Breast Cancer: Overview
The most common cancer in women is breast cancer and the second leading cause of death in women, after lung cancer. Breast cancer is defined as abnormal cell growth lining the breast lobules or ducts. These cells proliferate uncontrollably and have the potential to spread to other parts of the body. Breast cancer can affect both men and women, though men are less likely to develop it.
Symptoms
Breast cancer can have several symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or area of thickened breast tissue.
Symptoms of breast cancer are
- Change in size or shape of the breast
- Any lump or thickening in the breast
- Redness or rash on/around the nipple
- Discharge from the nipple
- Constant pain in the breast or armpit
- Inverted nipple or change in its position or shape
- Change in skin texture
Stages of breast cancer
Staging describes the amount of cancer in your body. Several factors influence it, including the size and location of the tumor, as well as the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. The basic stages of breast cancer are as follows:
- Stage 0: Abnormal cells are present, but they have not spread to nearby tissue.
- Stage I: The cancer cells has spread to the nearby tissue in small area.
- Stage II: The tumor is between 20-50mm, and some lymph nodes are involved or a tumor larger than 50mm with no lymph nodes involved.
- Stage III: The tumor is larger than 50mm with more lymph nodes involved across a wider region. In some cases, no tumor is present at all. Cancer could have spread to the skin or the chest wall.
- Stage IV: Cancer has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body.
Causes
The exact causes of breast cancer are unknown, but the major risk factors are known. Nonetheless, most women considered to be at high risk for breast cancer do not develop it, and many do with no known risk factors. Risk factors for breast cancer include the following:
- Older age
- Smoking
- A history of breast cancer or benign(non cancer) breast disease
- Inheritance of mutations in the genes BRCA2, BRCA1 and increasing risk of breast cancer
- Dense breast tissue
- Women with no full-term pregnancies or their first pregnancy after age 30 are at a higher risk of breast cancer.
- A woman who has had breast cancer once has a higher risk of developing cancer again.
- Reproductive history, resulting in increased estrogen exposure.
- Taking hormone therapy for symptoms of menopause.
- Radiation therapy to the breast or chest.
Among the lifestyle factors that can slightly increase the risk of breast cancer in both men and women are:
- being obese or overweight
- not enough physical activity
- drinking alcohol.
Diagnosis and Treatment
- Detailed medical history is taken, and a clinical examination of the breast is performed.
- Imaging tests, such as a diagnostic mammogram or ultrasound.
- Biopsy is done which involves taking a tissue sample from the breast and testing them for signs of cancer.
- Staging and further tests If breast cancer is diagnosed, then you will be referred to additional tests, such as a blood test, CT scan, bone scans, or a PET scan, to determine the stage of your cancer.
Additional tests for hormone receptors (to see if the cancer cells have estrogen or progesterone receptors), HER-2 (a protein which promotes the growth of cancer cells), or other genetic markers may be performed. These tests aid in determining the best treatment for your specific type of breast cancer. - Treatment of breast cancer Depending on the features of breast cancer, there are several treatment options.
- Surgery This treatment involves removing localized cancer from the breast. A lumpectomy (also known as "breast conserving surgery") involves removing the cancer as well as some healthy tissue while leaving the breast intact. A mastectomy is the surgical procedure for the removal of the entire cancerous breast. Lymph nodes under the arm may be removed during breast surgery.
- Breast prostheses and reconstruction You may be suggested about how to restore your breast shape before or after surgery. It may be a breast prosthesis or reconstruction. A breast prosthesis is a synthetic breast or part of a breast that is worn in a bra or under clothing to replace a portion or all of your natural breast. Breast reconstruction is a surgical procedure that creates a new breast.
- Radiation therapy Radiotherapy is frequently used to destroy any remaining breast cancer cells after a lumpectomy or lymph node removal. If there is a risk of cancer recurrence in the chest area, it is sometimes used after a mastectomy.
- Chemotherapy Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer medications to kill the body's remaining cancer cells. It can be used before, after, or in conjunction with surgery or radiation therapy.
- Hormone therapy Hormone therapy involves drugs that reduce estrogen and progesterone levels in the body, to stop or slow hormone receptor positive cancer cells.
- Palliative care In some cases, the medical team will discuss palliative care with the patient. Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life by reducing cancer symptoms.
Tests to find breast cancer
Your doctor will typically use an approach known as the 'triple test' to determine the cause of a breast change which includes:
Most women don’t show any abnormal results in these tests.
Prevention
Tips for breast cancer prevention:
- It is critical to conduct a self-examination of your breasts. Women should be aware of how their breasts typically appear and feel. Consult the doctor if you notice any changes.
- It is recommended that women over the age of 40 have a mammogram test. Mammography is a simple radiographic technique for detecting irregularities in breast tissue.
- Green vegetables and fruits in the diet can help you maintain a healthy weight.
- For new mothers, it is advisable to breastfeed their child at least for one year.
- Don’t smoke or drink alcohol in excess.
Dos and Don’ts
Breast cancer develops when some breast cells grow abnormally. Self-breast examination can assist you in detecting any changes in your breast. Self-examination is best done 4-5 days after the menstrual cycle. Signs and symptoms include a lump, nipple discharge, a change in skin structure, and an inverted nipple.
| Do’s | Don’ts |
| Maintain a healthy weight | Eat foods containing sugar |
| Eat organic meat, eggs and dairy products. | Take counterfeit hormones |
| Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day | Eat processed and junk foods |
| Exercise regularly | Use cosmetic and personal care products containing parabens |
| If possible, plan pregnancy before 35 years of age. | Intake of alcoholic beverages and cigarette smoking. |
| Breastfeed your baby instead of bottle feeding. | Eat foods containing saturated fats and increase cholesterol levels. |
Breast cancer survival rates have increased due to early detection, advances in diagnosis, and treatment methods.
Care at Medicover Hospitals
Cancer incidence in India has skyrocketed due to a variety of factors. Now there are significant advances in diagnostic techniques, such as molecular diagnosis and cancer genetic tests. Cancer treatment has also advanced significantly, and patients can now be treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. We at Medicover Hospitals believe that comprehensive cancer care should be available so our oncologists are trained to treat the disease and provide successful outcomes.
