Cancer starts when healthy cells in the breast mutate and spread uncontrollably, creating a tumour mass or layer of cells. A tumour may be a cancerous or benign tumour.
A cancerous tumour can develop and spread to other areas of the body. A benign tumour can grow but does not spread.
Breast cancer grows whenever it invades nearby organs or other areas of the body or even when breast cancer cells travel to many different body areas via blood or lymph channels. It is referred to as metastasis.
What exactly is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a leading cause type of cancer in women and the second biggest cause of death from cancer. Breast cancer affects men on an infrequent basis as well. To know about breast cancer, it is essential to first understand the anatomy of the breast.
The mass of the breast is mainly composed of fatty tissue, surrounded by tendons, connective tissue, lymph veins, glands, and blood arteries.
A female breast has 12-20 lobes, each of which comprises tiny lobules that produce milk—the lobe and lobules linked by ducts that transport milk to the nipple.
When it comes to breast cancer, there are additional risk factors to consider. Some risk factors, such as nutrition and exercise, are changeable, while others, such as age and gender, are not. The majority of breast cancers are seen in women aged 55 and above.
Breast cancer screening tests help in the detection of breast cancer at an early stage. When an illness is discovered early, the odds of effectively treating it increase.
Practice awareness in addition to regular examinations. This implies you should get to know your breasts. You'll detect changes, such as a new lump or tumour, this way. Then, without delay, disclose it immediately with the doctor.
Things to know about breast cancer
Recognize the warning signals
Breast cancer warning signals differ from one woman to another. Breast cancer is most often asymptomatic, and it frequently shows on mammography until you can feel a lump. However, there are some warning signs of this disease.
Also, check for skin changes, such as redness, skin damage, and discomfort around the nipple.
Nipple discharge is another danger sign." Interestingly, most breast cancers are not sensitive, and most uncomfortable breast tumors do not hurt.
Early discovery does not result in a cure
Although early detection of breast cancer is linked with successful therapy, it does not ensure a cure. 20-30% of those diagnosed with early breast cancer will eventually be diagnosed with metastatic cancer when breast cancer spreads to distant sites in the body.
While treatments are improving, there is no therapy for metastatic breast cancer at the present.It isn't always a lump
Breast cancer most frequently presents as simply a tumor in the breast. However, many people are unaware that there may be additional warning signs. Other possible breast cancer symptoms include itching, redness, and swelling.
Breast cancer is not a single disease
Many individuals are unaware that there is more than one "type" of breast cancer. There are many kinds and subtypes of breast cancer, including HER2-positive, estrogen-positive, triple-negative, invasive, non-invasive, and inflammatory.
Different kinds of breast cancer are treated so differently, depending on what is believed to work much better for that particular form of cancer. Due to a more aggressiveness of cancer in young adults, a young individual identified with the same breast cancer as something of an older adult might have a different result and need additional therapy.
The majority of women who get breast cancer did not inherit the tumour.
Only around 5% to 10% of women with breast cancer acquired the disease due to genetics. However, women with a family history of breast cancer have a significantly greater risk of developing cancer than the general population.
A woman who seems to have a parent, sister, or child with breast cancer is approximately significantly more likely to have it, and those who have more than one close family member who has had it are three times as likely to get it.
A defect in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which cancer may also inherit from the father's side, is by far the most common genetic reason for breast cancer. However, many other variables enhance the probability of the mutations.
Breast cancer can spread to unexpected places.
Breast cancer can spread diseases of the lymphatic system that transports cells and liquid throughout the body–in the underarm and collarbone regions. When cancer expands to the nearby lymph nodes, this becomes hard to treat.
A surgical biopsy is the only way to identify the overall phase of breast cancer
The most frequent methods for diagnosing breast cancer are core needle biopsy and surgical biopsy. Both can identify the presence of cancer, the kind of cancer, and the grade or pace of growth.
A surgical biopsy is the only way to identify the overall phase of breast cancer. When a liquid cyst is suspected, doctors usually perform a small needle biopsy.
Most breast cancers are treated primarily via surgery.
The tumor as well as some normal cells and tissue surrounding it are removed during a lumpectomy.
Mastectomy is the elimination of the entire breast. the stage of cancer will determine the extent of the operation.
Following a lumpectomy, radiation treatment is generally advised. Chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy are some of the various therapies available.
Targeted treatment identifies and destroys cells by using markers on their surface. Hormone-receptor or HER-2 positive cancers may benefit from targeted therapies.
Dense breasts need special screening
Most women possess dense breasts, which implies their breasts have a high percentage of glandular tissue including milk-producing cells and fibrous tissue as opposed to fat. Some think thick breasts may raise cancer risk, but age and weight are more significant risk factors.
Dense breasts can make it tougher for radiologists to identify cancer. As a consequence, women with thick breasts may require an ultrasound or MRI scan for a follow-up examination.