Breast Cancer: Causes, Stage, Diagnosis & Treatment
Breast cancer has been affecting women of all ages around the world for years. Even though it is not that men do not get affected by it, the chances of getting affected by breast cancer are more prominent among women. Over the years, the healthcare industry has witnessed several major changes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and that has definitely reduced the death rates from breast cancer highly.
When the growth and division of cells inside the breast tend to get out of control, it often leads to breast cancer. Cancer can occur either on the lobules, ducts or in the fatty tissues present within the breast. The cancer cells often capture the other healthy breast tissues and end up reaching the lymph nodes present under the arms. These nodes offer the fundamental roadway that allows or rather helps the cancer cells in moving to the other parts of the body.
Symptoms
Some of the most common breast cancer symptoms are:
● Breast pain
● A lump or tissue thickening in or near the breast
● Change in color of the skin near the nipples
● Change in size or shape of the breast
● Bloody discharge or any other nipple discharge
● Redness of the breast skin or nipples
● Inverted nipple
If you are having any of the above-mentioned symptoms, it does not really mean that you are having breast cancer. It can be a random breast lump or even a benign cyst. However, if you have any of the symptoms it is highly advisable to consult a doctor.
Causes
There are no proper findings yet which can state a clear reason behind developing breast cancer. From age, family history to genetic factors, and diet, everything can be a reason for increasing the risks of having breast cancer. The development of breast cancer often starts in the innermost lining of milk ducts or in some cases the lobules which can further spread to different other parts of the body.
Stages
The cancer stages are determined by considering a number of factors. Starting from the type of tumor to whether it has spread to the lymph nodes and further to the other parts of the body or not. Staging also does help the doctor to get a clear picture of the chances of recovery and what course of treatment should be followed. Here is the description of the stages which are normally followed by the majority of the experts.
Stage 0: Commonly referred to as the ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) which means that the cancerous cells are present only within the ducts and have not spread on the surrounding tissues.
Stage 1: Normally, a tumor measures up to 2 cm when it is detected at this stage. Either it has not affected the lymph nodes yet or just a small group of cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes.
Stage 2: The tumor can be anything between 2-5 cm when in this stage. It has either spread in the nearest nodes or has not reached the lymph nodes yet.
Stage 3: The tumor has either spread to the lymph nodes and is 5 cm now or is of a larger size than 5 cm and has spread over a handful of lymph nodes.
Stage 4: The cancerous cells have already reached distant organs which can be either be of the bones, liver, brain, or lungs or in some cases it has affected all of the mentioned organs.
Diagnosis
Most breast cancers are found during a routine checkup or in some instances, the patient might also approach the doctor after facing certain troubles or pain.
Breast exam: The doctors check the breasts to detect a lump or any other possible symptoms.
Imaging Tests: There are several types of tests that assist in the detection of breast cancer.
● Mammogram: This is one type of X-ray that allows the doctor to go through images that can detect any kind of lumps or abnormalities present in the breasts. This test is done mainly during the initial breast cancer screening process.
● Ultrasound: A doctor uses sound waves to differentiate a solid mass from that of a fluid-filled cyst.
● MRI: Doctors usually opt for this as a follow-up of mammograms or ultrasounds for screening the patients who are having higher risks of breast cancer.
● Biopsy: A doctor generally extracts a sample tissue and sends it for laboratory tests in order to find out whether the cells are cancerous or not. If it is cancer, the biopsy also does state the types of cancer as well as whether it is hormone-sensitive or not.
Treatment
Cancer’s stage, size of the tumor as well as how far it has invaded, all of it is considered for finding out the right treatment procedure.
The method of surgery is the most common for treating breast cancers. There are several types of it which are used by the personal preference of the patient and also by considering the type of cancerous tumor. The different types of surgery are lumpectomy, mastectomy, sentinel node biopsy, axillary lymph node dissection, and reconstruction.
Some of the other main treatment options include radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.