Day: March 30, 2023

Home Breast Cancer Breast cancer affects both women and men, although women are more likely to get diagnosed. Breast cancer affects 27% of women who are diagnosed with the disease. Bookmark this blog to get an overall idea about breast cancer, its treatment, and its recovery steps. What is breast cancer? Breast cancer is caused by the abnormal growth of cells or tumours in the breast region. Lumps felt during self-examination are a common sign of breast cancer. Breast cancer cells are said to have metastasized when they spread to other parts of the human body.Breast cancer is the most commonly reported cancer among women globally. In India, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every four minutes, according to a study by Globocon 2020. More young women in India are diagnosed with breast cancer compared to the US. Lack of awareness and late detection of breast cancer increases the mortality risk. Where does breast cancer start? The breast is an organ on the chest with glands, ducts, and fatty tissue. There is a left and right breast, and their size depends on the amount of fat tissue. The breast’s structure includes; lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. Lobules are the glands that produce milk and the ducts carry milk to the nipple. Layers of fibrous and fatty tissue form the connective tissue which holds the whole structure together. Breast cancer cells can grow in the ducts and lobules. Cancer cells spread to other parts of the body through blood and lymph vessels. What are the notable signs and symptoms of breast cancer? Early detection helps in handling the mortality rate of breast cancer. People can physically detect breast cancer by touching and feeling their breasts. A newly formed lump is the most common symptom of breast cancer.These lumps tend to be painless hard masses with irregular borders. They can also be soft, spherical, or tender. However, it is important to note that not all lumps have to be cancer. Redness or rash around the nipples/areola Change in size or shape of nipple A lump or area that feels thicker Change in size or shape Pain in breast/armpit Swelling in armpit Change in skin texture Discharge of liquid/blood Do you suspect breast cancer? Take the evaluation right away!”> Risk assessment now ! What are the different types of breast cancer? Breast cancer is primarily divided into two types; invasive and non-invasive. Tumour cells spread from the site of formation in invasive breast cancer. Because non-invasive cancer does not spread beyond the tissue from which it originated, it is referred to as carcinoma in situ (which means in place”). Breast cancer that is non-invasive is contained within the lobules or milk ducts. Different types of non-invasive Breast cancers are as follows; Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) : This is a condition in which abnormal cells are discovered in the lining of a milk duct in the breast, but the cancer cells have not spread beyond the ducts into surrounding breast tissue. The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma in situ. Women are advised to begin treatment as soon as possible to avoid it becoming invasive. Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) : This is a condition in which cells within the breast’s milk-producing glands or lobules are abnormal. LCIS is not cancer, but it increases the cancer risk, so women should have regular checkups and treatment. Different types of invasive Breast cancer types are as follows; Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) : It is the most common form of breast cancer, reported in at least 80% of all breast cancer, according to statistics published in cancer.org. It is a malignant tumour that begins in the breast milk ducts and can spread to other parts of the body through the lymph nodes. Its symptoms include a lump in the breast, nipple discharge, and changes in the appearance of the breasts. Invasive lobular carcinoma : It is a condition where the breast’s lobules are affected. It is usually detected on imaging tests such as mammography, ultrasound, and MRI. According to the study published by cancer.org, one out of every ten reported breast cancer is an ILC. Rare types of breast cancer Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC): It is an aggressive form of invasive breast cancer that causes symptoms such as redness and swelling as a result of cancer cells blocking the skin’s lymphatic vessels. Paget s disease of the nipple: It is a rare type of cancer that affects the nipple or the areola. Common symptoms include hard, lumpy or crusty nipples or the area around the nipples. It is also characterized by the redness, discharge or bleeding from the nipple and the appearance of a lump. Phyllodes tumour: It is a rare form of breast cancer where the tumour is formed in the connective tissue. Phyllodes tumours can be both benign or malignant. Metaplastic breast cancer (MBC): It is a rare type of breast cancer that can be more aggressive than others. It is characterised by the variety of cell types that make up the tumour, which makes MBC difficult to diagnose. What are the different stages of breast cancer? Breast cancer stages are classified based on the severity of the cancer and the extent to which it has spread to other body parts. The treatment course is determined by the cancer stage and the location of the tumour. The various stages of breast cancer are as follows; Stage 0: Abnormal cells are present in the breast ductal lining.The abnormal cells are present in the breast’s ductal lining. The survival rate is 100%. Stage 1: The tumour size is less than 1 cm and is present in the breast tissue. Cancer may have spread to some lymph nodes. The survival rate is 98%.  Stage 2: The tumour size is over 2 cm and it has spread to nearby tissues and a few axillary lymph nodes. The survival rate is 88%. Stage 3: The tumour size is over 5 cm and has spread to wider areas of the breast