Breast cancer begins in the breast tissue. It occurs when breast cells mutate (change) and proliferate uncontrollably, resulting in a mass of tissue (tumor). Breast cancer, like other cancers, can invade and grow in the tissue surrounding your breast. It can also spread to other parts of your body and cause new tumors to form. This is referred to as metastasis.
Break the ice, know the truths about breast cancer
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women, after skin cancer. Women over the age of 50 are more likely to be affected. Men can develop breast cancer, though it is uncommon. Male breast cancer affects approximately 2,600 men in the United States each year, accounting for less than 1% of all cases. Breast cancer is most commonly diagnosed in adults over the age of 50, but it can strike anyone.
Non-Hispanic white women have a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer than women of any race or ethnicity. Non-Hispanic Black women are nearly as likely as non-Hispanic White women to develop the disease. Asian, Hispanic, and Native American women are statistically the least likely to develop breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women in the United States, trailing only lung cancer. It is also the leading cause of cancer death in women between 35 and 54.
What are the different types of breast cancer?
Breast cancer can be classified into several types, including:
Ductal carcinoma infiltrating (invasive)
This cancer begins in your breast milk ducts and spreads to surrounding breast tissue after breaking through the duct wall. This is the most common type of breast cancer, accounting for roughly 80% of all cases.
In situ ductal carcinoma
Ductal carcinoma in situ, also known as Stage 0 breast cancer, is considered precancerous by some because the cells have not spread beyond your milk ducts. This condition is easily treated. However, immediate treatment is required to keep the cancer from becoming invasive and spreading to other tissues.
Lobular carcinoma infiltrating (invasive)
This cancer began in your breast lobules (where breast milk is produced) and has spread to surrounding breast tissue. It is responsible for 10% to 15% of all breast cancers.
Lobular carcinoma in situ
It is a precancerous condition characterised by abnormal cells in your breast lobules. Although it is not a true cancer, this marker can indicate the possibility of breast cancer later in life. Women with lobular carcinoma in situ should have clinical breast exams and mammograms on a regular basis.
Breast cancer that is triple negative (TNBC)
Triple negative breast cancer is one of the most difficult breast cancers to treat, accounting for about 15% of all cases. It is referred to as triple negative because it lacks three of the markers associated with other types of breast cancer. This complicates prognosis and treatment.
Breast cancer that is inflammatory
This rare and aggressive cancer looks like an infection. Redness, swelling, pitting, and dimpling of the breast skin are common symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer. Obstructive cancer cells in their skin’s lymph vessels cause it.
Paget’s disease
It is a type of breast cancer. This cancer affects the nipple and areola skin (the skin around your nipple).
Can cancer develop in other areas of the breast?
When we say “breast cancer,” we usually mean cancers that develop in the milk ducts or lobules of the breast. Cancers can also develop in other parts of your breast, but these are less common. These are some examples:
- Angiosarcoma. This uncommon type of cancer begins in the cells that line blood or lymph vessels.
- Tumors caused by Phyllodes. Phyllodes tumours are uncommon and begin in the connective tissue. They are usually benign (noncancerous), but in some cases they can be malignant (cancerous).
What are the first symptoms of breast cancer?
Breast cancer symptoms differ from person to person. Breast cancer symptoms may include:
- A change in your breast’s size, shape, or contour.
- A mass or lump that can be as small as a pea.
- A lump or thickening in or near your breast or underarm that lasts the entire menstrual cycle.
- A change in the appearance or feel of your breast or nipple skin (dimpled, puckered, scaly or inflamed).
- Skin redness on your breast or nipple.
- An area of the breast that is distinct from the rest of the breast.
- A hardened marble-like area beneath your skin.
- A discharge of blood-stained or clear fluid from your nipple. Some people fail to notice.
What exactly causes breast cancer?
When abnormal cells in your breast divide and multiply, breast cancer develops. However, experts are unsure what causes this process to begin in the first place. However, studies show that there are a number of risk factors that can increase your chances of developing breast cancer. These are some examples:
- Age. Being 55 or older increases your chances of developing breast cancer.
