Breast Cancer - Symptoms, Stages, Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment Options

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among the female population, just after lung cancer. From 1989, a surge has been recorded in survival rates after advancements in screening and treatment of invasive cancer. There has been widespread awareness being carried out worldwide, wherein the entire month of October is referred to as the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The people around are educated and given enough support about the early detection, treatment and even the palliative care availability of this disease.

Breast Cancer Symptoms

Let us go through some of the symptoms of Breast Cancer, which need not always be present. Many detect the signs themselves, whereas the others go through a series of tests and screenings to finally diagnose the disease. Here are a few cancer symptoms commonly found:

• Swelling or lumps developed under the arms
• Presence of painless masses or lumps
• Pain in the breast or armpit; ongoing without any change
• The skin of the nipple changes or discharge noticed
• Visible indentation or flattening of the breast
• A noticeable difference in the size, feel or shape of the breast tissue
• A change in the nipple or an inverted one
• Redness or pitting of the breast
• Peeling, scaling or flaking of the skin on the nipple or breast

Note: Please remember all the lumps present on the breast are not cancerous. At the same time, it is highly alarming and women must schedule a visit to the doctor to diagnose the lump seen on the breast.

Stages of Breast Cancer

The breast cancer diagnosis depends upon the tumor size and the extent to which the spread has taken place, whether it has affected the lymph nodes or other parts of the body. There are 0-4 stages of breast cancer categorized depending on various factors.

• Stage 0: This stage is known as Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS), where the cells stay within the ducts without affecting the tissues around.
• State 1: During this stage, the tumor measures around 2 cm across; however, the lymph nodes are not affected or it can be that there are small cancer cell groups in the lymph nodes.
• Stage 2: At this stage, the tumor measure 2 cm across, spreading to the nodes around or the tumor can be 2-5 cm across but without entering the lymph nodes.
• Stage 3: The tumor measures 5 cm across, spreading to the lymph nodes around or the tumor grows above 5 cm, extending to just a few lymph nodes.
• Stage 4: The organs are affected as cancer spreads mostly to the liver, bones, brain or the lungs.

Breast Cancer Causes/Risk Factors

Until today, the exact reason for Breast cancer is unknown, but several risk factors must be seriously pondered.

• Genetics: People are more likely to inherit the disease from the genes of their relatives if not parents. If a close relative was diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer, there is a high risk for the individual to inherit it.
• Previous History: Females diagnosed with breast, peritoneal, ovarian or fallopian tube cancer earlier are highly susceptible to breast cancer once again. Hence, genetic testing must be carried out strictly.
• Obesity: Alarming body weight and breast cancer risks are closely related if it happens after menopause and the reason is the possibility of producing more estrogen than expected.
• Radiation: Exposure to radiation treatment for different cancer can later lead to breast cancer. Alcohol addiction also serves to be a significant reason for tumor.

Note: There are many more causes of breast cancer and it varies from one individual to another.

Breast Cancer Diagnosis

There are several diagnosis methods available these days to enable early detection.

• Breast Examination
• Mammogram
• Ultrasound
• MRI
• Biopsy

Breast Cancer Treatment

There are three factors on which the treatment of cancer solely depends upon:

• The cancer stage and type
• The sensitivity of the patient to hormones
• The overall health and age of the patient

Here are some of the Breast Cancer treatment options

• Radiation therapy
• Surgery
• Drug therapy
• Hormone therapy
• Chemotherapy

Any treatments opted to destroy the targeted tumor cells will have adverse effects on the patient. Therefore, it is crucial to discuss the associated risks and future of the doctor's treatment before beginning with it. Though impossible at all times, it is good to talk about at least minimizing the side effects of the treatment options available.

February 11, 2021