Breast Cancer Awareness, Types, Symptoms, Stages, Risk Factors, Diagnosis and Treatment

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What is Breast Cancer? Signs and Symptoms, Risk Factors, Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer in Women

What is Breast? The term of the breast is normally used to refer to the embossed area of the chest in a human female that contains mammary glands. Mammary glands in mammals are sets of complex glands that produce milk for nursing the infants. A breast consists of nipple (the top part of a breast), areola (the colored area around the nipple), lactiferous/milk duct (milk-secreting cells), lobule (a group of joint deep holes called alveoli), Fatty tissues (the area, is responsible for a breast’s size, shape, and firmness), breast muscles and chest wall covered with skin.

Each breast has one complex Mammary gland that passages milk in nipple from 10-20 different lactiferous ducts located in lobules.

What is Cancer? In the healthy human body, millions of cells create, grow and die at a balanced ratio under a naturally controlled system. Cancer is an unbalanced condition where cells do not die at a normal ratio in comparison to cell growth. As a result, there is excessive cell growth in contrast to cell death that causes cancer. The process of excessive cell growth with an invasion of existing cells or the ability to spread a tumor all over the body is called metastasis.

Definition of Breast Cancer:

Cancer of cells tissues in the area of mammary glands is called breast cancer.

1. What is Breast Cancer?

Breast Cancer is one of the major types of cancers that cause death in females. There also occurs breast cancer in males but with a low ratio than women. Usually, breast cancer does not show its signs very early. Probably the tumor has been developing for 10-15 years before showing its signs. Breast cancer occurs in milk ducts, lobules, and breast tissues, normally caused by:

Obesity in older women

Extreme alcohol consumption

Abnormality in menstrual circle

Delayed menopause

Highly usage of steroid hormones

Initial signs of breast cancer include:

Change in shape of breasts

Lymph node in breasts

Inverted nipple

Lumpiness in breasts

Redness or flaking of skin

Fluid discharge other than milk from a nipple

Symptoms at an invasive stage of breast cancer include:

Enlarged lymph nodes

Change in skin color

Bone pain

Shortness of Breath

Risks of breast cancer can be lower by:

Breastfeeding for a long period

Having childbirth before the age of 30

Cutting the usage of hormones to control childbirth

Avoiding tobacco smoking and too much alcohol intake

Workout

Avoiding underarm waxing that can lead to Lymphedema

1.1 - How does breast cancer spread?

Primary lump creates in the mammary gland and after it grows invasive, it develops outside of the breast towards the local lymph nodes or metastasizes to systems of other organs in the body and turn out to be collective. Lymph is a clear fluid rich in protein channelized via nodes, which soaks the all-over body cells and works through lymphatic towards blood circulations. A primary lymph node network is in almost all organs of a body, filtering fluid of those organs. A breast’s main lymph nodes are located under armpits. Typically, the area in which breast cancer spreads primarily is a local lymph node in the axilla. As cancer occupies its local area, it can grow into blood receptacles. Now cancer will find one more way to spread towards other body organs if the tumor gets its way into blood receptacles.

Breast tumor spreads slowly through this typical route, but sometimes this malignant tumor grows more swiftly under a few circumstances. Initially, a lump can be felt in abreast of the malignancy, which is around 1.016 centimeter – 1 centimeter in size and comprises around 1,000,000 cells. A lump of this size takes 1-5 years to grow before showing its signs. During this time, when the lump is being developed and shows its signs, the tumor may have been spreading regionally in other parts of the body or blood vessels.

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Initially, breast tumor metastasizes towards its local nodes that are under the armpit. A complete metastasis can occur in other organ systems in a body if cancer travels via lymphatic or spread in blood vessels. Other organs where breast cancer inclines are soft tissues, bones, liver, lungs, and skin. At every stage of this cancer, whether it is at its initial stage or an invasive stage, lymph nodes are only signs of the presence of metastasis throughout the patient’s body. Instead of advancement in medicinal technology, still not such profound method has found to catch every little development of malignancy. Thus, armpit examination is the primary and important test to diagnose the local metastasis and start the treatment and kind of treatment for the ailment.

If breast cancer spreads to other body parts, it can affect the main functionality of those organs and may cause the death of the patient.

