Breast Cancer Awareness

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, it is very vital to understand various factors that are involved with the disease. What is Breast cancer? How does one get it? What are some of the signs and symptoms that accompany breast cancer?
With that said, Breast cancer is a disease in which cells in the breast grow out of control. There are different kinds of breast cancer. The kind of breast cancer depends on which cells in the breast turn into cancer.

Breast cancer can begin in different parts of the breast. A breast is made up of three main parts: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. The lobules are the glands that produce milk. The ducts are tubes that carry milk to the nipple. The connective tissue (which consists of fibrous and fatty tissue) surrounds and holds everything together. Most breast cancers begin in the ducts or lobules.

What are the different types of Breast Cancer?

The most common kinds of breast cancer are: 

A.Invasive ductal carcinoma. 
The cancer cells begin in the ducts and then grow outside the ducts into other parts of the breast tissue. Invasive cancer cells can also spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body.

B.Invasive lobular carcinoma. 
Cancer cells begin in the lobules and then spread from the lobules to the breast tissues that are close by. These invasive cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body.

Breast cancer symptoms can vary for each person. Possible signs of breast cancer include:

A change in the size, shape or contour of your breast.
A mass or lump, which may feel as small as a pea.
A lump or thickening in or near your breast or in your underarm that persists through your menstrual cycle.
A change in the look or feel of your skin on your breast or nipple (dimpled, puckered, scaly or inflamed).
Redness of your skin on your breast or nipple.
An area that’s distinctly different from any other area on either breast.
A marble-like hardened area under your skin.
A blood-stained or clear fluid discharge from your nipple.
Some people don’t notice any signs of breast cancer at all. That’s why routine mammograms and are so important.

Breast cancer develops when abnormal cells in your breast divide and multiply. But experts don’t know exactly what causes this process to begin in the first place.

However, research indicates that are several risk factors that may increase your chances of developing breast cancer. These include:

i.Age. Being 55 or older increases your risk for breast cancer.
ii.Sex. Women are much more likely to develop breast cancer than men.
iii.Family history and genetics. If you have parents, siblings, children or other close relatives who’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, you’re more likely to develop the disease at some point in your life. About 5% to 10% of breast cancers are due to single abnormal genes that are passed down from parents to children, and that can be discovered by genetic testing.
iv.Smoking. Tobacco use has been linked to many different types of cancer, including breast cancer.
v.Alcohol use. Research indicates that drinking alcohol can increase your risk for certain types of breast cancer.
vi.Obesity. Having obesity can increase your risk of breast cancer and breast cancer recurrence.
vii.Radiation exposure. If you’ve had prior radiation therapy — especially to your head, neck or chest — you’re more likely to develop breast cancer.
viii.Hormone replacement therapy. People who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
ix.There are many other factors that can increase your chances of developing breast cancer. Talk to your healthcare provider to find out if you’re at risk.

Staging helps describe how much cancer is in your body. It’s determined by several factors, including the size and location of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread to other areas of your body. The basic breast cancer stages are:

a.Stage 0. The disease is non-invasive. This means it hasn’t broken out of your breast ducts.
b.Stage I. The cancer cells have spread to the nearby breast tissue.
c.Stage II. The tumor is either smaller than 2 centimeters across and has spread to underarm lymph nodes or larger than 5 centimeters across but hasn’t spread to underarm lymph nodes. Tumors at this stage can measure anywhere between 2 to 5 centimeters across, and may or may not affect the nearby lymph nodes.
d.Stage III. At this stage, the cancer has spread beyond the point of origin. It may have invaded nearby tissue and lymph nodes, but it hasn’t spread to distant organs. Stage III is usually referred to as locally advanced breast cancer.
e.Stage IV. The cancer has spread to areas away from your breast, such as your bones, liver, lungs or brain. Stage IV breast cancer is also called metastatic breast cancer.

How can I be sure that my cancer will be detected before it has spread?
While you can’t prevent breast cancer altogether, there are certain things you can do to reduce your risk of discovering it at an advanced stage. For example:

i.Get routine mammograms. The American Cancer Society recommends having a baseline mammogram at age 35, and a screening mammogram every year after age 40.
ii.Examine your breasts every month after age 20. You’ll become familiar with the contours and feel of your breasts and will be more alert to changes.
iii.Have your breasts examined by a healthcare provider at least once every three years after age 20, and every year after age 40. Clinical breast exams can detect lumps that mammograms may not find.