Breast
cancer is the most common invasive cancer that occurs in the cells of the
breasts.
Breast
cancer can occur in both men and women, but it is far more common in women.
After skin
cancer and lung cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer found in women
and causes death in the United States.
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Breast Cancer - Stages, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and methods of Treatment |
Breast Cancer - Stages, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and
Methods of Treatment
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer caused by the abnormal growth of breast cells. This type of cancer
is most common in women of all ages.
Breast
cancer usually begins in the inner lining of the milk ducts, where the breast
is usually divided into four quarters. Cancer is often a severe tumor when
pressed, sometimes linked to the nipple entering the breast.
When cancer
attacks the rest of the breast, the skin of the breast changes and the size of
the skin gets closer to the size of the orange peel.
The reason
for this is to attack the lymph channels, leading to closure and the occurrence
of edema in the breast.
Breast cancer symptoms
Symptoms of
cancer can vary from patient to patient, but they are certainly similar in most
of these symptoms:
- The growth and enlargement of the mammary tissue, which ends up appearing as a solid block under the skin, is a clear symptom of breast cancer.
- Symptoms of breast cancer are also apparent in the presence of certain tumors under one or both axes, which is the result of inflammation of the lymphatic tissues that are present there.
- Abnormal and noticeable changes in the woman's breasts such as the appearance of tumors and bulges.
- A significant change in breast size is unjustified, as it swells dramatically, looks great and heavy, and it is observed at the high rate temperature for the rest of the body parts.
- An important shrinkage or reduction of the nipple from inside, without coming out of the blood, depending on the degree of infection, it can be in one or both breasts.
- A change affecting the texture of breast skin, as it becomes rough, full of the protrusion, and the closest to the orange peel, with the spread of skin rash.
- Changes in the skin color of the breast in terms of its density and tendency to redness.
- Excessive secretions of exotic discharge from the nipple, besides milk, are mostly yellow.
- Massive lump in the breast with no pain.
Breast cancer stages
Breast
cancer stages are divided according to the size of the tumor and the
adhesion of external breast, chest muscles and lymph nodes below the armpit.
Therefore, breast cancer is divided into five stages:
Stage 0: There are two types of tumors in
this phase:
A local
cancerous tumor that spreads in the ducts, which is a pre-cancerous condition,
and it can become enlarged cancer that spreads inside the breast or other areas
adjacent to the breast.
A local
cancerous tumor that spreads in the lobes or so-called lumbar bulges
protrusions. It is also a non-cancerous condition, but it is a sign of
increased sensitivity to the cancerous tumor patient compared to others.
Stage I: The first sign of the cancerous
tumor, which also means that it is still in the breast and has not spread to
other organs of the body.
Stage II: It is also an early stage in which
cancer may infect tissues adjacent to the breast, and may spread in the lymph
nodes under the armpit. This stage will be in two degrees:
The size of
the tumor in the first stage does not exceed 2 cm with the presence of cancer
cells in the lymph nodes.
It swells in
the second stage to 5 cm or more but does not include lymph nodes.
Stage
III: This
stage is called the name of advanced local cancer, where there is prevalence
rate in the lymph nodes below the adjacent to reach the tissues near the
breast, and this phase is at 3 degrees:
The tumor in
the first stage exceeds 5 cm. The cancer cells are spread in the lymph nodes
under the armpit and attach to each other or to adjacent vessels.
The tumor
extends to adjacent tissues and chest muscles, and the lymph nodes are affected
and attached to each other.
Lymph nodes
are affected under the collarbone, above, and inside the chest as well.
Stage IV: In which cancer has spread to
areas outside the breast parts such as lung, liver, and others. It is important
to split the steps of the deployment on the planning of the treatment and the
idea of patient status and what is waiting for it. The cancer success rate is
measured after five years of starting treatment.
Breast
cancer causes and risk factors
There
are many factors that may lead to breast cancer, and it may be
confusing to some because of similarities with other diseases, so it is best to
discuss the factors of breast cancer according to the specialist doctor. The
most important of these factors are:
Gender: It affects women more than men.
Age: The risk of cancer increases as
a person ages, and is considered to be the most likely to be infected after the
age of 50.
History
and heredity: Breast
cancer is more likely to occur if the patient has suffered from it and has been
eradicated. It is also increased if there are cases of this disease in the
first-degree family, namely the mother or sister.
Early
menstruation: Menstrual
hormones start to spread in the body, especially hormone estrogen, which
negatively affects the proportion of breast tissue, and thus girls starting
menstruation before twelve years. So the risk of breast cancer increases as
well as those who continue their fiftieth session.
Late
reproduction: A
woman has more delay in delivery, the higher the estrogen hormone, which
increases the activity of the cells, especially the breast cells, and increases
the incidence of cancer. Birth also protects against cancer. Low birth
increases the risk of breast cancer.
Hormone
Replacement Therapy: The
use of hormonal drugs for more than 10 years adversely affects the cells and
system of the body, especially in women who take estrogen, and pills.
Radiotherapy: Exposure to radiation,
especially on the chest area, adversely affects the cells and helps them out of
their pattern, and thus forms cancer cells.
Bad
habits: obesity,
overweight, smoking, and alcohol.
There are
other factors that increase the risk of breast cancer, but they are classified
as less important than the above: Dark women are more susceptible to breast
cancer than white skin. Those living in the city suffer more from their
counterparts living in rural areas.