1.2 - Types of Breast Cancer

There are different types of breast cancer including curable to least curable cancer. At this breast cancer website, we will explain different types of breast cancer categorized by Non-invasive, Invasive, less common, and uncommon breast cancer:

Non-invasive Breast Cancer Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS)

Invasive Breast Cancer Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC)

Less Common Breast Cancer Inflammatory Breast Cancer Sub-types of IDC: Mucinous Carcinoma Medullary Carcinoma Tubular Carcinoma Papillary Carcinoma Cribriform Carcinoma Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS) Paget's disease of the Nipple

Uncommon Breast Cancer Phyllodes Tumor of breast Angiosarcoma of the breast Breast Cancer Molecular Subtypes Metastatic and Recurrent Breast Cancer Male Breast Cancer



Read about Breast Cancer Types in Details.

1.3 - Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms

Normally, signs and symptoms of breast cancer are not easy to detect using one method or tool. Most common tools, which are used to evaluate the existence of breast cancer in females’ body:

Screening – it includes the assessment of females with no sign of breast disease. Physical Examination – it includes a detailed clinical physical examination. Mammography – it includes an x-ray screening of the body to detect lumps or problems in a breast.

The authentication of these tools is yet questionable. Mammogram screening has been helpful to identify 90+ percent of breast cancers. However, 10% of all breast cancers have not been measurable using mammography. The authentication score of a Physical examination is the same. This is why; it is advisable to utilize combined tools for the routine checkup to evaluate issues in a breast.

Signs and Symptoms of breast cancer leading to diagnosis include:

A lump inside a breast or outspread around the breast is a most studied and common initial sign of a glandular tumor.

Nipple inversion, bleeding from the nipple or skin dimpling is advanced symptoms of developed tumor and biopsy should be performed. Inverted nipples, skin lumpiness with a change in a breast size found on biopsy are a more progressive discovery of cancer.

The symptoms involving skin i.e. red skin patches or swelling are discovered at a later stage of cancer.

Note: All kinds of lumps found in a breast are not cancerous. Changes of fibrocystic in a breast are very common. A non-cancerous lump in the breast caused by fibrocystic may also cause signs of swelling, breast pain, or nipple discharge and can be noticed as a fluid-filled / hard lump in the breast during a physical check-up. A detailed diagnostic exam of any evident breast problem is compulsory and highly advisable. Where there is a fibrocystic lump normal phenomenon of the breast, breast cancer is also a common disease. Also, signs and symptoms of the fibrocystic condition can connect to breast cancer signs and symptoms. These normal changes in a breast are also considered as an increased threat for breast cancer.

1.4 - Causes of Breast Cancer in Females

All types of cancers are considered to happen due to minor genes transformations. A gene is a DNA segment that is inherited from family. These DNA segments control the growth of body and metabolic rate. Minor transformations in arrangements of genes can result in mutations in proteins, which control metabolic functionalities. In a healthy body, genes controlled by proteins regulate cell divisions. Particular genes produce proteins, which pass information to fine cells that when to die. When cancer occurs, the regulatory genes are changed or damaged and do not make proteins required to indicate cells to break the division.

The transformation that becomes the reason for breast cancer does not have a specific cause. The factors of genetic / family history, lifestyle, and environment all are risk factors for getting breast cancer. We will look at common breast cancer risk and risk factors below:

1.5 - Breast Cancer Risk and Risk Factors

Breast cancer is a complicated syndrome instigated by various genetic and no genetic factors.

Genetic Factor:

Five to ten percent females carrying these genes: BRCA2, BRCA1, including BARD1, RB1CC1, BRIP1, RAD51, BWSCR1A, TP53, BRCA3, and CHEK2 have eighty percent possibilities of growing breast cancer during a lifetime.

Family History:

If there have been cases of breast cancer in a family gene, chances of developing the malignant syndrome are higher.

Gender:

Chance of breast cancer in men is 100 times less than women. Breast cancer is predominantly a disease of women over the age of 40, with incidence rates increasing with age. Only 1% of breast cancer affects men, and it usually occurs when they are over the age of 60.

Age:

Mostly breast tumor is developed in aged women above the age of 50. Women of 61 years of old are all heavily in danger of invasive cancer. One percent of men of 60+ years of old can be affected by breast tumors.

