Breast Cancer

What is breast cancer ?

Breast cancer is a type of breast tumor.

Breast Examination

Breast cancer symptoms

A breast examination is a way of detecting early changes that may find lumps or other growth in the breast. This is a manual form of examination that may be carried out by the doctor or even by the patient herself. This kind of examination helps in early detection of breast cancer and helps in successful treatment of the same. It is an essential screening strategy that all women must go through. Breast examination is one of the most important aspects of breast cancer awareness.

Lump in breast or breast cyst is one of the early signs of breast cancer and Breast pain may be an early symptom of cancer.

Age: Women who have reached the age of 18 should perform this examination  in order to detect any irregularity in the way the physical changes occur in the breast tissue.

Procedure: Find any rashes or dimpling in the breasts. Report any change in the shape, size and colour of the breasts and nipples. Inverted nipples, redness and soreness must also be reported to the doctor. Raise your arms and look for any changes. Then, you will need to lie down and feel your breasts by using a circular motion. One must start from the centre and move the breasts sideways. Any wet and slippery feeling must be reported to the doctor immediately.

Pressure: You must use light pressure for the skin and tissue that lie beneath the breasts, while moderate pressure should be used for the middle portion of the breasts. One must use a firm hand to check the tissue that lies at the back of the breasts, near the rib cage.

Frequency: At least once a fortnight or once a month.

Menstrual Cycles: When you are going through your menstrual cycle or period, it is important to remember that your breasts can become tender just before or after the start of the cycle. Around menstrual cycle is not the best time for breast examination.

Causes of Breast cancer and breast cancer risk factors

Symptoms of breast cancer | Signs of breast cancer

The exact cause for breast cancer is not known. However, risk factors are clearly identified, and women with risk factors need to watch out for warning signs.

• A lump in either of the breasts or armpits
• Change in size, shape, or contour of either breast
• Redness of your breast or nipple
• Discharge of clear or bloody fluid
• Thickening of breast tissue or skin that lasts through a period
• Altered look or feel of the skin on the breast or the nipple (dimpled, inflamed, scaly, or puckered)
• One area on the breast that looks very different from the other areas
• Hardened area under the breast skin
• Of all the risk factors, the family history is the most important. Breast cancer runs in families. Two genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the carriers of the disease, and this testing can be done in women to identify if they are at risk.
• Family history of other cancers: Even if there is no breast cancer, if there are other cancers that run in the family, watch out.
• Age: Women over 50 are at higher risk of developing breast cancer.
• Hormones: Greater exposure to the female hormone estrogen increases the chances of developing breast cancer. Women who use birth control pills for contraception and hormone replacement after menopause are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
• Gynecologic milestones: Women who have abnormal menstrual milestones need to watch out. These include those who have early menarche, late pregnancy, delayed menopause, and have abnormal menstrual cycles.
• Obesity and alcohol abuse are also likely to increase a woman’s chances of developing breast cancer.

Symptoms of breast cancer in women are different from symptoms of breast cancer in men (male breast cancer).

Should you get a mammogram (Breast cancer diagnosis)

Presence of signs and symptoms of breast cancer usually invites first test as mammograms. A mammogram is an imaging test where an X-ray is taken to recreate the internal imagery of your breasts. This is a screening test that is widely used to find the earliest signs of cancer. There have been instances where the early signs of cancer have been found up to three years before the actual development of the same. There are a number of benefits and risks in this screening method. So let us find out more about getting a mammogram, and whether or not you should get one. Although there are some latest researches coming up that says abnormal mammogram findings may not eventually get converted into any cancer or vice versa ie people with normal mammogram findings are immune to cancer.

Normal and Abnormal Readings: If your mammogram result has a normal reading, then you can resort to getting one done every once in a while. But an abnormal reading will require further X-ray and tests so as to be able to tell for sure.

If you are over 40 and have a family history of such ailments, then you will have to get a mammogram done regularly. Breast ultrasound confirms the findings of mammogram. There should be high suspicion on breast exam.

Breast biopsy confirms the presence and type of breast cancer. Breast MRI is also a type of breast cancer test.