- Sex. Women are far more likely than men to develop breast cancer.
- Genetics and family history. If you have parents, siblings, children, or other close relatives who have had breast cancer, you are more likely to get it at some point in your life. About 5% to 10% of breast cancers are caused by single abnormal genes that are passed down from parents to children and can be detected through genetic testing.
- Smoking. Tobacco use has been linked to numerous cancers, including breast cancer.
- Consumption of alcoholic beverages. According to research, drinking alcohol may increase your risk of developing certain types of breast cancer.
- Obesity. Obesity can increase your risk of developing breast cancer and having it recur.
- Exposure to radiation. You are more likely to develop breast cancer if you have previously received radiation therapy, particularly to your head, neck, or chest.
- Replacement hormone therapy. People who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are more likely to develop breast cancer.
There are numerous other factors that can raise your risk of developing breast cancer. Consult your doctor to determine if you are at risk.
How is breast cancer identified?
Your healthcare provider will examine your breasts and inquire about your family history, medical history, and any current symptoms. Your doctor may also recommend tests to check for breast abnormalities. Among these tests are:
- Mammogram. Changes or abnormal growths in your breast can be detected using these specialised X-ray images. A mammogram is commonly used in the prevention of breast cancer.
- Ultrasonography. This test employs sound waves to photograph the tissues within your breast. It is used to aid in the diagnosis of breast lumps or abnormalities.
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning: A PET scan highlights suspicious areas with special dyes. During this test, your doctor will inject a special dye into your veins and use a scanner to take images.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): This test produces clear, detailed images of the structures inside your breast using magnets and radio waves.
If your doctor notices anything suspicious on the imaging tests, he or she may perform a biopsy of your breast tissue. The sample will be sent to a pathology lab for analysis.
What are the stages of breast cancer?
Staging describes how much cancer is present in your body. Several factors influence it, including the size and location of the tumour, as well as whether the cancer has spread to other parts of your body. The basic stages of breast cancer are as follows:
- 0th stage The disease is not contagious. This means it hasn’t escaped from your breast ducts.
- The first stage. Cancer cells have spread to neighbouring breast tissue.
- Stage two. The tumour is either less than 2 centimetres in diameter and has spread to the underarm lymph nodes, or it is more than 5 centimetres in diameter but has not spread to the underarm lymph nodes. Tumors at this stage can range in size from 2 to 5 centimetres in diameter and may or may not affect nearby lymph nodes.
- Stage three. At this point, the cancer has spread beyond its original site. Although it has infiltrated nearby tissue and lymph nodes, it has not spread to distant organs. Stage III breast cancer is also known as locally advanced breast cancer.
- Stage four. The cancer has spread to other parts of your body, including your bones, liver, lungs, and brain. Breast cancer in stage IV is also known as metastatic breast cancer.
Managing and treating breast cancer
Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted drug therapy are all options for treating breast cancer. What is best for you is determined by a variety of factors, including the location and size of the tumor, the results of your lab tests, and whether the cancer has spread to other areas of your body. Your treatment plan will be tailored to your specific needs by your healthcare provider. It’s also not uncommon to receive a combination of treatments.
Surgery for breast cancer
The cancerous portion of your breast and an area of normal tissue surrounding the tumour are removed during breast cancer surgery. Depending on your situation, there are various types of surgery available, including:
- Lumpectomy. A lumpectomy, also known as a partial mastectomy, removes the tumour as well as a small margin of healthy tissue around it. Typically, some lymph nodes in your breast or under your arm are removed for evaluation. In the weeks following a lumpectomy, patients frequently receive radiation therapy.
- Mastectomy. Another option is to have your entire breast removed. Doctors can perform a nipple-sparing mastectomy in some cases to preserve your nipple and areola (the dark skin around your nipple).
