Breast cancer is a condition that causes uncontrollable cell proliferation in the breast. Breast cancer is classified into several categories. Which cells in the breast evolve into cancer determines the type of cancer.
Breast cancer can begin anywhere in the breast. The breast is made up of three basic parts: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. The milk-producing glands are known as lobules. Ducts are the tubes that carry milk to the nipple. Everything is held together by connective tissue (fibrous and fatty tissue).
This malignancy has the potential to spread outside of the breast through blood and lymph arteries. When cancer spreads to other places of the body, it is said to have metastasized. Arimidex Pill is used to treat breast cancer.
Types of Breast Cancer
The following are the most prevalent kinds of breast cancer:
Invasive ductal carcinoma Cancer cells begin in the ducts and spread to other areas of breast tissue. Cancer cells that are invasive can also move to other parts of the body, a process known as metastasis.
Invasive lobular carcinoma Cancer cells develop in the lobules and spread to the surrounding breast tissues. These invasive cancer cells have the ability to spread throughout the body.
Paget’s disease, medullary, mucinous, and inflammatory breast cancer are all less prevalent kinds of breast cancer.
DCIS is a kind of breast cancer that has the potential to evolve to invasive malignancy. The cancer cells have only spread to the duct lining and not to other breast tissues.
What Are the Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms?
The symptoms of breast cancer differ from person to person. Some persons exhibit no indications or symptoms.
- A new breast or underarm lump is one of the breast cancer warning signals (armpit).
- Breast thickness or edoema in one area
- Dimpling or inflammation of the breast skin.
- Flaky or red skin around the nipple or breast.
- Pulling in of the nipple or soreness in the nipple area
- In addition to breast milk, nipple discharge might contain blood.
- Any change in the size or contour of the breast.
- Breast discomfort in any area.
It is important to remember that these symptoms can be caused by illnesses other than cancer.
Make an appointment with your doctor right away if you detect any signs or symptoms that concern you.
What Exactly Is a Healthy Breast?
The absence of breasts is typical. What one woman considers normal may not be considered normal by another. The majority of women say their breasts are lumpy or uneven. Having your period, having children, losing or gaining weight, and taking certain drugs can all affect the appearance and feel of your breasts. Breasts vary as you age as well. More information can be found at the National Cancer Institute under Breast Changes and Conditions.
What Do Breast Lumps Mean?
Breast lumps can result from a number of illnesses, including cancer. The majority of breast lumps, however, are caused by other medical issues. The two most prevalent causes of breast lumps are fibrocystic breast disease and cysts. Noncancerous alterations in the breast caused by fibrocystic disease can cause lumpiness, discomfort, and soreness. Cysts are tiny fluid sacs that can occur in the breast.
What Are the Risk Factors for Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer risk is driven by a variety of factors, according to study. The two most major risk factors are being a woman and becoming older. Breast cancer is more common in women over the age of 50.
Despite having no other recognized risk factors, some women get breast cancer. A risk factor’s presence does not guarantee the presence of the disease, and not all risk factors have the same effect. Despite the fact that most women have certain risk factors, the vast majority of women do not develop this malignancy. If you have any of these cancer risk factors, speak with your doctor about strategies to lower your risk and about breast cancer screening.
The Risk Factors Cannot Be Changed
Getting older. The risk of breast cancer rises with age. After the age of 50, the majority of these tumours are identified.
Genetic mutations Women who have inherited alterations (mutations) in certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, are at a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.
The Evolution of Reproduction Women who start menstruating before the age of 12 and menopause after the age of 55 are exposed to hormones for a longer period of time, increasing their risk of breast cancer.
Having large breasts. Because dense breasts have more connective tissue than fatty tissue, tumours can be difficult to detect on a mammography. Women with thick breasts are more likely to develop this cancer.
Personal knowledge of this malignancy or some non-cancerous breast illnesses. Women who have previously had breast cancer are more likely to have it again. Atypical hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ have been linked to an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
There is a history of breast or ovarian cancer in the family.
If a woman has a mother, sister, or daughter (first-degree relative) or several family members who have had breast or ovarian cancer on either her mother’s or father’s side of the family, she is more likely to have this cancer. If a woman has a first-degree male relative who has this cancer, her risk increases.
Previously received radiation therapy treatment. Women who have radiation therapy to the chest or breasts before the age of 30 (for example, to treat Hodgkin’s lymphoma) are more likely to acquire this cancer later in life.
Diethylstilbestrol drug exposure (DES). Some pregnant women in the United States were administered DES to prevent miscarriage between 1940 and 1971. Women who took DES while pregnant or whose mothers used DES while pregnant are more likely to get this cancer.
Who Is At Risk for Breast Cancer?
“Having a cancer family history increases the chance of cancer in both sexes.”
This blog post describes how this cancer can run in families, placing both men and women at risk.
If you have a significant family history of the disease or inherited alterations in your BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, you may be at a higher risk of having this cancer. You can also put yourself at risk for ovarian cancer.
Consult your doctor about strategies to lessen your risks, such as taking breast cancer pills that block or reduce oestrogen levels in your body or undergoing surgery.
Variable Risk Factors
Two women walking with one dumbbell in each hand, photographed.
Physical activity can help reduce your chances of getting this cancer.
Being physically sedentary. Women who do not engage in physical activity are more likely to acquire breast cancer.
Obesity or being overweight after menopause Overweight or obese elderly women are more likely than healthy-weight women to have this malignancy.
Hormone replacement therapy. Some forms of hormone replacement treatment (those that combine both oestrogen and progesterone) used during menopause for more than five years can raise the risk of this malignancy. A higher risk of breast cancer has also been related to certain oral contraceptives (birth control tablets).
The Evolution of Reproduction Having your first pregnancy after the age of 30, not nursing, and never having a full-term pregnancy are all risk factors for acquiring this malignancy.
I’m having a drink. The more alcohol a woman consumes, the more likely she is to develop this cancer, according to study.
According to study, other risk factors for breast cancer include smoking, exposure to carcinogenic chemicals, and changes in other hormones caused by night shift work.
