BREAST CANCER
Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in females. It is also a leading cause of cancer deaths among females. Advances in screening and treatment for breast cancer have improved survival rates dramatically. Overall, the state of breast cancer declined by about 40% between 1989 and 2017.
Awareness of the symptoms and the need for screening is key in reducing the risk of mortality. In rare instances, breast cancer can also affect males, but this article will focus cancer in females.
SYMPTOMS
The first symptoms of breast cancer is usually am area of thickened tissue in the breast or a lump in the breast or an armpit.
Other symptoms include:
- Armpit or breast pain does not change with the monthly cycle.
- Pitting, like the surface of an orange, or color changes such as redness in the skin of the breast.
- A rash around or on one nipple.
- Discharge from a nipple, which may contain blood.
- A sunken or inverted nipple.
- Peeling, flaking, or scaling of the skin of the breast or nipple.
Most breast lumps are not cancerous. However, anyone who notices a breast lump should have it checked by a health care professional.
Is breast cancer painful?
A lump or a mass in the breast is often one of the first signs of breast cancer. In many cases, these lumps are painless. A person may experience pain in the nipple or breast area are that appears to be tied to their menstrual cycle.
Pain caused by breast cancer is typically gradual. Anyone who experiences breast pain, especially if it is severe or persistent, should consult a health care professionals.
Causes
After puberty, a female’s breasts are made up of fat, connective tissue, and thousands of lobules. These are tiny glands that can produce milk. Tiny tubes, or ducts, carry the milk toward the nipple.
Breast cancer develops as a result of genetic nutrition or damage to DNA. These can be associated with exposure to estrogen, inherited genetic defects, or inherited genes that can cause cancer, such as the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
When a person is healthy, their immune system attacks any abnormal DNA or growths, but when a person has cancer, this does not happen.
As a result, cells within breasts tissue begin to multiply uncontrollably, and they do not die as usual. This excessive cell growth forms a tumor that deprives surrounding cells of nutrients and energy.
Breast cancer usually starts in the inner lining of the milk ducts or the lobules that supply them with milk from there, it can spread to other parts of the body.
Stages
A doctor determines the stage of cancer according to the size of the tumor and whether it has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body. There are different ways to stage breast cancer. One includes stages 0-4 with subcategories at each stages. Below, we describe each of these main stages. Substages can indicate specific characteristics of a tumor, such as its HER2 receptor status.
- Stage 0: This is also called Ductal Carcinoma in situ. The cancerous cells are only within the ducts and have not spread to surrounding tissues.
- Stage 1: At this stage, the tumor measures up to 2 centimeters(cm) across. It has not affected any lymph nodes, or there are small groups of cancer cells in lymph nodes.
- Stage 2: The tumor is 2cm across and has started to spread to nearby nodes, or it is 2-5cm across and has not spread to the lymph nodes.
- Stage 3: The tumor is up to 5cm across and has spread to nearby nodes, or the tumor is larger than 5cm and has spread to a few lymph nodes.
- Stage 4: Cancer has spread to distant organs, most often the bones, liver, brain, or lungs.
Risk Factors
The following make developing breast cancer most likely , and some may be preventable.
Age
The risks of breast cancer increases with age. At 20 years old, the chance of developing breast cancer in the next decade is 0.06% by the age of 70, this figure goes up to 3.84%.
Genetics
A person with certain mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes has a higher chance of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer or both. People inherit these genes. Mutations in the TP53 gene also have links to increased breast cancer risk. If a close relative has or has had breast cancer, a person’s chance of developing breast cancer increases. Current guidelines recommend that people receive genetic testing if they have a family history of breast, ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer.
Radiation exposure
Undergoing radiation treatment for a different cancer may increase the risk of breast cancer later in life.
Body weights
Obesity after menopause may contribute to a greater likelihood of developing breast cancer, possibly due to increased estrogen levels. Higher sugar intake may also be a factor.
Dense breast tissue:
Dense breast tissue is more likely to be associated with a diagnosis of breast cancer.
History of breast cancer or breast lumps
A person has had breast cancer is more likely to develop it again than a person with no history of the disease.
Having some type of noncancerous breast lumps increases the risk of developing the cancer later on. Example includes atypical ductal hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ.
People with a history of breast, ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer should ask their doctors about genetic testing.
Alcohol consumption
Regularly drinking high amounts of alcohol appears to play a role in breast cancer development.
According to the National Cancer Institute(NCI), studies have consistently found that women who consume alcohol have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who do not. And those who drink moderate to heavy levels have a greater risk than women who drink less.
Hormone treatment
Studies have shown that oral contraceptives may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer, the NCI reports. And according to the ACS, studies have found that the hormone replacement therapy, specifically estrogen-progesterone therapy, is related to an increased risk of breast cancer.
Treatment
The most effective approach depends on several factors, including
- The type and stage of the cancer
- The sensitivity to hormones
- The person’s age, overall health, and preferences
The main treatment options include:
- Radiation therapy
- Surgery
- Biological therapy, or targeted drug therapy
- Hormone therapy
- Chemotherapy
Prevention
There is no way to prevent breast cancer. However, a person can take steps to significantly reduce their risk.
These include:
- Limiting alcohol consumptions, for people who drink.
- having a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Getting enough exercise
- Maintaining a moderate body mass index.
A person who is considering using hormone replacement therapy after menopause may wish to discuss this with a healthcare professional.
For people with a high risk breast cancer, preventive surgery is also an option.
The breast cancer health line app provides access to an online breast community. where users can connect with others and gain advice and support through group discussions. it also classifies survival rates based on how far cancer has spread beyond the breast tissue.