Breast cancer diagnosis
Breast
cancer is sometimes discovered after reaching the advanced stages, and it is
too late for the treatment. Therefore, women over 20 years of age are advised
to rely on primary breast tests. The examination is more important for
people over 35 years of age.
The doctors
will perform the necessary tests for patients with breast cancer or those who
have the suspicion of infection, and the diagnosis is by assessing the results
of the following tests:
- Clinical tests of the breast.
- Radiography monitors any changes in the shape of the breast, or detects subcutaneous lumps, and detects the presence of milky secretions that are yellowish.
- Evaluation of tissue and case study.
- Biopsies of central lymph nodes for laboratory study.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
- Ultrasonic examination.
- CT scan for the spread of cancer in other organs in the body.
- A bone scan to detect the spread of cancer to bones.
- PET scan, which is useful for precise phase determination in advanced cases.
What is the Most Common Treatment for Breast Cancer?
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The most common treatment for breast cancer |
Breast Cancer Treatment
The
treatment of breast cancer varies according to several factors, including the
stage of development of cancer, the identification of appropriate treatment
that varies depending on the age of the woman, type, size of the tumor, breast
size, cancer reaching the lymph nodes, and many other things.
Although the
possibilities of cancer treatment are available, it is prudent to choose the
appropriate treatment, which consists of Surgical treatment for the complete
eradication of breast cancer, lymph nodes, chemotherapy,
radiotherapy, hormonal therapy, and biotherapy.
Surgical treatment
This is the
best solution in most cases, especially the early ones. Early cancer stages are
known through screening tests, and then surgical treatment is performed to
eradicate the cancerous tumor and surrounding tissue. Surgery is divided into:
Removing
the cancerous mass: The
skin of the breast and cancerous mass are removed
through this and sometimes the surrounding tissues are also removed. This
treatment alone is not enough. Radiation therapy is often supportive after
surgery.
Complete
breast mastectomy: It
targets the breast without lymph nodes or the rib cage muscles behind the
breast. This procedure is performed if there is a lump that can not be removed
or treated with radiation.
Radiated
mastectomy: aimed
at mastectomy and lymph nodes under the armpit, and it is performed when there
is an enlarged lymph node during the physical test.
Lymph node dissection: It aims to determine the extent of its spread in the
lymph nodes, although it is important surgery, the eradication of the
lymph nodes leads to some side effects, such as nerve disorder leads to loss of
sensation in the hand or chest or feeling numbness and chronic pain.
Lymphatic
edema: Hand
swelling, redness, and fluid build-up. Frequent infections, as well as chronic
pain, are the only treatment for physical therapy. Doctors, therefore, prefer
to refrain from removing all lymph nodes.
Breast Reconstruction
The
reconstruction method is used to maintain the external appearance of the
breast. This procedure can be performed immediately after the mastectomy is
completed, or after a period of time according to the patient's wishes. These
repairs are either by artificial silicon or by moving other muscles from the
body.
Hormonal therapy
Treatment
with drugs is designed to limit estrogen receptors because breast cancer cells
are contained and multiplied under the influence of this hormone, the treatment
is limited to receptors to stop the proliferation of cancer tumors and
decline. Hormonal therapy causes many side effects:
- Extraordinary vaginal secretions.
- Lack of platelets.
- Irregular menstruation.
- The possibility of cancer of the uterus when taking the patient treatment for a long time.
Biological therapy
Treatment
with drugs to limit the future of HER 2 causes the proliferation of
cancer cells. This treatment is used prior to surgery or in the treatment of
advanced conditions. Biological therapy is used only when these receptors are
present in cancer cells only.
Chemotherapy
Treatment
with drugs slows down or completely stops cell proliferation. This treatment
affects fast-growing cells, but its side effects are especially high on
fast-growing tissues such as blood cells and others.
These drugs
are taken intravenously and not orally once a week for several weeks, and each
treatment session extends to several weeks of taking medications.
Radiotherapy
Radiation
therapy damages cancer cells, causing them to die. Radiation therapy is
often performed when the patient is lying down and the radiation is directed at
the affected organ. Radiotherapy is done 5-6 days a week for 5-6 weeks mostly.
How to prevent breast cancer?
Although
there is no definite way to prevent breast cancer, there is a range of tips
that can help reduce this type of cancer.
Breastfeeding: Women breastfed are less likely
to develop breast cancer than others.
Activity: Exercise for at least 20
minutes a day.
Maintain a
healthy weight within normal limits.
Stay away
from bad habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol.
Check with
your doctor periodically.
Reducing the
use of hormone therapy in menopause: it increases the likelihood of the spread
of cancer if the use of more than five consecutive years.
Statistics
Breast
cancer is the most prevalent in the world in women; the cases are most
likely estimated in developed countries. In the United States, 50% of breast
cancer cases occurred in women over the age of 65.
Summary
Breast
cancer is one of the most common diseases in the world, and there are many
factors that may lead to an increase in the likelihood of infection, most
notably: family history, exposure to large amounts of estrogen, etc.
It is
divided into many types; it is divided into cancerous and obese cancers.
The most important symptom is the presence of
a tumor in the breast with a change in the color of the skin, and bumps in the
skin, as well as increased secretions of the nipple, especially blood
secretions.
The main
focus on the diagnosis of symptoms is the clinical examination and breast
imaging.
The third
method used in diagnosis is the sampling of the histological examination. The
treatment includes several types of surgical treatment, radiotherapy,
chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.