"The results of breast ultrasound revealed education, suspicious for cancer", "mammography results did not conclusively rule out a malignancy," "biopsy showed the presence of cancerous changes in the breast and require advanced examination." These are just some of the scariest words a woman can hear from your doctor.
Mammary glands consist of three main types of tissues - fat, connective and glandular. Breast cancer (BC) is called a malignant tumor that develops from cells is glandular tissue. Contrary to popular belief, ill with breast cancer, both women and men, but in women it occurs much more frequently.
How does breast cancer
Breast cancer develops in the same way as any other cancer in the body. One or more cells of glandular tissue as a result of these mutations occurred in the beginning of abnormally divide rapidly. They form a tumor that can invade nearby tissues and create secondary tumor lesions (metastases).
Most often, mammary tumors develop from cells of the mammary ducts - in this case, doctors say about ductal breast cancer or ductal carcinoma. Quite often malignant tumors arise from cells of the lobules of the breast, this type of cancer called invasive lobular carcinoma. It is worth noting that the growth of tumors and possible other glandular tissue cells.
Causes and risk factors
Unfortunately, information on the causes of breast cancer among scientists yet. There is a list of risk factors that affect the probability of occurrence of the tumor, but some disease diagnosed in the absence of these factors, while others remain healthy in the presence of many of them at once. However, scientists still associated with the development of breast cancer with certain circumstances, most often preceded by its appearance. These include:
- old age;
- the use of hormones;
- breast injuries;
- a history of breast cancer cases;
- diagnosed with breast cancer at some of the relatives;
- radiation exposure, for example, during radiotherapy used to treat other types of cancer;
- overweight;
- early onset of menstruation and late - menopause;
- no children or late (after 35 years), first birth;
- smoking and alcohol abuse;
- diabetes;
- work on schedule with night shifts.
Breast Cancer Symptoms
Quite often in the early stages of breast cancer are asymptomatic. But in some cases, signs indicating the presence of the disease is still there and can be overlooked.
First, the symptoms of which should alert, include breast lumps, or next to them in the axilla. In 9 cases out of 10 seals can be benign, but it certainly can be set only by means of mammalogy.
Independently verify the presence of breast nodules or any other changes worth once a month, at the end of menstruation. Home Diagnostics is most conveniently carried out while taking a bath or shower. Any changes that were found, it is necessary as soon as possible to tell the doctor.
Besides breast lumps, the symptoms of breast cancer include:
- clear or bloody discharge from the nipple;
- changing the size or shape of the mammary glands;
- changes in the structure of the skin on the breast;
- retraction of the nipple;
- peeling, redness, inflammation of the mammary glands of the skin, the appearance of "orange peel".
If the above symptoms, as well as any other changes in the mammary glands (eg, unusual or painful sensations) you should immediately consult with by a breast.
Diagnostics
To confirm or exclude the diagnosis of breast cancer in the first place be manual breast examination. Then, if there is suspicion or as a screening procedure can be assigned to mammography, X-ray examination of mammary glands. As a rule, women under 35 years of its execution is not recommended in young breast tissue is particularly sensitive to radiation exposure.
Ultrasonography (US) of the mammary glands to evaluate the structure of the tissue and differentiate, for example, a tumor from a cyst filled with fluid.
If the results of your mammogram or ultrasound indicate the presence of tumors in the breast, the doctor usually appoints biopsy, laboratory sample of tissue from the breast. Biopsy allows us to determine whether the tumor is malignant, as well as to determine the type and stage. In addition, the study of biopsy material provides an answer to the question whether the tumor is hormone-dependent, which also affects the treatment regimen.
Once diagnosed with the main task of the attending physician is to determine the stage of cancer, that is, the size of the tumor, its location, the presence of metastases and aggressiveness. From these factors, treatment and prognosis depends on the selection of optimal therapies. As a rule, to clarify the steps are carried out blood tests, mammography other breast, bone scan, . In some cases, one can determine the stage of the tumor during surgery only.
Treatment of breast cancer
Treatment strategy for breast cancer depends on many factors - the type of cancer, stage of the tumor cell sensitivity to hormones, as well as the general health of the patient.
The main treatment for breast cancer - surgery. If able to diagnose the disease at an early stage, the surgeon can perform a lumpectomy, the removal of the tumor tissue, and a small portion of the surrounding healthy tissue. When larger breast tumors removed entirely (this operation is called a mastectomy), as well as coming to her lymph nodes. If the physician to assess the risk of developing cancer in the second breast is relatively high, the patient may be advised removal of both breasts at once.
Radiation therapy (i.e., exposure to ionizing radiation on a tumor) breast cancer is usually used after surgery. Therapy is to kill cancer cells that may remain in the body.
Chemotherapy, that is, the use of drugs to kill cancer cells, may be performed after surgery to remove the tumor, as well as radiation therapy. In some cases, the chemotherapy treatment is carried out before the operation to reduce the size is too large for the removal of the tumor.
For the treatment of breast cancer that is sensitive to hormones, hormone therapy is used - it is several different methods, stopping the production of hormones in the body, or scripts are being blocked flow to the tumor. Hormone therapy can reduce the likelihood of recurrence of the tumor, as well as, in case of an inoperable tumor, helps to control its growth.
For the treatment of breast cancer is also used targeted therapy - drugs that come directly to the tissues of the tumor and minimal effect on healthy cells. Targeted therapy is used either alone or in combination with other treatments - depending on which scheme is best suited to the patient.
The available arsenal oncology therapies for breast cancer, in most cases allows to achieve remission of the disease or at least prolong its life while maintaining quality. However, be aware that the effectiveness of the treatment as a whole depends on whether treatment is initiated in a timely manner, that is in the early stages of the disease.
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