Breast cancer has become one of the commonly found diseases among women. Around one out of eight women in the US has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Treatments have also become more advanced and we have seen many people survive even the severe stages of breast cancer. We could see a lot of cancer treatments available today and that do not involve chemotherapies. Despite having these facilities, it is better to diagnose earlier, and undergoing regular checkups after 40 can prevent the disease. In this article, we are going to see how cancer develops, what causes it, what are breast cancer symptoms and treatments.
What is breast cancer?
Any cancer types mean abnormal growth of cells. So if it is called breast cancer then it occurs in the breast. Lobules and the duct that carries milk from lobules are the most commonly affected parts in the breast. An early diagnosis is the best way to prevent the severity of the disease. Do you know? Around 1% of men risk developing breast cancer and their death rate is also high compared to women. Pursuing regular checkups or mammograms after 40 and self-examining are recommended to protect against breast cancer.
What are the types of breast cancer?
There are different types of breast cancer based on their origin.
- Ductal carcinoma in situ – a non-invasive breast cancer type.
- Invasive ductal carcinoma – a most common type of breast cancer that is found in the duct.
- Invasive lobular carcinoma – a second-most type that originates in the lobules (milk-producing glands)
Stages of breast cancer
After you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, your doctor examines how far it is spread. This process is called staging. It determines what possible treatment method can be used and estimate the survival rate. Stage 0 to stage IV is the range given by doctors based on its severity. The lesser the number, the less region got affected.
In addition to these, there are seven key characteristics to determine the staging.
- Size of the tumor
- Whether it has spread to other organs – metastasis
- Number and part of lymph nodes affected
- Tumor grade
- Status of Estrogen and Progesterone-receptors
- Human epidermal growth factor receptor status (HER2)
Who are at risk?
Any woman can get breast cancer. Some factors lie out of your control which includes:
- Personal or family history of breast cancer
- Being a women
- Dense breasts
- Undergone chest radiation
- Have taken synthetic estrogen drugs
- Having too early first period (age before 12) and later menopause (age after 55)
- Certain gene conditions like BRCA1 and BRCA2
Apart from these conditions, there are several other risk factors but can be avoided if followed a healthy lifestyle.
- Being obese
- Being sedentary
- Not breastfeeding
- Not having children
- Undergoing hormonal therapy after menopause
- Taking hormonal birth control
- Drinking alcohol
Symptoms of breast cancer
The breast cancer symptoms vary from one person to another. Some people are asymptomatic too. That’s why women are always recommended to undergo mammogram screening. It all begins as a small lump. So a self-examining could help in getting early treatment. Apart from these, possible warning signs could include:
- A small lump in the armpit or breast
- Shrinkage, swelling, or thickening of the breast – i.e., a change in size
- Peeling on the skin
- Red, dry, or thickened nipples and breast
- Inverted nipples
- A discharge in the nipple
- Pain in breast or nipple
- Swollen lymph nodes in the collarbone or under the arm
What are the treatments?
Depending on the type of cancer, size, stage, and sensitivity to hormones, age, and other health factors, cancer treatment can be suggested by your doctor. Some people may not even require chemotherapy to treat the cancer cells completely. Other most common treatment methods include:
- Surgery – mastectomy or lumpectomy is recommended based on the severity level of the disease.
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Hormone therapy – especially for hormone-sensitive tumors
- Immunotherapy – medicines that trigger the immune system to attack the cancer cells effectively
How to avoid breast cancer?
Though there are no sure methods to prevent, following a healthy lifestyle will help reduce the risk of developing cancer.
- Exercise regularly
- Reduce intake of alcohol
- Maintain correct weight
- Get mammograms once every two years
- Self-examining
- Breastfeeding – do not ignore this after giving birth
Final thoughts
Breast cancer, although a commonly found disease among women, it is treatable. Several people survived even after it spread to other organs in the body (metastasis). Luckily, chemotherapy is not only the treatment for curing cancer nowadays. There are several new treatments available in the industry that cause little to no side effects at all. So you can stay strong mentally if you or your loved ones are diagnosed with breast cancer.