Breast Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, Types, Symptoms, Stages and Treatment
What is breast cancer?
As the name suggests, the cancer that occurs in breast cells is called breast cancer (tumor). It is one of the most commonly occurring cancers in women. Over the past few years, improved medical facilities have helped in early detection and treatment of breast cancer, reducing breast cancer-related deaths overall.
Breast cysts are noncancerous lumps found in one or both breasts. They are common and occur naturally due to breast changes with aging and hormonal changes.
Breast cysts are noncancerous lumps found in one or both breasts. They are common and occur naturally due to breast changes with aging and hormonal changes.
Breast cancer has the highest mortality rate in women. The risk of developing this cancer is usually highest in people over the age of 50. The surprising thing is that so far the effort to make women aware of this cancer was more, but now efforts are being made to make men aware as well. Because breast cancer can also occur in men. However, the incidence of breast cancer in men is very low. For example, 41,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year, compared to only 300 men.
What are the types of breast cancer?
Doctors say breast cancer is caused by rapid, uncontrolled cell division. Based on the tissues they affect, breast cancer can cause:
Ductal carcinoma: Cancer of the milk-producing ducts
Lobular carcinoma: Cancer of glandular tissue
Invasive breast carcinoma: When the above-mentioned breast carcinoma spreads to the surrounding tissue, it is called invasive ductal carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma.
Metastatic breast cancer: Breast cancer can spread to distant organs through the blood or lymph, a process called metastasis. Metastatic breast cancer can spread to organs such as bones, lungs, liver, heart, and brain.
Male breast cancer: In rare cases, breast cancer can be diagnosed in men. Male breast cancer is usually caused by certain medications or abnormal hormone (estrogen) levels or a strong family history of breast cancer.
Other less common types of breast cancer include medullary carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, papillary carcinoma, inflammatory carcinoma, and phyllodes tumor.
What causes breast cancer?
Breast cancer can cause:
hormones
Hereditary or family history
inflammation
Lifestyle
Environmental triggers
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
Some commonly seen signs and symptoms of breast cancer are:
A thickening or lump in the breast that feels different from the surrounding tissue
Changes in breast size, shape or appearance
Dimpling or pitting of the breast skin, making it look like an orange peel
Inverted nipples that were not previously inverted
Dark pigmentation or flaking and peeling of the skin around the nipple or anywhere on the breast
Changes in the skin color of the breast such as redness
When should you consult a doctor?
If you notice or suspect any of the above symptoms, see your doctor immediately. Your doctor can refer you to an oncologist, if needed.
Who is more prone to breast cancer?
The presence of certain factors can increase the risk of breast cancer. Some of these reasons are:
Women, especially those who had their first child after the age of 30
old age
Overweight/Obesity
Past medical history of breast conditions or cancer in one of the breasts
A family history of breast cancer, such as a sister, mother or daughter, especially at a young age
Women on post-menopausal hormone therapy
Prolonged exposure to radiation
Early onset of periods (early age) or late menopause (end of periods)
Excessive alcohol consumption
Genetic factors: Certain gene mutations called BRCA1 and BRCA2 have been linked to breast cancer
Can breast cancer be prevented?
Breast cancer awareness can save many lives. There are several aspects of life that we can control to reduce our risk of breast cancer. Some caveats are listed below:
Ask your doctor about screening for breast cancer.
Familiarize yourself with your breast structure and perform a breast self-examination regularly. It cannot prevent disease but can certainly help in early detection and management.
Get regular breast cancer screenings as recommended by your doctor.
Quit smoking and alcohol intake.
Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight.
Discuss your risk factors with your oncologist. Depending on your risk factors, the oncologist may recommend preventative medicine or surgery if necessary.
What are the four stages of breast cancer?
Like other cancers, the pathophysiology of breast cancer progresses through 4 stages. The sooner the disease is diagnosed, the better the treatment and the faster the recovery.
Based on tumor location, lymph nodes and spread, TNM (Tumor, Node, Metastasis) staging of the tumor is done. By staging the cancer, your doctor gets a better idea—
Where exactly is the tumor located?
Is the tumor spreading (also called tumor metastases), if so, to the lymph nodes?
What is the prognosis for the patient - the possibility of full recovery and survival?
Breast cancer may or may not involve hormones - estrogen, progesterone and HER2. Based on hormone and TNM status, doctors diagnose breast cancer stages:
Stage 0 – At this stage the cancer is still at the source of the DNA defect.
Stage 1 – Here, the cancer is confined to a limited area.
Stage 2 – In stage 2, breast cancer has started to grow and spread through the lymph nodes.
Treatment usually includes surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy (treatment after surgery aimed at trying to destroy any remaining cancer cells with or without radiation therapy).
Stage 3 - Stage 3A cancer identifies the spread of cancer to the lymph nodes, which are gateways to other parts of the body. Through stages 3B and 3C, the cancer has spread through progressively more lymph nodes and has invaded nearby tissues but not distant organs. Treatment options are the same as for stage 2.
Stage 4 - In this stage, the cancer has spread to at least one distant part of the body - such as the liver, lungs. Late stage 4B marks the spread of cancer to multiple parts of the body.
What is the breast cancer survival rate?
Once a person is diagnosed with cancer, the immediate question that comes to mind is, "What are my chances of survival?"
The survival rate is an estimate that can guide you if you can live a few years. The survival rate percentage indicates how many people are alive after diagnosis. For example, a 5-year survival rate of 90% indicates that 9 out of 10 cancer patients survive at least 5 years after diagnosis.
There are exceptions for people living with urgent treatment, care and support beyond these estimated years.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
In case of any signs or symptoms, see your doctor immediately, who may refer you to an oncologist if necessary. The oncologist can diagnose breast cancer by:
Take a thorough medical history
Physical examination of both breasts and also check for any swollen or tender lymph nodes in the armpit
Imaging tests:
Mammogram: X-ray of the breast
Breast ultrasound
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast
Tissue biopsy: removal of breast tissue for examination by a pathologist.
Sentinel node biopsy: Once breast cancer is confirmed, patients routinely undergo sentinel node biopsy. It helps to detect cancer cells in lymph nodes to confirm metastasis of breast cancer in the lymphatic system.
If necessary, your oncologist may also order additional tests or procedures.
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How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options for breast cancer are based on the type and stage of breast cancer and other factors such as overall health, age and sensitivity to certain medications. Treatment options include conservative management and surgery, or a combination of both.
Conservative approaches include:
Radiation therapy
Chemotherapy
Hormone blocking therapy
Targeted therapy drugs
Surgical procedures for breast cancer depend on the location and stage of the breast cancer, as well as a particular patient's risk factors. The oncologist/oncosurgeon will recommend the best approach, including:
Mastectomy (removal of the entire breast)
Axillary lymph node dissection (removal of several lymph nodes)
Lumpectomy (local removal of breast cancer)
To know more about breast cancer and its treatment, you can request a call back and our oncologist will call you and answer all your questions.