Lifestyle:

Lifestyle factors that can cause glandular cancer are:

No workout or physical activities

Obesity

Drinking alcohol for 2 times a day, 7 days a week

Unhealthy eating like the diet that is rich in fats

Using exogenous hormones to control childbirth

If the menstrual cycle starts before the age of 12 and menopause after the age of 55

Menopausal Hormone Therapy (HT):

HT is an increased risk factor for glandular tumors. It is also referred to as estrogen (ET) with progestin (EPT) therapy.

Even though there are several accepted risk factors on the list, it should be noted that more than seventy percent of females who develop breast tumors have no caught identified risk factors. Exposure to several risk factors can increase the menace of getting the tumor but the relationship of prompting factors remains complicated. Family history is the most significant risk factor of all the above-mentioned risks. According to the studies full of fat diets, extreme use of alcohol and obesity are also important risk factors.

1.6 - Breast Cancer Diagnosis

However, clear evidence of breast cancer diagnosis that can lead to treatment is still complicated. Following methods and tools are used to detect breast cancer in females:

Self-Breast Exam

Clinical Breast Exam Mammography Screening Ultrasound Computed tomography MRI Biopsy Excisional biopsies Incisional biopsy Needle aspiration biopsy Core needle biopsy



Read about Breast Cancer Diagnosis Methods in Details.

1.7 - Breast Cancer Staging

By the results of the above diagnostic tests, the patient’s stage of glandular cancer is defined, which helps to decide a treatment procedure and further prognosis. Formally cancer staging is established by the ‘TNM’ system. The TNM system thinks through three aspects:

(T) – Tumor size and growth rate

(N) – if cancer has involved lymph nodes

(M) – whether cancer has metastasized

Following are the stages of breast cancer:

Stage I – The tumor is small than 2 centimeters and has not spread to lymph nodes.

– The tumor is small than 2 centimeters and has not spread to lymph nodes. Stage II – whether the tumor is bigger than 2 centimeters but has not involved lymph nodes or is not more than 2 centimeters but has led to lymph nodes.

– whether the tumor is bigger than 2 centimeters but has not involved lymph nodes or is not more than 2 centimeters but has led to lymph nodes. Stage IIIA – The cancer is more or less than 5 centimeters and has extended towards lymph nodes.

– The cancer is more or less than 5 centimeters and has extended towards lymph nodes. Stage IIIB – The tumor has spread out towards lymph nodes with the breastbone or inside the chest wall or soft tissues nearby a breast.

– The tumor has spread out towards lymph nodes with the breastbone or inside the chest wall or soft tissues nearby a breast. Stage IV – At this stage of cancer, a tumor has metastasized towards lymph nodes and skin close to the collarbone or to systems of other organs.

Read about Breast Cancer Stages in Details.

1.8 - Breast Cancer Treatment

All kinds of evil diseases are curable or preventable if identified initially. The same is the case with breast cancer or any kind of cancer. If it is detected early or appropriately at its early stage, it can be treated and cured of further damages leading to a patient’s death.

Once the tumor is traced in the body of a patient through diagnostic tests, the physician decides from following therapies as a sequence or combination for breast cancer treatment depending on its stage:

Breast Cancer Surgical Therapy:

i. Mastectomy: Mastectomy is a favorite surgical therapy for breast cancer. In a radical mastectomy, cancerous parts of the body like affected breast, lymph nodes in the armpit with the tissues within the chest wall are eradicated to stop metastasis.

ii. Lumpectomy: Lumpectomy is a partial breast cancer. In lumpectomy, only cancerous tissues are removed from the effected area of breast.

Radiation therapy:

Like radical mastectomy, radiation therapy is preferred to treat the tumor in a local area. It treats the particular malignant tissue open to radioactive rays and does not affect other parts of the body.

Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy improves the cancer resistance after successful mastectomy therapy to make sure there is no minor metastasis left in the body.

Hormone therapy:

Hormone therapy is a part of postoperative care to assess the existence of uneven estrogen with progesterone carriers on cancer cells. Changing the hormonal position by hormonal drug therapy in the patient’s body slow down the growth of a tumor and maximize the survival rate.

Bio-therapeutics:

Bio-therapeutics is a type of direct therapy that is done by monoclonal (single type) antibodies produced in a test lab, which respond with precise receptors to a tumor.

Complementary adjuvant therapy:

Complementary therapies are used to calm postoperative chemotherapy side effects on the patient’s body by using alternative medicine treatments i.e. guided imagery and acupuncture.

Read about Breast Cancer Treatments in details.

