Breast Cancer: Stages, Types, Causes and Reasons
The most common cancer in women is breast cancer and the second leading cause of death in women, after lung cancer. Breast cancer is defined as abnormal cell growth lining the breast lobules or ducts. These cells proliferate uncontrollably and have the potential to spread to other parts of the body. Breast cancer can affect both men and women, though men are less likely to develop it.
Breast Cancer Symptoms
Breast cancer can have several symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or area of thickened breast tissue. Identifying symptoms of breast cancer early is a major step towards successful treatment. So just because you do not have any of them doesn't mean you are free from them Some things like mass (lump in the breast or underarm), edema( change of size/shape ), erythematous and skin changes like with orange peel treatment commonly takes a part. Other signs, including pain in the breast, nipple discharge or a change of shape or position of the nipple may give sign to breast cancer.
Symptoms of breast cancer are
- Change in size or shape of the breast
- Any lump or thickening in the breast
- Redness or rash on/around the nipple
- Discharge from the nipple
- Constant pain in the breast or armpit
- Inverted nipple or change in its position or shape
- Change in skin texture
Breast Cancer Symptoms in Woman
Diverse symptoms of breast cancer in women The signs of female breast cancer are very different so that they often pass unnoticed. The most frequent sign is a painless lump in the breast or armpit, but other symptoms like swelling, redness or thickening of the skin over the breast.
It could also be a red flag if your nipples start to look different, with things like inversion or discharge happening. Breast pain that is not yet explained as another known condition or any sudden changes in the feel of the breast Early warning signs which routine mammograms and regular check-ups are vital in discovering.
Stage 3 Breast Cancer Symptoms
- Signs of stage 3 breast cancer are more significant and can spread to the nearby tissues or lymph nodes. Your breast may also appear swollen, or you might discover a large or hard lump, while the skin of your affected breast can become thicker and with visible redness.
- Pain in the breast, persistent fatigue and swollen lymph nodes in the armpit or collarbone are also common. Occasionally, you may also see nipple retraction or a strange nipple discharge. This understanding is key for early intervention.
- Prevention is just as important as early detection. Following breast cancer prevention tips through a perfect diet, regular exercise and limit alcohol can help in promoting overall breast health along with having routine screenings.
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Get A Second OpinionStages of Breast Cancer
Staging describes the amount of cancer in your body. Several factors influence it, including the size and location of the tumor, as well as the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. The basic stages of breast cancer are as follows:
- Stage 0: Abnormal cells are present, but they have not spread to nearby tissue.
- Stage I: The cancer cells has spread to the nearby tissue in small area.
- Stage II: The tumor is between 20-50mm, and some lymph nodes are involved or a tumor larger than 50mm with no lymph nodes involved.
- Stage III: The tumor is larger than 50mm with more lymph nodes involved across a wider region. In some cases, no tumor is present at all. Cancer could have spread to the skin or the chest wall.
- Stage IV: Cancer has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body.
Signs of Breast Cancer in Each Stage
Changes in the breast during the course of breast cancer can have obvious signs and symptoms, so detection is key.
- Stage 0: No symptoms are visible at this stage. If breast-related cancer is detected by mammography, it may have been missed earlier.
- Stage 1: A small, painless lump in the breast or underarm Most of the time, breasts appear and feel normal. Screening is very important.
- Stage 2: The mass starts to be felt and the breast might seem swelling or changing form. Other than breast milk, Nipple discharge could be seen
- Stage 3: Visible redness, Dimpling of the skin that makes it look like an orange peel. An inverted nipple In some cases, the lump may feel bigger or extend to lymph nodes in your underarm.
- Stage 4: This is the last stage where symptoms like breast pain, bone pain,difficulty in breathing and tiredness occurs as now cancer have moved to other organs/far parts of body.
Types of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is classified into several variants, each necessitating a specific intervention. For early diagnosis & managemnt, there is a need to know the different types of breast cancer. In two general groups, the first is invasive breast cancer and another one is non-invasive breast cancer.
- Invasive Breast Cancer: This type takes place when the cancer cells invade into healthy breast tissue present nearby of the ducts or lobules. The most common subtype is invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), which accounts for approximately 80% of all cases. If not treated early, IDC can spread to any lymph nodes or other regions of the body.
- In situ breast cancer (or non-invasive breast cancer) is confined to the ducts or lobules. For instance, Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) is a common precancerous state.
These include Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, an aggressive form targeting hormone-receptor-negative people and Inflammatory Breast Cancer, which is rare but fast-growing.
Subtypes of Breast Cancer
Based on the presence or absence of specific receptors, and genetic make up, different types of breast cancer are further classified into subtypes of breast cancer. The subtypes help dictate decisions regarding treatment.
- Hormone-Receptor Positive (HR+): This involves cancers that when viewed under prism light grow in answer to human hormones these types of as estrogen or progesterone. ER-positive (estrogen-receptor-positive) breast cancer, a subtype that tends to have an excellent response to hormone therapy.
- HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: This subtype of breast cancer is aggressive but it is one of the most easily treatable by targeted therapies that attack an overexpression of the HER2 protein, like trastuzumab.
- Basal-like or Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC): This means the cancer cells lack hormone receptors and HER2, so likely will not respond well to other types of treatment, but does typically respond to chemotherapy.
- Luminal Subtypes: These are further categorized based on gene expression Luminal A (less aggressive) and Luminal B (more aggressive).
- These subtypes of breast cancer are distinctly different from one another and demand an individualized treatment plan, therefore accurate diagnosis is a key factor.
- The developments in genetic testing and molecular analysis are also improving our knowledge of these subtypes, making it possible to develop targeted therapies corresponding to the molecular subtype.
Causes of Breast Cancer
The exact causes of breast cancer are unknown, but the major risk factors are known. Nonetheless, most women considered to be at high risk for breast cancer do not develop it, and many do with no known risk factors. Risk factors for breast cancer include the following:
- Older age
- Smoking
- A history of breast cancer or benign(non cancer) breast disease
- Inheritance of mutations in the genes BRCA2, BRCA1 and increasing risk of breast cancer
- Dense breast tissue
- Women with no full-term pregnancies or their first pregnancy after age 30 are at a higher risk of breast cancer.
- A woman who has had breast cancer once has a higher risk of developing cancer again.
- Reproductive history, resulting in increased estrogen exposure.
- Taking hormone therapy for symptoms of menopause.
- Radiation therapy to the breast or chest.
Among the lifestyle factors that can slightly increase the risk of breast cancer in both men and women are:
- being obese or overweight
- not enough physical activity
- drinking alcohol.
Reasons for Breast Cancer
Although breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer among women and men can also be affected. This knowledge plays an important role in early detection and prevention of breast cancer.
- One of the main reasons is due to genetic predilection. This high risk is especially true for women with a family history of breast cancer, particularly with mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. Age is an important factor too, with women aged over 50 being even more likely to be affected.
- Breast cancer lifestyle Risk factors include smoking, overuse of alcohol and sedentary life. Another major accelerant to estrogen levels being stored is obesity, particularly in postmenopausal women when estrogen levels are much higher.
- It is also influenced by hormonal factors. A greater exposure to estrogen over a lifetime because of early menstruation, late menopause or hormone replacement therapy increases the risk. Exposure to radiation and some environmental toxins may also increase susceptibility.
Having knowledge of breast cancer symptoms such as breast cancer lumps, changes in your breast size or nipple discharge can help for earlier detection. While many of these are not modifiable, a healy lifestyle and regular screenings can mitigate your risks. As always, the best defense against breast cancer is early detection.
Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Tests to find breast cancer Your doctor will typically use an approach known as the 'triple test' to determine the cause of a breast change which includes:
- Detailed medical history is taken, and a clinical examination of the breast is performed.
- Imaging tests, such as a diagnostic mammogram or ultrasound.
- Biopsy is done which involves taking a tissue sample from the breast and testing them for signs of cancer.
- Most women don’t show any abnormal results in these tests.Staging and further tests If breast cancer is diagnosed, then you will be referred to additional tests, such as a blood test, CT scan, bone scans, or a PET scan, to determine the stage of your cancer. Additional tests for hormone receptors (to see if the cancer cells have estrogen or progesterone receptors), HER-2 (a protein which promotes the growth of cancer cells), or other genetic markers may be performed. These tests aid in determining the best treatment for your specific type of breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Treatment
The treatment for breast cancer varies depending on the stage, type and your overall health. This can include breast cancer surgery to cut out the tumor, radiation therapy to kill cancer cells, and chemotherapy to eradicate cancer throughout the whole body. Hormonal therapy to be used in hormone sensitive cancers, and target therapy the specific cancer markers.
Sometimes a series of treatments may be best. Support from an oncologist results in a personalized response to your need. Medical technology has advanced over the years and better breast cancer treatments now exist leading to improved outcomes and quality of life for patients.
- Surgery This treatment involves removing localized cancer from the breast. A lumpectomy (also known as "breast conserving surgery") involves removing the cancer as well as some healthy tissue while leaving the breast intact. A mastectomy is the surgical procedure for the removal of the entire cancerous breast. Lymph nodes under the arm may be removed during breast cancer surgery.
- Breast prostheses and reconstruction You may be suggested about how to restore your breast shape before or after breast cancer surgery. It may be a breast prosthesis or reconstruction. A breast prosthesis is a synthetic breast or part of a breast that is worn in a bra or under clothing to replace a portion or all of your natural breast. Breast reconstruction is a surgical procedure that creates a new breast.
- Radiation therapy Radiotherapy is frequently used to destroy any remaining breast cancer cells after a lumpectomy or lymph node removal. If there is a risk of cancer recurrence in the chest area, it is sometimes used after a mastectomy.