Breast cancer treatment

Breast Cancer Surgery (Mastectomy / Lumpectomy)

If you have breast cancer then a surgery will be part of your treatment. Based on the condition,

surgery will be carried out due to any of the following reasons:

1. To remove the cancerous tissues from the breast
2. To reconstruct the breast once the cancer is removed
3. To check whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes below the arm (armpit)
4. To treat symptoms of cancer that has progressed to an advanced stage

Breast cancer surgery may be classified into two types

1. Mastectomy : Mastectomy involves removing the entire breast; tissues in the adjoining region may also be removed. A double mastectomy is a procedure where both the breasts are removed.
2. Breast-conserving surgery: In this surgery, only parts of the breast affected by cancer are removed. The area of the breast that is to be removed will depend on the severity of the cancer. Some healthy tissues may also be removed in this surgery.

Usually, if a woman is in the initial stages of cancer then she may opt for the latter as it entails removing parts of the breast. They may also undergo radiation therapy along with these surgeries.
For checking if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes below the arm, the lymph nodes are removed from the body.

Other breast cancer treatments for stage 4 breast cancer

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Hormonal therapy
• Targeted therapy

Lymphedema

Lymphedema is a potential side effect of breast cancer surgery and radiation therapy that can appear in some people during the months or even years after treatment ends. Lymph is a thin, clear fluid that circulates throughout the body to remove wastes, bacteria, and other substances from tissues. Edema is the buildup of excess fluid. So lymphedema occurs when too much lymph collects in any area of the body. If lymphedema develops in people who’ve been treated for breast cancer, it usually occurs in the arm and hand, but sometimes it affects the breast, underarm, chest, trunk, and/or back.

Pain caused by the cancer itself is more common when the breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones. Pain or discomfort caused by treatments for breast cancer can affect anyone, though, regardless of the stage of their disease.

You should know that treatment for pain is part of cancer treatment. It is important to resist the big myth that because cancer is a serious disease, pain is to be expected. Most people can get complete relief for their pain — or at least significant relief that allows them to enjoy the activities of daily life.

You should know that treatment for pain is part of cancer treatment. It is important to resist the big myth that because cancer is a serious disease, pain is to be expected. Most people can get complete relief for their pain — or at least significant relief that allows them to enjoy the activities of daily life.

Breast cancer stages | Types of breast cancer

What is advanced or metastatic breast cancer (Stage 4 cancer)

Lymph node cancer starts from stage 2 breast cancer.

Advanced or metastatic cancer includes stage 3 cancer and stage 4 cancer and terminal cancer. Stage 3 includes when cancer spreads to other tissues in the breast and / or lymph nodes. Stage 4 cancer includes metastasis. Stage 4 cancer life expectancy or breast cancer survival rate increases with pain relief and mainly depends upon spread of cancer and patient’s own immunity along with positive response from painless chemotherapy.

Cancer metastasis happens when cancer cells break away from a primary tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system (the system that produces stores and carries the cells that fight infections). When cancer cells spread and form a new tumour in a different organ, the new tumor is a metastatic tumor, the cells of which come from the original tumor. The most common sites of metastasis from breast cancer tumors are theliver, lungs, bones and brain. Cancer can spread to other parts of the body, too.

Some people with metastatic cancer do not have symptoms. Their metastases may be found by tests, which may be performed for other reasons such as PET, MRI or CT scan. When symptoms do occur, the type and frequency depend on the size and location of the metastasis. For example, cancer that spreads to the bones is likely to cause pain and can lead to bone fractures. Shortness of breath may be a sign of lung involvement. Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and aggressive type of breast cancer.

Liver metastasis

If they do have symptoms, they may be vague and can include:

• Loss of appetite or feeling full early
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Itching
• Pain in the abdomen
• Swelling in the legs
• Weight loss
• Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, called jaundice

Lungs metastasis

Because the lungs get blood flow from the rest of the body, cancer can travel there from other organs. Cancer that has spread to the lungs often affects breathing.

Symptoms include:

• A cough that doesn’t go away
• Chest pain
• Blood in the mucus
• Trouble breathing
• Weight loss

Bone metastasis

When cancer travels to the bones, it can weaken them and cause them to release stored calcium. Symptoms include:

• Bone pain
• Constipation, nausea, and loss of appetite from high calcium levels in the blood
• Broken bones
• Numbness or weakness in the legs and possibly the arms
• Pain in the back or neck