- Biopsy of a sentinel node. Because early detection of breast cancer results in the lymph nodes being negative (for cancer) in the majority of cases, the sentinel node biopsy was developed to avoid the unnecessary removal of large numbers of lymph nodes that aren’t affected by the cancer. Doctors inject a dye that tracks to the first lymph node where cancer would spread to identify the sentinel lymph node. If that lymph node is cancer-free, no additional lymph nodes need to be removed. If that lymph node has cancer, additional lymph nodes may need to be removed. Often, more than one sentinel node is identified, but the fewer lymph nodes removed, the less likely you are to develop swelling in your arm (lymphedema).
- Dissection of axillary lymph nodes. If the cancer has spread to multiple lymph nodes, an axillary lymph node dissection may be performed to remove them. This entails removing a large number of lymph nodes under your arm (your axilla).
- Radical mastectomy with modifications. Your entire breast, as well as your nipple, is removed during this procedure. Your underarm lymph nodes are also removed, but your chest muscles remain intact. If desired, breast reconstruction is frequently an option.
- Mastectomy with radical resection. Unless your breast cancer has spread to your chest wall muscles, this procedure is rarely used today. Your surgeon will remove your entire breast, nipple, underarm lymph nodes, and chest wall muscles during a radical mastectomy.
Breast cancer chemotherapy
In order to shrink the tumour before a lumpectomy, your doctor may recommend chemotherapy for breast cancer. It is sometimes administered following surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells and reduce the risk of recurrence (coming back). If your breast cancer has spread to other parts of your body, your doctor may recommend chemotherapy as a primary treatment.
Breast cancer radiation therapy
Radiation therapy for breast cancer is typically administered following a lumpectomy or mastectomy to eliminate any remaining cancer cells. It can also be used to treat single metastatic tumors that are causing pain or other complications.
Breast cancer hormone therapy
Some types of breast cancer grow by utilizing hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Hormone therapy can either lower estrogen levels or prevent estrogen from attaching to breast cancer cells in these cases. Hormone therapy is commonly used after surgery to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. They may, however, use it prior to surgery to shrink the tumor or to treat cancer that has spread to other parts of your body.
Breast cancer immunotherapy
Immunotherapy targets and attacks breast cancer cells using the power of your own immune system. The medication is administered intravenously (through a vein in your arm or hand). Immunotherapy for breast cancer may be used in conjunction with chemotherapy by your doctor.
Breast cancer targeted drug therapy
Some drugs have the ability to target specific cell characteristics that cause cancer. If your breast cancer has spread to other parts of your body, your doctor may recommend targeted drug therapy. Monoclonal antibodies (such as trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and margetuximab), antibody-drug conjugates (such as ado-trastuzumab emtansine and fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan), and kinase inhibitors are among the most commonly used drugs in the treatment of breast cancer (such as lapatinib, neratinib and tucatinib).
How to prevent breast cancer
While breast cancer cannot be completely avoided, there are steps you can take to reduce your chances of being diagnosed at an advanced stage. As an example:
- Get regular mammograms. The American Cancer Society recommends a baseline mammogram at the age of 35, followed by a screening mammogram every year after the age of 40.
- After the age of 20, you should check your breasts once a month. You’ll become more acquainted with the contours and feel of your breasts, and you’ll be more sensitive to changes.
- Examine your breasts at least once every three years after the age of 20, and once a year after the age of 40. Mammograms may miss lumps that clinical breast exams can detect.
Final words
Breast cancer is the abnormal growth of breast cells that develops into a mass of tissue, known as a tumor which is malignant in nature. It can be found in both females and males, though it’s more common in females. Breast cancer generally occurs in the cells of the lobules, i.e. the milk-producing glands. However, if left untreated it can affect any part of the breast, the skin, lymph nodes, ducts, or vessels. Approximately one in every eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer in their life. However, on a good note, not all types of cancers lead to death and are treatable, if deBreast cancer is the abnormal growth of breast cells that develops into a malignant mass of tissue known as a tumour. It can be found in both males and females, though females are more likely to have it. Breast cancer typically develops in the cells of the lobules, or milk-producing glands. If left untreated, it can affect any part of the breast, including the skin, lymph nodes, ducts, and vessels. Breast cancer affects one out of every eight women at some point in their lives. On the bright side, not all cancers are fatal and can be treated if detected early.