Breast Cancer, Stay healthy, Stay updated and Stay Happy !!
Introduction
Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of normal cells; Breast cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells. After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. It can occur in both men and women, but more common in women.
Symptoms
- a lump in the breast or armpit,
- bloody nipple discharge,
- inverted nipple, usually newly formed,
- orange-peel texture or dimpling of the breast's skin or redness around the areola,
- breast pain or sore nipple,
- swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpit,
- a change in the size or shape of the breast or nipple.
Causes
The main cause is still not clear but what we know is the breast cancer is the result of mutations or abnormal changes in the genes.
Risk factors
- Being female
Women are much more likely to develop breast cancer than men. - Increasing age
The risk of breast cancer increases as you age. - A personal history of breast cancer
If you've had breast cancer in one breast, you have an increased risk of developing cancer in the other breast. - A family history of breast cancer
If anyone in the family was diagnosed with breast cancer, particularly at a young age, your risk of breast cancer is increased. - Inherited genes that increase cancer risk
Certain gene mutations that increase the risk of breast cancer can be passed from parents to children. The most common gene mutations are referred to as BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes can greatly increase your risk of breast cancer and other cancers. - Radiation exposure
If you received radiation treatments to your chest as a child or young adult, your risk of breast cancer is increased. - Obesity
Being obese increases your risk of breast cancer. - Beginning your period at a younger age
Beginning your period before age 12 increases your risk of breast cancer. - Beginning menopause at an older age
If you began menopause at an older age, you're more likely to develop breast cancer. - Having your first child at an older age
Women who give birth to their first child after age 30 may have an increased risk of breast cancer. - Having never been pregnant
Women who have never been pregnant have a greater risk of breast cancer than do women who have had one or more pregnancies. - Postmenopausal hormone therapy
Women who take hormone therapy medications that combine estrogen and progesterone to treat the signs and symptoms of menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer. - Drinking alcohol
Drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer.
Diagnosis
Breast cancer is diagnosed by :
- physical examination
- self-examination of the breasts
- mammography
- ultrasound testing
- biopsy
- MRI examination
- Nuclear medicine examination (BSGI)
Staging breast cancer
Once your doctor has diagnosed your breast cancer, he or she works to establish the extent (stage) of your cancer.
Your cancer's stage helps determine your prognosis and the best treatment options. Complete information about your cancer's stage may not be available until after you undergo breast cancer surgery. Tests and procedures used to stage breast cancer may include:
- Blood tests, such as a complete blood count
- Mammogram of the other breast to look for signs of cancer
- Breast MRI
- Bone scan
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
Not all women will need all of these tests and procedures. Your doctor selects the appropriate tests based on your specific circumstances and taking into account new symptoms you may be experiencing.
Breast cancer stages range from 0 to IV with 0 indicating cancer that is noninvasive or contained within the milk ducts. Stage IV breast cancer, also called metastatic breast cancer, indicates cancer that has spread to other areas of the body.
Types of Breast Cancer
Ductal Carcinoma in situ
Lobular Carcinoma in situ
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Invasive Lobular Carcinoma
Breast profile:
A ducts
B lobules
C dilated section of duct to hold milk
D nipple
E fat
F pectoralis major muscle
G chest wall/rib cage
Hope this article was useful to all the readers. Meet you in the next post.
Have a nice day!!
Stay healthy, Stay updated and Stay Happy
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Yes, that's very true...
This is a very informative post on breast cancer, @applesspatrick. This is definitely a topic that concerns me because I am a woman, and breast cancer is so prevalent. There are certainly many risk factors for breast cancer and many are lifestyle choices.
To add to the discussion of this important topic, I would like to say that among the risk factors for breast cancer are also toxicity, lack of nutrition, an unhealthy diet, and a lack of exercise. The more I learn about lifestyle choices, the more astounded I become at how big an impact they make on cancer risk and recovery.
Are risk for cancer and what actually causes cancer is toxicity. Once the body becomes overwhelmed with toxins from the environment and our food supply, it creates tumors to protect us from them. Cancer is a survival mechanism. If we give the body what it needs, we help to fight off cancer cells from getting out of hand. Exercise is also very crucial in fighting off cancer. As you know, increasing circulation also activates the lymphatic system. When we don't move, the lymph doesn't move, either. Exercise also increases oxygen levels, and cancer cannot survive in an oxygenated environment.
Our lifestyle determines if we have cancer. Thank you for your post :)
Thanks for sharing and for commenting on my post. Early detection is so important.