Breast Cancer

What is cancer?

Cancer occurs when changes called mutations take place in genes that regulate cell growth. The mutations let the cells divide and multiply in an uncontrolled way. Breast cancer is cancer that develops in breast cells. Typically, the cancer forms in either the lobules or the ducts of the breast. Breast cancer is the commonest cancer amongst women worldwide. Lobules are the glands that produce milk, and ducts are the pathways that bring the milk from the glands to the nipple.

Cancer can also occur in the fatty tissue or the fibrous connective tissue within your breast. The uncontrolled cancer cells often invade other healthy breast tissue and can travel to the lymph nodes under the arms. Once the cancer enters the lymph nodes, it has access to a pathway to move to other parts of the body. Among females, the commonest cancers are cancers of the breast (33.9%), cervix (29.4%), ovary (11.3%) and endometrium (4.5%).

What are the dangers and misconceptions of breast cancer?

When breast cancer goes undetected, it goes untreated. The cancer cells then distort the shape and feel of the breast, with ulceration, skin changes and hardening seen in more advanced cases. The cancer cells also spread to other sites of the body, most commonly the chest, liver and bones. This may cause serious weakness, difficulty breathing, constant tiredness and inability to carry out daily activities.

When it spreads to the chest, fluid may collect in the pleural space in response leading to impaired breathing. This condition is very fatal. Although the practice of keeping money in bras have not been linked to breast cancer, it is not a practice worth keeping as cash can easily irritate breast tissue and poorly padded bras can lead to back pain.

What are the causes of breast cancer?

There are no definitive causes of breast cancer, however there are several risk factors that increase your chances of getting breast cancer. However, having any of these doesn’t mean you will definitely develop the disease. Some risk factors can’t be avoided, such as family history. You can change other risk factors, such as smoking.

Risk factors for breast cancer include:

• Age: Your risk of developing breast cancer increases as you age. Most invasive breast cancers are found in women over 55 years old.
• Drinking alcohol: Alcohol use disorder raises your risk.
• Having dense breast tissue: Dense breast tissue makes mammograms hard to read. It also increases your risk of breast cancer.
• Gender: Studies show that black women are 70 times more likely to develop breast cancer than black men.
• Genes: People who have the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations are more likely to develop breast cancer than people who don’t.
• Early menstruation: If you had your first period before you were 12 years old, you have an increased risk of breast cancer.
• Giving birth at an older age: People who have their first child after 35 years old have an increased risk of breast cancer.
• Hormone therapy: People who took or are taking postmenopausal estrogen and progesterone medications to help reduce their signs of menopause symptoms have a higher risk of breast cancer.
  
• Inherited risk: If a close female relative has had breast cancer, you have an increased risk of developing it. This includes your mother, grandmother, sister, or daughter. If you don’t have a family history of breast cancer, you can still develop breast cancer. In fact, most people who develop it have no family history of the disease.
• Late menopause start: People who start menopause after they’re 55 years old are more likely to develop breast cancer.
• Never having been pregnant: People who have never become pregnant or carried a pregnancy to full term are more likely to develop breast cancer.
• Previous breast cancer: If you have had breast cancer in one breast, you have an increased risk of developing breast cancer in your other breast or in a different area of the previously affected breast.

What are the ways to prevent and treat Breast Cancer?

While there are risk factors you can’t control, following a healthy lifestyle, getting regular screenings, and taking any preventive measures your doctor recommends can help lower your risk of developing breast cancer.

Breast cancer screening
Having regular mammograms after age 40 may not prevent breast cancer, but it can help reduce the chance that it will go undetected. In addition to mammograms, breast exams are another way to watch for signs of breast cancer.

Diagnosis and treatment
To determine if your symptoms are caused by breast cancer or a benign breast condition, your doctor will do a thorough physical exam in addition to a breast exam. Important diagnostic tests include:

• Mammogram: The most common way to see below the surface of your breast is with an imaging test called a mammogram. Many women ages 40 and older get annual mammograms to check for breast cancer.
• Breast Ultrasound scan is also useful in finding growth or abnormality in the breast; especially in younger woman where mammograms are not recommended.
• Breast biopsy: During this test, your doctor will remove a tissue sample from the suspicious area to have it tested. This is the most accurate way of detecting the presence of breast cancer.

Breast cancer treatment
The stage of your breast cancer – how far it has invaded (if it has) and how big the tumor has grown –  plays a large part in determining what kind of treatment you will need. To start, your doctor will determine your cancer’s size, stage, and grade. Your cancer’s grade describes how likely it is to grow and spread. After that, you can discuss your treatment options.

Surgery is the most common treatment for breast cancer. Many people have additional treatments, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation, or hormone therapy. It is very important to see a doctor if you feel any changes in your breast. Regular screening is also effective in detecting early changes and aids in prompt intervention.