Breast Cancer
Breast cancer, like other cancers, occurs in the tissues of the breast, because of an interaction between the environment and a defective gene. In breast cancer, cells divide as many times as needed and stop and attach to other cells and stay in tissues. Cells become cancerous when mutations destroy their ability to stop dividing, to attach to other cells and to stay where they belong.
Breast cancer characteristics can be classified into (a) invasive and (b) noninvasive. Invasive breast cancer means it spreads from milk duct or lobule to other tissues in the breast. Noninvasive means it is yet to invaded other breast tissue.
There are two main types of breast cancer.
Ductal carcinoma – In this type, cancer starts in the milk ducts (tubes) from which milk is passed to the nipple. In this, the cancer in the lining of the milk ducts will be noninvasive and will not have invaded nearby tissues. If this is not treated in time it may progress to invasive cancer. Most breast cancers are of this type.
Lobular carcinoma – In this type, cancer starts in lobules that produce milk and there is an increased risk of it becoming invasive cancer in one or both breasts. In rare or very few cases, breast cancer is spread in other areas of the breast.
Symptoms of breast cancer:
- Breast pain or discomfort
- Skin ulcers
- Swelling of one arm – next to the breast with cancer
- Weight loss
- Bone pain
Tests:
Tests to diagnose breast cancer may include:
- Breast MRI – This helps to identify the breast lump or evaluate an abnormal change on the breasts.
- Breast ultrasound – To find out whether the lump is solid or fluid-filled.
- Breast biopsy
- CT scan – To find out if the cancer has spread.
- Mammography – To identify breast lump.
- PET scan
- Sentinal lymph node biopsy test to find out if cancer has spread
If breast cancer is detected earlier, (earlier the better) it may be required for the patient to undergo few more tests to see if the cancer has spread, called ‘staging’. Staging helps in future treatment and follow-up. Once breast cancer is detected, treatment may begin and it may vary depending on each case and each stage of treatment.
Treatment for breast cancer:
In general, cancer treatments includes:
- Chemotherapy - Therapy & medicines to kill cancer cells
- Radiation therapy - To destroy cancerous tissue
- Surgery to remove cancerous tissue — a lumpectomy removes the breast lump; mastectomy removes all or part of the breast and possible nearby structures.
Post treatment, some may have to continue medications for few months, but it is important to continue blood tests, mammograms, and other tests after treatment periodically or as advised by the doctor.
