Breast cancer, Causes ,Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention

What is breast cancer?

Introduction:

Breast consists of the following:

1. Breast tissue itself (which is formed by lobes), where milk production is here, and then to the ducts that comes out of the nipple
2. Supporting tissue consists of connective tissue and fat

Now, what is breast cancer? :

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor, is growing in the breast tissue (we may see in the supporting tissue tumors, but not a real breast cancer). And is of two types:

1. First: (in situ) or (Non-invasive carcinomas) and if the tumor was contained in the lobe and ducts.
2. Second: (Invasive carcinomas) and that is when the cancer cells out of the ducts and lobules.

Breast cancer frequency:

Breast cancer affects nearly a million women all over the world, and thus be more common among women cancers. This is a malignant tumor that causes more deaths among women, it is possible to see this tumor in males, although the effects are much less (which is a rare cancer in men): less than 1%. The cure rate is about 60%.

Age and its relationship to breast cancer

Incidence rate increases with age, and doubles every 10 years (until menopause), the highest incidence is in the following age groups: 45-60 years. 75% of breast cancers occur in women (over 40 years). This cancer becomes a risk factor when a woman becomes greater than the age of 50 years. But this does not mean that breast cancer does not affect young women, although it is much less common.

Geographical variation and its relationship to breast cancer

It is less common in Asian countries (China and Japan), and is more common in Western industrialized countries (it is less common in Latin countries or the Mediterranean, such as Italy, Spain and Greece), in the Anglo-Saxon or Nordic countries.

Studies indicate in Japanese women who emigrated to the United States, the pace of incidence of breast cancer in these women rose to become close to the pace of incidence in the United States within a generation or two. This indicates the existence of a possible relationship between the (environmental factors and the type of life) on the one hand with (breast cancer) on the other hand.

Breast cancer and its relationship to reproductive factors, and pregnancy

Increased risk of breast cancer incidence in the early age among women and when the delay menopause. Since menopause after age 55 doubles the risk of incidence of breast cancer compared to women who have twice had their menopause before the age of 45 years.

Cases of incidence of this disease is higher in women who did not have children, and in which the first pregnancy occurs in late, top Group risk of injury is the women who gave birth to the first child after the age of 35. Where estimates suggest that the risk of incidence of breast cancer among women who had their first child after the age of 30, is almost twice what it was before the age of 20.

Genetics and breast cancer

It is estimated that up to 10% of hereditary breast cancers. Where it can be genetic factor is transmitted by both parents, and can be a family member just a carrier of the gene without it get cancer. Genes responsible for the incidence of breast cancer are not known precisely, but some of them have been identified as playing an important role in the incidence of breast cancer, such as gene BRCA.

Previous breast disease and its relationship to breast cancer

Only (atypical epithelial breast) inflation increases the risk of incidence of breast cancer in women who previously infected.

Radiation and its relationship to breast cancer

Studies conducted in the middle of the last century, the women (or girls showed a teen) who received X repeatedly in the chest x-ray (for the diagnosis or treatment) that ionizing radiation increases breast cancer, also showed that the risk of breast cancer depends on:

1. The girl's age
2. The radiation dose received by the girl
3. The number of times in which the girl had been rays (total) dose.

Lifestyle and its relationship to breast cancer

There are studies currently underway on the relationship (breast cancer) on the one hand and (gaining fat in the diet of a person) on the other hand. Some suggest that olive oil (Mediterranean diet) helps reduce the risk of breast cancer. However, the factors that cause an increase or reduce the incidence of breast cancer is still in need of further study and long. Recently, research is focused on the role of soy in the protection from breast cancer.

Overweight and its relationship to breast cancer

Postmenopausal, overweight increases the risk of incidence (more than twice the risk in obese than non-obese).

Hormones and their relationship to breast cancer

There is a lot of controversy about whether taking the pills increase the risk of breast cancer incidence. Large studies have failed to take a final decision on it. Where that people who eat these drugs increases their risk of incidence, but this risk is very small.

Treatment with (hormone replacement) and their relationship to breast cancer

Hormone replacement (HRT) is a hormonal preparations take women. These hormones contribute to ease menopause symptoms that occur in this period. These hormones are similar to oral contraceptives: Emerging studies give very different results, and does not explain one hundred percent if this treatment is a risk factor for breast cancer or not.

As a general rule, we can say that we have now evidence to suggest that HRT does not increase mortality from breast cancer rate

Mass in the breast !!! What are the risk factors in the development of breast cancer ??

In some cases, the first symptoms are a lump in the breast. This should not be afraid, it must be emphasized here that not all lumps or nodules on the chest is breast cancer, mass in the breast is something draws our words and alerts us

Skin changes:

Women may notice that the change has occurred on the skin in the chest area, dimpled or wrinkled, which changes with the passage of time. In advanced cases, it can take the appearance of the skin (orange peel). Sometimes it may become the region or the entire breast red, enlarged (inflamed).

Changes in the nipple:

You may also notice changes in the skin of the nipple, where it may become weak or thin (flaking skin), or no discharge him (whether milky, watery, or blood).

incidence axillary lymph nodes

Another sign may appear in breast cancer incidence and is the axillary lymph nodes, where the influence of the tumor swells

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

In the early stages of the disease, it may be cancer Aarzia, and may not cause discomfort and clear for women. Many breast cancers are diagnosed in the moment, be at the presence of women for routine medical examinations or through programs for breast cancer.

Medical examination

Is the first examination, the examination of both breasts, armpits and neck. Through this examination is verified and a lump in the breast or lymph nodes under the armpit.

Mammograms

We can say that the best test for breast study. Where they are from which to identify abnormal areas on the breast, and these areas do not have to be breast cancer. The mammograms guide us whether these abnormal areas (benign or malignant), but it is completely safe.

