BREAST CANCER AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Breast cancer is a disease that develops when breast cells become out of control. There are different types of breast cancers. It depends on which cells turn into cancer. It can spread outside the breast through the blood and lymphatic vessels.
1) Types of breast cancer
The most common types of breast cancer are :
- Invasive ductal carcinoma. Cancer cells grow outside the ducts in other parts of the breast tissue. Invasive cancer cells can also spread or metastasize to other parts of the body.
- Invasive lobular carcinoma. Cancer cells spread lobules to nearby breast tissue. These invasive cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body.
- In situ ductal carcinoma (DCIS) is a breast disease that can lead to breast cancer. The cancerous cells are found only in the lining of the ducts and have not spread to other tissues of the breast.
There are still several other types of breast cancer that are less common, such as Paget’s disease, medullary, mucinous and inflammatory breast cancer.
2) The symptoms of breast cancer
People have different symptoms of breast cancer. Some people have no signs or symptoms at all. A person may discover that they have breast cancer after a routine mammogram.
Some signs that you may find breast cancer are –
- New lump in the chest or underarms (armpit).
- Thickening or swelling of part of the chest.
- Irritation of the breast skin.
- Flushing or scaly skin in the nipple area or chest.
- pain in the nipple area or pain in any area of the chest.
- Discharge nipple other than breast milk, including blood.
- Any change in the size or shape of the breast.
Keep in mind that these symptoms can occur with other conditions that are not cancer.
3) What does bump in the breast mean?
- Many conditions can cause bumps in the chest, including cancer.
- But most breast pieces are caused by other medical conditions. The two most common causes of breast size are the fibrocystic state of the breasts and cysts.
- The fibrocystic state causes non-cancerous changes in the chest that can make them lumpy, tender and painful.
- Cysts are small bags filled with fluid that can develop in the chest.
4) Diagnosed breast cancer
Doctors often use additional tests to find or diagnose breast cancer.
- Breast ultrasound. A machine that uses sound waves to make detailed images, called sonograms, areas inside the chest.
- Diagnostic mammography. Doctors can have you do a diagnostic mammogram. This is a more detailed x-ray of the chest. If you have a problem in the breast, such as bumps, or if a breast area seems abnormal during a screening mammogram,
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A kind of body scan that uses a magnet connected to a computer. The MRI scan will make detailed images of the areas inside the chest.
- Biopsy. This is a test that extracts tissues or fluids from the breast for examination under a microscope and more tests
They can refer women to a breast specialist or surgeon. It does not mean that she has cancer or that she needs surgery.
5) Treatment of breast cancer
Breast cancer is treated in many ways. It depends on the type of breast cancer and its spread. People with breast cancer often receive more than one type of treatment.
- Surgery. An operation where doctors cut cancerous tissue.
- Chemotherapy. Use special drugs to reduce or kill cancer cells. Medications can be pills you take or medications given in your veins, or sometimes both.
- Hormonal therapy. Prevents cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow.
- Biological therapy. Works with your body’s immune system to help fight cancer cells or control the side effects of other cancer treatments.
- Radiation therapy. Use of high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill cancer cells.
Doctors of different specialties often work together to treat breast cancer. Surgeons are doctors who perform operations.
Medical oncologists are doctors who treat cancer with drugs.
