a free review of your SSD benefits.

WHAT IS BREAST CANCER?

Breast Cancer happens when breast cells grow out of control. Breast cancer can occur in men and women. However, male breast cancer is not as common as it is among women. There are different kinds of breast cancer. The possibility of winning benefits for breast cancer depends upon the kind of breast cancer you have and whether your severe symptoms keep you from working.

Breast cancer can begin in different parts of the breast. For example, the breast is made up of three main parts: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. Lobules are the glands that produce milk. The ducts are tubes that carry milk to the nipple. And, the connective tissue surrounds everything and holds it together. Most breast cancers begin in the ducts or lobules.

Breast cancer can spread outside the breast through blood vessels and lymph vessels. When breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is said to have metastasized. If the cancer spreads from the breast to other parts of the body, then it becomes even more dangerous and can cause death. Learn more information about cancer of the female genital tract.

INVASIVE DUCTAL & INVASIVE LOBULAR CARCINOMA

The most common kinds of breast cancer are:

• Invasive ductal carcinoma. The cancer cells grow outside the ducts into other parts of the breast tissue. Invasive cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body.
• Invasive lobular carcinoma. Cancer cells spread from the lobules to the breast tissues that are close by. These cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body.

There are several other less common kinds of breast cancer, such as Paget’s disease, external icon medullary, mucinous, and inflammatory breast cancer.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a breast disease that may lead to breast cancer. The cancer cells are only in the lining of the ducts and have not spread to other tissues in the breast.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BREAST CANCER

Symptoms of breast cancer vary between people. For example, some people do not have any signs or symptoms at all. However, some warning signs of breast cancer are:

1. New lump in the breast tissue or in the armpit. This is one of the most common signs of breast cancer. The lump may feel different from the surrounding breast tissue and it does not go away over time.
2. Swelling or thickening in part of the breast.
3. Irritation or dimpling of the breast skin. You should look for signs dimpling or thickening of the skin on the breast. The skin changes may give your breast an orange peel texture.
4. Red or flaky skin around the nipple area or on the breast. Flaky skin symptoms or irritation of the nipple that doesn’t go away with usual treatments is a sign of breast cancer.
5. Pain in the nipple area. Pain in the nipple is a sign. As is inversion or retraction of the nipple.
6. Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
7. A change in the size or shape of the breast. Unexplained changes in the size or shape of one or both breasts can be a warning sign that you have breast cancer.
8. Pain in any area of the breast. Breast pain is not usually a sign of breast cancer. But, you should still see a doctor if you have breast pain, as it could be due to breast cancer.

Keep in mind that some of these symptoms can happen with other conditions that are not cancer. You should do regular breast exams and have a yearly mammogram. If you notice any unusual changes in your breasts, then you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

WHAT IS A BREAST BIOPSY?

A breast biopsy is a procedure, usually done with a needle, in which your doctor takes out cells or a small piece of tissue from the part of your breast where they think there is cancer. Next, the doctor looks at it under a microscope to see if there are signs of cancer. If your doctor finds something suspicious during a routine breast exam, mammogram, or ultrasound, then they may recommend this test. Possible signs of trouble include:

For years, women with breast cancer in their families have had the option to get tested for mutations in two genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2. If you have mutations in these genes, then you have a higher risk for the disease. There have been cases of famous individuals, such as Angelina Jolie, having a double mastectomy after testing positive for the BRCA gene.

BRCA mutations are among dozens of other genetic mutations that raise the risk of breast or ovarian cancer. About 12 percent of all women will develop breast cancer during their lives. However, 55 to 65 percent of women with a BRCA1 mutation will develop breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

WOMEN WITH BRCA1 REDUCE CANCER RISK IF THEY HAVE OVARIES REMOVED BY AGE 35

Doctors are also stating that women with certain genetic mutations that increase their risk of breast and ovarian cancer, can cut the risk by as much as 80 percent if they get their ovaries removed by age 35. It’s the first study about this genetic mutation to show just how much the operation can do to lower the risk of cancer.

A THIRD GENE WHOSE MUTATIONS CAUSE BREAST CANCER

Recently, according to The New York Times, doctors are warning that there is a third gene whose mutations cause breast cancer. The third gene is the PALB2 gene. The risk of breast cancer for women who have mutations in the PALB2 gene is almost as high as it is for those with the BRCA mutations.

Doctors have known about this gene since 2014, but some women who got genetic screening before 2014 were likely not tested for this gene.  If you had genetic testing prior to 2014, ask your doctor for further genetic testing for breast cancer.