- Chemotherapy Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer medications to kill the body's remaining cancer cells. It can be used before, after, or in conjunction with breast cancer surgery or radiation therapy.
- Hormone therapy Hormone therapy involves drugs that reduce estrogen and progesterone levels in the body, to stop or slow hormone receptor positive cancer cells.
- Palliative care In some cases, the medical team will discuss palliative care with the patient. Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life by reducing cancer symptoms.
Breast Cancer Treatment Side Effect
Surgery is the primary treatment for breast cancer, but it can be combined with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy for breast cancer and other types of complementary treatments to maximize effectiveness when caring for breast cancer. These treatments work, but they all carry different side effects on a per person basis.
- Breast Cancer Medication: Adjuvant hormonal therapies like tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors can produce hot flashes, lethargy, joint pain and mood swings. They may cause lessses to other places in the body, compared with chemotherapy.
- Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer: this use of high-energy waves has side effects like skin irritation, sunburn-like redness, and peeling at the treatment site. They also get fatigued very often, which tend to worsen with treatment. The final con is that long-term risks may include changes in breast size or texture and, uncommonly, possible damage to nearby organs.
- Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: Hair loss, nausea/vomiting and low immunity. Then there are other times when it can cause neuropathy (nerve pain), infertility, or heart problems.
Preventions of Breast Cancer
Tips for breast cancer prevention:
- It is critical to conduct a self-examination of your breasts. Women should be aware of how their breasts typically appear and feel. Consult the doctor if you notice any changes.
- It is recommended that women over the age of 40 have a mammogram test. Mammography is a simple radiographic technique for detecting irregularities in breast tissue.
- Green vegetables and fruits in the diet can help you maintain a healthy weight.
- For new mothers, it is advisable to breastfeed their child at least for one year.
- Don’t smoke or drink alcohol in excess.
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Book an AppointmentDo’s and Don’ts
Breast cancer develops when some breast cells grow abnormally. Self-breast examination can assist you in detecting any changes in your breast. Self-examination is best done 4-5 days after the menstrual cycle. Signs and symptoms include a lump, nipple discharge, a change in skin structure, and an inverted nipple.
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Do’s |
Don’ts |
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Maintain a healthy weight |
Eat foods containing sugar |
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Eat organic meat, eggs and dairy products. |
Take counterfeit hormones |
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Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day |
Eat processed and junk foods |
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Exercise regularly |
Use cosmetic and personal care products containing parabens |
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If possible, plan pregnancy before 35 years of age. |
Intake of alcoholic beverages and cigarette smoking. |
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Breastfeed your baby instead of bottle feeding. |
Eat foods containing saturated fats and increase cholesterol levels. |
Breast cancer survival rates have increased due to early detection, advances in diagnosis, and treatment methods.
Care at Medicover Hospitals
Cancer incidence in India has skyrocketed due to a variety of factors. Now there are significant breast cancer solutions and advances in diagnostic techniques, such as molecular diagnosis and cancer genetic tests. Cancer treatment has also advanced significantly, and patients can now be treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. We at Medicover Hospitals believe that comprehensive cancer care should be available so our oncologists are trained to treat the disease and provide successful outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is breast cancer, and how does it develop?
Breast cancer is a malignant growth that originates in the breast tissue. It can develop when abnormal cells in the breast begin to multiply uncontrollably, forming a tumor.
What are the common symptoms of breast cancer?
Common symptoms of breast cancer include the presence of a lump in the breast or underarm, changes in breast size or shape, nipple discharge, skin changes on the breast, and persistent pain.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
Breast Cancer Diagnosis often involves a combination of imaging tests such as mammograms, ultrasound, and MRI, followed by a biopsy to analyze tissue samples for cancer cells.
What are the stages of breast cancer, and how do they impact treatment?
Breast cancer is staged from 0 to IV, based on the size of the tumor and its spread. The stage helps determine the appropriate treatment, which may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and hormone therapy.
What treatment options are available for breast cancer at Medicover Hospitals?
Medicover Hospitals offers a comprehensive range of breast cancer treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, and radiation therapy. The treatment plan is tailored to each patient's unique condition.
Is breast cancer treatment personalized at Medicover Hospitals?
Yes, at Medicover Hospitals, we believe in personalized medicine. Our team of experts customizes treatment plans based on the patient's specific diagnosis, stage of cancer, medical history, and individual preferences.
Can breast cancer be prevented?
While there is no foolproof way to prevent breast cancer, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, performing regular breast self-exams, and attending recommended screenings can help with early detection and treatment.
How can I schedule a consultation with a breast cancer specialist near me at Medicover Hospitals?
Scheduling a consultation with breast cancer specialists is easy. You can visit our website to request an appointment or contact us via phone at 040-68334455. Our dedicated team will guide you through the process and assist you in selecting a suitable time for your consultation.
