What is breast cancer? Breast cancer develops from a cancer cell that grows in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts. When breast cancer has spread to the surrounding breast tissue, it is called “invasive” breast cancer. Some people are diagnosed with “carcinoma in situ,” where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobe. Most cases develop in women over 50, but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men although this is rare. Staging means how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body. Cancer cells are classified from low, meaning slow growing, to high, meaning fast growing. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after their first treatment. What causes breast cancer? A cancerous tumor starts from an abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or changes certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and it multiplies ‘out of control’. Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are certain risk factors that can increase the chance of developing breast cancer, such as genetics. What are the symptoms of breast cancer? The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most breast lumps are not cancerous and are fluid-filled cysts, which are benign. The first place breast cancer usually spreads to is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this happens, you will experience swelling or a lump in the armpit. How is breast cancer diagnosed?
Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may do tests such as a mammogram, a special X-ray of breast tissue that can indicate the possibility of tumors. Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.
If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to assess whether it has spread. For example, blood tests, liver ultrasound or chest X-ray. How is breast cancer treated? Treatment options that may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy. A combination of two or more of these treatments is often used.
Surgery: Breast conserving surgery or removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumor. Radiation therapy: A treatment that uses high-energy beams of radiation focused on cancerous tissue. This kills the cancer cells or stops the cancer cells from multiplying. It is mainly used as an adjunct to surgery. Chemotherapy: A cancer treatment using anticancer drugs that kill cancer cells or prevent them from multiplying Hormonal treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the “female” hormone estrogen, which can stimulate cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments that reduce the level of these hormones or block their action are commonly used in people with breast cancer.
How successful is the treatment? The outlook is better for those diagnosed when the cancer is still small and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumor at an early stage may then give a good chance of cure. Routine mammography offered to women between the ages of 50 and 70 means more breast cancers are diagnosed and treated at an early stage. For more information visit breastcancercare.org.uk, breastcancernow.org or www.cancerhelp.org.uk