People who have the PALB2 mutation have almost as great a risk of getting breast cancer as those who have the BRCA mutations. Like the BRCA mutations, this mutation also increases the risk of ovarian and pancreatic cancer.  Anyone who gets genetic testing for breast cancer now will likely also be screened for PALB2 mutations.

However, many patients screened before 2014 were not tested for it. They may have a false sense of security if they were found to be free of the BRCA gene, breast cancer experts said.  If you have the PALB2 gene, you need to be monitored as regularly as those with BRCA mutations.

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR BREAST CANCER?

Breast cancer is treated in several ways. It depends on the kind of breast cancer and how far it has spread. People with breast cancer often get more than one kind of treatment.

• Surgery. An operation where doctors cut out cancer tissue.
• Chemotherapy. Using special medicines to shrink or kill the cancer cells. The drugs can be pills you take or medicines given in your veins, or sometimes both.
• Hormonal therapy. Blocks cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow.
• Biological therapy. Works with your body’s immune system to help it fight cancer cells or to control side effects from other cancer treatments.
• Radiation therapy. Using high energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer cells.

Doctors from different medical areas will often work together to treat your cancer. Surgeons are the doctors who perform operations, such a removing a tumor. Medical oncologists are doctors who treat your cancer with medicine. Radiation oncologists are doctors who treat your cancer with radiation therapy. For more information, visit the National Cancer Institute’s Breast Cancer Treatment Option Overview.

Obviously, when you have breast cancer and undergo treatment, you may also experience depression or anxiety. If you have a mental condition, then you need treatment for that too. Learn more about depression and SSD benefits.

INFORMATION ABOUT CLINICAL TRIALS

Clinical trials use new treatment options to see if they are safe and effective. If you have cancer, you may want to take part. Visit the sites listed below for more information.

• NIH Clinical Research Trials and Youexternal icon (National Institutes of Health)
• Learn About Clinical Trialsexternal icon (National Cancer Institute)
• Search for Clinical Trialsexternal icon (National Cancer Institute)
• ClinicalTrials.govexternal icon (National Institutes of Health)

RECENT ARTICLE SHOWS AI DETECTS BREAST CANCER

The New York Times writes that in Hungary, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently being used to detect breast cancer. So far, the AI technology has the ability to spot cancer at least as well as human radiologists. AI is able to find signs of breast cancer when doctors miss them.

Many people believe AI technology could easily apply to detect illness like breast cancer in a mammogram. This would be a boon to those with breast cancer. For example, in 2020, there were 2.3 million breast cancer diagnoses and 685,000 deaths from the disease, according to the World Health Organization.

However, use of the cancer testing technology still faces many hurdles. Clinical trials are needed before the AI system can be more widely used as a second or third reader of breast cancer screens. The AI tool must also show it can produce the correct results on women of all ages and body types.

Additionally, the AI technology must prove it can recognize more complex forms of breast cancer and cut down on false positives that are not cancer. But doctors are hopeful that AI technology can improve public health.

NATIONAL RESOURCES FOR BREAST CANCER CARE

The National Breast Cancer foundation offers the following financial assistance for breast cancer patients. You can find many other resources on their website. These are only some of the organizations and programs that are available to those with breast cancer.

National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides access to breast cancer services to women in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, 5 U.S. territories, and 12 tribal organizations.

National Cancer Institute

Information about free or low cost mammogram programs is available through NCI’s Cancer Information Service at 1-800-422-6237.

The American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society (ACS) offers lists for free or low cost mammograms and financial assistance that is based on your location. When you go to their website, Cancer.org, look for the “About Us” tab in the right corner. After you click on that, then select your state in the “Where We Help” menu. This will direct you to a list of local resources.

SSA’S COMPASSIONATE ALLOWANCE FOR BREAST CANCER WITH RECURRENT OR DISTANT METASTASES 

The SSA states that certain severe forms of breast cancer are a compassionate allowance under the SSD benefits program. Individuals with breast cancer that meet the rules under the following names have a poor chance of surviving breast cancer. This means that the 5 year survival rate for breast cancers that have spread to other parts of the body or have stage IV breast cancer is about 20%. SSA’s list of compassionate allowances shows the following types of breast cancer to be payable:

• Metastatic Lobular Cancer;
• Breast Carcinoma (Stage IV);
• Metastatic Breast Carcinoma;
• Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast (Stage IV);
• Metastatic Breast Cancer;
• Lobular Carcinoma of the Breast Stage (IV);
• Metastatic Ductal Carcinoma and Metastatic Ductal Cancer.

PHYSICAL FINDINGS AND SIGNS OF METASTATIC SPREAD

Under physical findings, those with listing level breast cancer may present with: