Breast Cancer: Types, Symptoms, Stages and Risk Factors

Breast cancer is a type of cancer in which cells in the breast grow out of control. Although men and women are both prone to breast cancer, it is more prevalent among women than men. Most cases of breast cancer start in the lobules or ducts.

Blood and lymph vessels are two ways that breast cancer can travel outside of the breast. Breast cancer is said to have metastasised when it spreads to other parts of the body.

What are the Types of Breast Cancer?

There are several types of breast cancer. Among those three types of cancer are most common:

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

It is the most common type of breast cancer, accounting for around 80% of breast cancer diagnoses. It first forms in the milk ducts of the breast and then invades the surrounding tissues.

A lump or mass is seen in the breast, which changes in size and shape. Persistent breast pain, inversion or discharge in the nipple, and redness or thickening of the breast skin are the symptoms.

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma

It is less common than invasive ductal carcinoma. It starts in the glands that produce milk, known as lobules, and then spreads to the breast tissue. It accounts for about 10-15% of breast cancers. It is more frequently seen in older women. Symptoms include redness or swelling of the breast skin, breast pain, lump in the breast, nipple changes, etc.

Ductal Carcinoma in Situ

It is a non-invasive type of breast cancer. Cancer cells form in the lining of breast ducts and do not spread to the breast tissue. It is classified as non-invasive because it stays confined within the ducts and does not spread to surrounding tissues. The prognosis for this type of breast cancer is excellent.

What are Some Less Common Types of Breast Cancer?

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

It is an invasive type of breast cancer, more commonly seen in younger women. Its incidence is around 10-15%. It is the most aggressive cancer that spreads more quickly than other breast cancers.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer

It is a fast-growing cancer that is rare and requires immediate treatment. Unlike other breast cancers, it does not form any lump in the breasts. It forms a rash on the breast resembling orange peel. Symptoms are expected, as in other breast cancers.

Paget's Disease of the Breast

It is a rare type of breast cancer seen in the nipple or sometimes on the areola. Areola is the darker skin surrounding the nipple. It is also called mammary Paget's disease. It may be invasive or non-invasive.

Subtypes of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is divided into two subtypes depending on receptor cell status;

Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer

Breast cancer cells with elevated estrogen levels promote the growth and metastasis of breast cancer, resulting in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. Healthcare professionals can better plan the treatment of breast cancer by knowing whether the malignant cells contain progesterone or estrogen receptors

Progesterone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer:

PR positive indicates that the cancer cells are responsive to the hormone progesterone.

• HR-positive: HR-positive breast cancer indicates that the cancer cells have both estrogen and progesterone receptors.
• HR- negative: HR-negative breast cancer indicates that the cancer cells do not have both estrogen and progesterone receptors.
• HER2- positive: Some patients with invasive breast cancer also have HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer. This cancer grows rapidly and can quickly spread from your breasts to other parts of your body

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer in Females?

Different people experience breast cancer in different ways. Some people exhibit neither symptoms nor indicators at all. Some of the early symptoms of breast cancer include:

• Partial breast enlargement or thickening.
• Lump in the breast.
• Skin dimpling or irritation on the breasts.
• Skin that is red or flaky around the breasts or nipples.
• Pulling inward or discomfort in the nipple region.
• Breast pain.
• Nipple changes.

What are the Indications and Symptoms of Breast Cancer in Males?

• A thickening of the skin or a painless bump on the chest.
• Alterations to the skin covering the breast, including skin colour changes, dimpling, puckering, and scaling.
• The nipple may undergo modifications, such as colour or scale alterations or a nipple that begins to turn inward.
• Hemorrhage or discharge from the nipple.

What are the Stages of Breast Cancer?

There are two types of cancer: invasive and non-invasive. Invasive cancer spreads to other tissues, while non-invasive cancer does not. Healthcare professionals determine the spread of cancer by classifying it into stages. Stages range from stage 0 to stage 4. The lower the number of stages, the less the cancer has spread.

• Stage 0: Carcinoma in situ, confined to the milk duct's interior.
• Stage 1: Breast tissue or lymph nodes close to the breast are affected by cancer.
• Stage 2: the breast, adjacent lymph nodes, or both have cancer.
• Stage 3: the breast surface, surrounding lymph nodes, or the chest wall have all been affected by the cancer.
• Stage 4: The cancer has progressed to other body regions, including the lungs and bones.

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system is the staging method most frequently used for breast cancer. The most recent AJCC system includes both pathologic and clinical staging systems.

The TNM system also classifies cancer stages, which stand for:

• T- the centimetre-scale tumour size.
• N- is the number of cancerous lymph nodes in the area.
• M- whether the cancer has progressed to other bodily organs.

What are the Causes of Breast Cancer?

Most breast cancers have an unknown, specific cause. Researchers have identified some factors that raise the risk of breast cancer. These include environmental factors, lifestyle decisions, hormones, age, weight, and breast density.

Breast cancer most likely develops from a complicated interplay between environmental factors and your genetic makeup. Genetic alterations inside breast tissue cells are the primary cause of breast cancer.

Frequently Asked Questions