The three main parts of the breast are lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. Lobules make the milk, and the ducts are tubes which help get the milk out to the nipple. This type of cancer develops in the cells of your breast as the fatty and fibrous connective tissue envelops everything together. It is usually lobular carcinoma in the glands or ductal carcinoma in the duct. It may grow in your breast and spread to the nearby lymph nodes or other organs through your bloodstream.
It is one of the most common cancers among women. It begins in the breast tissue and primarily occurs in females, though males are occasionally affected as well. In simpler terms, cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the breast multiply and grow uncontrollably to form a tumor. It appears typically as a lump or mass in the breast but can also cause other symptoms like nipple discharge, breast pain, or change in the skin or the appearance of the nipples. Invasive or benign, this disease may spread to other areas of the body.
There are three main parts of the breast: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. Lobules are glands that make milk; the ducts are tubes that help bring the milk to the nipple; and fatty and fibrous connective tissue surrounds everything, holding everything together. Breast cancer refers to the kind of cancer that occurs in your cells in your breasts. Generally, it starts in the glands which are also called lobular carcinoma, and it may start in the duct which is also termed ductal carcinoma. It may extend to your breast and other lymph nodes or organs within the bloodstream.
It is one of the most common cancers in women. It arises in the breast tissue and occurs mainly in women, though sometimes it occurs in men also. In simple words, cancer is formed when abnormal cells in the breast multiply and grow uncontrollably to form a mass called a tumor. Although it usually occurs as a lump or mass in the breast, other symptoms like nipple discharge, pain in the breast, changes in skin or nipples can occur due to this type of cancer. It may be either benign or invasive, meaning that the malignancy may extend to various parts of the body.
Breast cancer causes
1. Family history
You may be at a higher risk of getting breast cancer if one of your family members, near relatives, or relatives have already suffered from the disease.
2. Aging
The older people get, the more they are exposed to breast cancer. The risk is higher for women over 50 years.
3. Genetics
Some specific genetic mutations increase the risk of breast cancer – for example, those in BRCA1 and BRCA2. The risk of breast cancer is further increased by mutations in various other genes, including TP53 and CHEK2.
4. The Last Stages of Pregnancy
Postponing pregnancy or having a child after age 30 increases the risk, and even not having any children also increases the risk. Failure to breastfeed also is marginally related to the risk.
5. Exposure to radiation
High doses of radiation, such as that received during radiation treatment for other cancers, especially in young patients, can raise the risk.
6. Being overweight
Obesity and overweight increase your risk of breast cancer, especially after menopause.
7. Drinking alcohol
Excessive or frequent use of alcohol can increase your risk of breast cancer.
8. A personal history of breast cancer
A female might be more likely to contract breast cancer if she already has i
9. Environment factors
Some environmental factors may increase the risk of breast cancer. For instance, exposure to certain chemicals and pollutants. More research is required for this purpose.
Key Information Related to Breast Cancer Main Symptoms
- Breast Size Difference
- Changes in breast
- Breast and skin changes together with pain
- Unusual weight loss without any noticeable cause
- Chronic itching sensation
- Axillary lymph node changes
- Treatment
- mastectomy
- A lumpectomy
- Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
- Axillary lymph node dissection
- Radiation Therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Hormone Therapy
- Targeted Therapy
- Immunotherapy
Breast cancer symptoms
Some people may never have any symptoms at all, but breast cancer may come with a variety of symptoms. To minimize this risk, it is vital to identify the warning signs and be careful.
1. A lump
A painless lump or thickening in the breast or underarm is the most common symptom of breast cancer. While not all lumps are cancerous, any new or unusual lumps should be checked.
2. Changes in breast size
Look into the changes you notice in the size, shape, or look of one breast, including puckering of the skin.
3. Changes in the breast
Any sudden change to the nipple, such as discharge or inversion, or scaling and flaking of the nipple or areola.
4. Breast discomfort
Breast cancer doesn’t hurt, but you may feel pain and tenderness in your breasts.
5. Changes in the skin
Inflammatory breast cancer might be suggested by redness or edema of the breast.
6. Unexplainable weight loss
Other symptom of breast cancer is unintended weight loss without an obvious cause.
7. Continued itching
One needs to investigate a persistent itching sensation on the breast or areola.
8. Axillary lymph node changes
Breast cancer can also be indicated by enlarged axillary lymph nodes.
It is important to note that these symptoms may be due to diseases other than breast cancer. However, any persistent or unusual changes in the breasts or nipples should prompt a visit to a medical practitioner for a clinical examination.
Detection of breast cancer
After undergoing a breast examination, your physician may order a series of tests, including radiographic studies, clinical assessment, and a biopsy if he feels you have signs and symptoms.
1. Mammography
An X-ray image of the breast tissue is referred to as a mammogram. They are the most commonly utilized screening test for breast cancer. In case an abnormality is detected, your doctor may refer you for additional testing.
2. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI
Due to the fact that MRI gives detailed images of the breast, it may be recommended for women who are highly at risk of developing breast cancer.
3. Ultrasonography
Ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of the breast. It is commonly used to evaluate abnormalities detected by a mammography.
4. A biopsy
A biopsy is performed to determine if cancer exists and its exact characteristics if imaging studies reveal suspicious findings.
- Fine-needle aspiration (FNA): A very small amount of tissue or fluid is obtained from the breast mass using a thin, hollow needle for analysis.
- Core needle biopsy: A core of tissue is obtained with a larger, hollow needle.
- Surgical biopsy: All of the mass is removed (excisional) or only a portion of it (incisional).
Treatment for breast cancer
The kind, stage, and general health and preferences of a woman determine the course of the treatment of breast cancer.
1. Mastectomy
In this treatment, the entire breast is removed when the tumor is enormous or in certain situations when the cancer is still in its early stages.
2. Resection of the Lump
This technique preserves most of the breast and is often called breast-conserving surgery. It includes the removal of the tumor, along with some of its surrounding tissue.
3. Biopsies of Sentinel Lymph Nodes
It helps determine if some or all of the lymph nodes have been invaded by malignancy. Your doctor might advise you to remove it to prevent further spreading.
4. Dissection of axillary lymph nodes
In some instances, lots of lymph nodes in the armpit may have to be taken out.
5. Radiation treatment
Radiation treatment uses a high-energy beam to directly kill cancer cells. It often is used to decrease the chances of cancer coming back after a lump removal.
6. Chemotherapy
This refers to the use of medications that eradicate and stop the multiplication of cancer cells. According to the stage of cancer, a patient might be recommended to have it either before or after the treatment.
7. Hormone therapy
It is administered for hormone-positive breast cancer and is known as hormone-blocked therapy as well. It encompasses medications that inhibit hormones which cause some forms of breast cancer to grow, including but not limited to progesterone and estrogen.
8. Targeted therapy
Targeted therapies, such as trastuzumab, known as Herceptin are given to patients who have HER2-positive breast cancers. These are targeted at the specific cells in cancer, overproducing the HER2 protein.
9. Immunotherapy
The drugs used in immunotherapy help the immune system to recognize cancer cells that need to be destroyed. Research is still going on, and it is applied in limited cases but not for the treatment of all breast cancers.
