Breast cancer is a type of cancer that primarily affects breast tissue. Though it is possible for both sexes to get it, this medical condition is many times more common in females.n fact, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women, after skin cancer. Each year, millions of people are diagnosed with breast cancer around the world.
What Is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer usually starts off in the milk ducts or the lobules, which are the milk-producing glands of the breast. Dr. Shilpy Dolas says that it can also develop in other parts of the breast, such as in the fatty tissue or the connective tissue.
Types of Breast Cancer
There are several types of breast cancer, which are distinguished by the way the cells look under a microscope and by their behavior.
Ductal Carcinoma: The most run-of-the-mill cancer begins in the milk ducts and spreads to the lobules.
Lobular Carcinoma: This type of breast cancer begins in the milk-producing glands (lobules).
Breast Cancer Subtypes
There are several subtypes of breast cancer, which are distinguished by the way the cells look under a microscope and by their behavior.
Invasive Breast Cancer: This type of breast cancer has spread from the milk ducts or lobules to surrounding tissues.
Non-invasive Breast Cancer: This type of breast cancer has not spread from the milk ducts or lobules to surrounding tissues.
Unusual Breast Cancer: This type of breast cancer is rare and includes several subtypes, such as inflammatory breast cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, and HER2-positive breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Stages
Breast cancer stages range from 0 to IV, with 0 being noninvasive cancer and IV being the most advanced stage.
Breast cancer treatments vary depending on the stage of cancer.
Breast Cancer Symptoms
Some symptoms of breast cancer that may occur include:
- A lump that persists in the breast or underarm
- Breast pain
- Any changes in the appearance of one or both nipples, including nipple discharge.
- Breast cancer can also cause other symptoms, such as fatigue, weight loss, and bone pain.
Breast Cancer Causes
The exact cause of breast cancer is unknown, but there are several risk factors that may increase your chance of developing the disease. These include:
Age: The median age for a breast cancer diagnosis is 50.
Family history: If you have a family member with breast cancer, you are more likely to develop the disease. Also called as hereditary breast cancer.
Breast density: Women with dense breast tissue have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Breast implants: Women with breast implants have a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer.
How Breast Cancer Spreads
Breast cancer can spread through the lymphatic system to other parts of the body. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures that help fight infection. Breast cancer cells can travel from the breast to the lymph nodes, where they can grow and form new tumors. Breast cancer can also spread through the blood to other parts of the body, such as the liver, lungs, and brain.
Breast Cancer Treatment
Types of breast cancer treatment include:
Surgery: Breast cancer surgery involves removing the tumor and surrounding tissue. Breast cancer surgery may be performed as a lumpectomy, mastectomy, or Breast Oncoplasty.
Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy, also known as radiotherapy, uses high-powered beams of radiation to kill cancer cells. It is commonly used after surgery to make sure that no cancer cells remain in the body.
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy employs drugs that selectively target and eliminated cancerous cells while doing minimal harm to healthy cells. This treatment is often used for cancers that have metastasized or are complex surgical candidates.
Breast Cancer Prevention
While there is no guarantee that you won’t develop breast cancer, there are things you can do to lessen your chances. They are:
Limit alcohol intake: Drinking alcohol increases your risk of developing breast cancer.
Don’t smoke: Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of developing breast cancer.
Maintain a healthy weight: If you are overweight, you have a greater risk of developing breast cancer.
Breastfeed: Breastfeeding may lower your risk of developing breast cancer.
Get regular exercise: Getting regular exercise lowers your risk of developing breast cancer.
Limit your exposure to estrogen: Estrogen can increase your risk of developing breast cancer. You can limit your exposure to estrogen by avoiding hormone replacement therapy and birth control pills.
Conclusion
It is important to be aware of the symptoms and risk factors for breast cancer, as well as the different types of treatment available. You can also lower your risk of developing breast cancer by making healthy lifestyle choices.
Dr. Shilpy Dolas is a Pune-based lady breast cancer specialist surgeon with an excellent track record. Not only is she an expert in breast cancer surgeries, but also in breast reconstruction and Breast Oncoplastic surgeries–she’s a complete lady breast cancer surgeon.
FAQs
How many people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year?
Each year, millions of people are diagnosed with breast cancer around the world.
What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
There are many risk factors for breast cancer, including age, gender, family history, personal history of cancer, certain genetic mutations, obesity, alcohol intake, and hormone replacement therapy.
What are the side effects of treatment for breast cancer?
There are a number of side effects that can come with treatment for breast cancer, including but not limited to fatigue, pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, mouth sores hair loss, and skin changes.
What is the prognosis for breast cancer?
The prognosis for breast cancer depends on the type and stage of the cancer. This is true for most cancers – the earlier they are caught, the better the chances are for a positive outcome.
What are the survival rates for breast cancer?
The five-year survival rate for breast cancer is currently 95%. The ten-year survival rate is 90%. The fifteen-year survival rate is 80%.
What are the chances of developing breast cancer?
The lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is about 1 in 8 for women. The risk is higher for women who have a family history of breast cancer.