Here reaped that note, mammograms in young women is not very accurate, because breast density when young women differ from breast density in older women. Thus, it is not necessary and is not useful to the exercise routine mammograms among this group of young women.

Sonograms

Ultrasound can help in the study, and to determine whether these nodules are solid or liquid, as well as to determine the size ........ etc., they are not useful as evidence conclusive, but it is very useful in other diseases, such as cysts.

Puncture fine needle aspiration (FNA)

It involves inserting a needle in the doctrine has been disclosed previously. This allows the needle to collect a sample of cells from the node, where he will be analyzed under a microscope. Sometimes there will be changes to appear on mammograms, but we do not feel a knot, then it is necessary to drill with the help of mammographic or sonographic

Biopsy

Sometimes you may need a large number of abnormal cells in the region for diagnosis. Then the doctor will use a biopsy. This includes taking a sample of breast tissue for microscopic observation. It can perform this operation under Local or general anesthesia , depending on the status of each patient and each case. 

Sometimes the doctor decides to intervene surgically to remove suspicious nodules, and analysis of biopsy during surgery, so that helps him to take the decision to expand the scope of the surgery, and it can be done all at once, without the need to return the patient to the operating room later.

How are diagnosed with breast cancer?

If a woman noticed none of the changes that have been mentioned previously, then it is important that women see a doctor. Where you can start a case study in order to provide the evidence and then to be a specialist. In other cases, the doctor, the patient speaks directly to these specialists to be who is the study began.

Non-invasive carcinomas:

Non-invasive carcinomas HMO that the tumor, which did not exceed some of the microscopic structures of the breast. And depending on where you emerge from it, can be duct (intraductal) or lobular (intralobular). In contrast, the duct may have a different microscopic varieties. This type of non-invasive carcinomas rarely causes metastases, but can be turned into Invasive carcinomas (beyond the structures of the breast).

Invasive carcinomas:

Invasive carcinomas are somewhat exceeded the barrier in the breast structure. And including:

• The so-called infiltrating ductal, which is the most common type of all breast cancers (70-80%).
• There is also a lobular, less frequent than that.
• Another distinctive patterns Medullary, mucinous, tubular, etc: are now less common.

Other malignancies

Sarcomas: a malignant tumors that arise in the connective tissue (the tissue that gives support to breast gland), are rare, so we can not call it breast cancer.

What types of breast cancer are there?

In order to avoid confusion, and that we can find different classifications of breast cancer, each with different characteristics, we will discuss what are the most common species in Europe, apart from the other cases are rare.

Early breast cancer

He is confined to the breast and/or underarm lymph on the same side of the body.

Locally advanced breast cancer

Areas of the skin or chest wall, but did not spread beyond the breast and / or armpit. Is worse than the pattern Early breast cancer, is a victim of skin tumor directly, where the red, and swollen. This is due to the obstruction of drainage channels in the chest fluid (lymph vessels) of pre-cancerous cells, causing inflammation and can not discharge area.

Advanced breast cancer

Here the tumor has spread beyond the breast and armpit, that has spread to other areas or organs. For example, the neck, bone, liver, lungs, or brain.

How is the treatment of breast cancer?

Treatment depends on the type of tumor and the stage of the disease, such as: incidence of lymph nodes, spreading to other organs, etc., and therefore, there are tumors are classified depending on the length. To understand more easily, we can be classified into three groups

The development of breast cancer

Initially, the cancer cells to the mammary ducts or lobules, which as we call it Non-invasive or "in situ" limited.

There are two main types, the ductal and lobular, differ from Aedha in terms of observation under a microscope, and will be treated differently to some extent. Ductal for full treatment usually requires surgery, radiation therapy or hormone therapy, while non-invasive lobular usually only require surgical removal, and just watching some of the books, without interfering recommended.

Ductal carcinoma in situ, if not treated, may become invasive, and spread in the surrounding breast tissue. But that can not happen in days or weeks, but needs a time period of several months to a year.

When evolve into Invasive carcinomas there will be a risk that the cancer cells will spread to nearby lymph nodes, and the first nodes that are affected are the lymph nodes in the armpit on the same side of the body. The tumor can also be spread through blood vessels: the cells that invade the small vessels that feed the cancer, and from there they can travel to other organs of the body, causing what is called metastasis. The most common site of metastases to sites are: bone, lung, liver and brain.

How can prevent cancer?

In fact, the lack of knowledge of one common cause of all breast cancers, mean that we can not prevent incidence of this disease. However, there are a number of facts or factors that may help reduce the risk of incidence him.

Selective breast examination (programs for early diagnosis or breast cancer screening) does not reduce the incidence of breast cancer, but it can reduce deaths, and only in the group of people who carried out the survey on time.

Screening programs aimed (which are also called breast cancer screening) to the early detection of breast cancer incidence, to allow for treatment quickly and efficiently as possible, and thus attempt to reduce the risk of death from cancer female carrier. As for the age at which a woman should follow the scanning software which is controversial and varies by country. For example, the American Cancer Society recommends that women should survey tracking software in the age of forty. In other countries, the recommendation of 45 or 50. There is debate about the frequency of screening test (usually mammograms), and recommend each year as well, although this depends on the woman's age, and because of the economic costs of repeated screening programs in some areas every 2 or 3 years.

Generally do not require women under 40 to these programs, where breast cancer is rare in ages less than 40 (although we must not forget that some of the cases occur in young girls), and besides, mammograms for breast implants in young women does not provide good information as is the case in older women, due to higher breast tissue density in young women, and can lead to the diagnosis is unclear.

From here, we recommend that women who have been reminded them in screening programs that come to get the test, because they are so benefit themselves