BREAST CANCER CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, STAGES, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT

 

 

breast cancer

 

Breast tissue is the starting point of breast cancer. When breast cells mutate, spread out of control and develop into the tissue surrounding your breast, as other cancers do. It may also spread to other regions of your body and develop into new lesions. It is known as spread when this takes place.

The second most prevalent cancer in women is skin cancer, and breast cancer is one of those. Women over 50 are most prone to experience it.

 

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BREAST CANCER:

Everybody’s breast cancer signs and symptoms are unique.

 

breast cancer sign & symptoms



  •  A change in your breast size, shape, or contour could be an indication of breast cancer.
  •  A lump or mass that might feel as tiny as a pea.
  •  A lump or thickening in or near your breast or underarm that is associated with the duration of your menstrual period.
  • A change in the appearance or feel of the skin on your breast or nipple (dimpled, puckered, scaly, or inflamed).
  • Skin that is red on your breast or nipple.
  •  A hardened area under your epidermis that resembles marble.
  • A clear or blood-stained secretion from your nipple.

 

CAUSES:

When abnormal cells in your breast divide and grow, breast cancer forms. However, specialists are unsure of the exact trigger for this process to start in the first place. However, according to research, several risk factors could raise your risk of getting breast cancer. These consist of:

 

AGE: Your chance of breast cancer rises if you are 55 or older.

SEX: Breast cancer is much more common in women than in males.

FAMILY BACKGROUND AND GENETICS: You have a higher chance of getting breast cancer at some time in your life if your parents, siblings, children, or other close relatives have. Genetic testing can reveal that 5% to 10% of breast cancers are caused by a single abnormal gene that is passed down from parents to offspring.

SMOKING: Breast cancer is one of the many cancers that tobacco use has been related to.

ALCOHOL: According to research, drinking alcohol may make you more likely to develop particular kinds of breast cancer.

OBESITY: Obesity can raise your chance of developing breast cancer and having it return.  Numerous additional factors can raise your risk of getting breast cancer. Find out if you’re in danger by speaking with your healthcare provider.

 

breast cancer causes

 

BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSIS:

Your doctor will check your breasts and enquire about your family history, medical history, and any current symptoms in addition to performing the breast evaluation. Additionally, your doctor will advise procedures to look for abnormalities in your breasts. These exams could consist of:

MAMMOGRAM:

By using these specialized X-ray pictures, your breast changes or abnormal growths can be found. Mammograms are frequently used to screen for breast cancer.

ULTRASONOGRAPHY: 

The internal tissues of your breast are photographed during this examination using sound waves. It aids in the diagnosis of breast anomalies or lumps.

POSITIONS EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY SCANNING (PET): 

A PET scan highlights suspicious regions using special dyes. Your doctor performs this test by injecting a special dye into your veins while the scanner captures pictures.

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI): 

This test creates crystal-clear, fine-grained pictures of the internal breast structures using magnets and radio waves.

Your healthcare practitioner might perform a breast tissue biopsy if they notice anything suspicious on the imaging tests. The sample will be sent to a pathology facility for examination.

 

STAGES OF BREAST CANCER:

The staging process explains the extent of the disease in your body. The size, position, and extent of the tumor, as well as whether cancer has spread to other parts of your body, all play a role in this decision. The fundamental stages of breast cancer are:

 

Stage 0: The illness has no invasiveness. This indicates that it hasn’t emerged from your breast glands.

Stage I: The adjacent breast tissue has become infected with cancerous cells.

Stage II: The tumor is almost smaller than 2 centimeters in diameter and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arms, or it is bigger than 5 centimeters in diameter but hasn’t done so. At this point, tumors may or may not affect the nearby lymph nodes and range in size from 2 to 5 centimeters.

Stage III: At this time, cancer has spread past its original site. Although it might have spread to faraway organs, it hasn’t yet infiltrated nearby tissue or lymph nodes. Locally progressed breast cancer is the common term for stage III.

Stage IV: Your bones, liver, lungs, or brain are examples of distant sites where cancer has moved from your breast. Breast cancer in stage IV is also referred to as invasive breast cancer.

 

breast cancer stages



BREAST CANCER TREATMENT:

Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and tailored drug therapy are just a few of the breast cancer treatments available. The location and size of the tumor, the outcomes of your lab tests, and whether cancer has spread to other areas of your body are just a few of the variables that will determine what’s best for you. Your treatment plan will be customized by your healthcare provider to meet your requirements.

 

SURGICAL TREATMENT:

An area of healthy tissue surrounding the tumor as well as the cancerous part of your breast is removed during breast cancer surgery. Depending on your circumstances, there are various kinds of surgery, including:

Lumpectomy:

A lumpectomy, also known as a partial mastectomy, involves the removal of the growth and a thin margin of healthy tissue surrounding it. Most often, a few lymph nodes in the breast or under the arm are also taken for analysis. In the weeks following a lumpectomy, radiation treatment is frequently administered to the patient.

Mastectomy:

 Another choice is to have your complete breast removed. Doctors may occasionally conduct a nipple-sparing mastectomy to protect your areola and nipple. Following a mastectomy, many women opt to have either instant or delayed breast reconstruction.

 

CHEMOTHERAPY:

Before performing a lumpectomy, your doctor may advise chemotherapy for breast cancer in an attempt to reduce the size of the tumor. It is sometimes given following surgery to eliminate any cancer cells that may still be present and lower the chance of recurrence. Your healthcare provider might suggest chemotherapy as your main treatment if cancer has spread from your breast to other parts of your body.

 

RADIOTHERAPY:

After a mastectomy or lumpectomy, radiation treatment for breast cancer is frequently administered to eradicate any remaining cancer cells. Individual metastatic tumors that are hurting or creating other issues can also be treated with it.

 

HORMONAL THERAPY:

 Some types of breast cancer develop by using hormones like progesterone and estrogen. Hormone treatment can either reduce estrogen levels in these situations or prevent
estrogen from attaching to breast cancer cells. After surgery, hormone treatment is most frequently used by medical professionals to lower the possibility of breast cancer recurrence. However, they might also use it to treat cancer that has spread to other areas of your body or to reduce the tumor before surgery.

 

IMMUNOTHERAPY:

Immunotherapy utilizes the power of your immune system to target and attack breast cancer cells. It is administered orally. (Through a vein in your arm or hand). Immunotherapy and chemotherapy may be combined by your doctor to treat breast cancer.