1.9 - Breast Cancer Prevention

Basic breast cancer awareness and knowledge are essential to help women be aware of primary signs of cancer so they can get appropriate early medical treatment if any symptoms are found. Also, proper education about breast cancer risk factors and preventions must be given to lower breast cancer risk among females of any age.

Lower your Breast Cancer Risk:

Glandular malignancy can be escaped by having a healthy lifestyle and routines. Like:

Quit smoking and advice others to not smoke also, do not smoke in the presence of non-smokers. Tobacco smoking is one of the major causes of cancer.

Drink alcohol sensibly. Two drinks a day increase the risks of cancer.

Limit intake of full in animal / saturated fats food.

Increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Eat five times a day. Starvation leads to obesity that increases cancer risk.

Workout daily and maintain healthy body weight.

Routine clinical health checkups will be helpful to detect the early presence of any malignancy and to refer to appropriate treatment.

2. Breast Cancer Types

In this section we will learn about types of Breast Cancer and their Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment Methods:

2.1 - What is Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) non-invasive Breast Cancer, Symptoms and Diagnosis, Treatment Methods?

Ductal Carcinoma in Situ is a type of non-invasive breast cancer. DCIS is not life-threatening and mostly curable. This non-invasive breast cancer can turn into invasive if not diagnosed on time and treated properly.

What stage of Breast Cancer is DCIS?

DCIS is a zero stage cancer of the breast. It’s called ‘Ductal Carcinoma’ (abnormality of milk ducts cells) and ‘in situ’ mean (in its local place), which means In DCIScancerous cells remain limited to milk ducts and do not spread towards soft breast tissues.

2.1.1 - What is the Difference between Non–invasive & invasive breast cancer?

Non-invasive and Invasive are the most common types of breast cancer.

What is non-invasive breast cancer?

In non-invasive cancer of the breast, abnormally divided cells are limited to its local place that is lobules or milk ducts and does not spread out towards breast tissues.

What is invasive breast cancer?

In invasive cancer of the breast, cancerous cells travel out to lobules or milk ducts. These tumor cells attack nearby soft tissues in the breast and may spread towards axillary lymph nodes.

2.1.2 - What are the Symptoms of DCIS?

Bleeding from the nipple

Pain in breast

Are the most common symptoms of DCIS. Usually, a lump is not found in the breast in Ductal Carcinoma in Situ.

2.1.3 - What are DCIS Diagnosis Methods?

Tests to diagnose DCIS include:

Mammogram

Around eighty percent of DCIS tumor is diagnosed by a mammogram. A mammogram is a screening test that highlights the DCIS affected area in an X-ray.

Biopsy

If there are suspects of Ductal Carcinoma in Situ originate in mammogram then a physician will go to perform a biopsy to evaluate and confirm the existence of a tumor in lobules or ducts. The biopsy is done by taking samples of breast tissues with needles for analyzing DCIS breast cancer.

MRI or Ultrasound

More tests may be done to evaluate the size of cancer and the development of DCIS within the breast.

2.1.4 - What is the treatment for DCIS Breast Cancer?

However, Ductal Carcinoma in Situ is non-invasive breast cancer; there are 40-50 percent cases where DCIS can grow into invasive breast cancer with time if not treated properly.

After considering the patient’s medical history and diagnostic test results, a physician can recommend appropriate treatment methods depending on the patient’s condition.

After seeing cancer size, location, the intensity of tumor cells, family medical history and gene mutation tests results, the doctor will lead to following treatments for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ DCIS (in sequence):

Surgical therapy / Mastectomy / Lumpectomy for DCIS

First, surgical therapy is done to treat Ductal Carcinoma in Situ. There are two types of surgical therapies: Mastectomy and Lumpectomy.

If the tumor has affected a big part of the breast or spread all through the ducts within the breast, a complete mastectomy will opt. In a complete mastectomy, the whole breast with some lymph nodes (if lymph nodes are cancerous) is removed.

Lumpectomy is performed when DCIS tumor is not spread in all ducts, lobules or axillary lymph nodes. In Lumpectomy, only cancerous tissues are removed and breast or lymph nodes are left as it is. In some cases, Lumpectomy is chosen with radiation therapy for DCIS treatment.

Radiation Therapy for DCIS

Women who go through a mastectomy, they are not given radiation therapy after surgical therapy. In DCIS radiation, therapy is combined with Lumpectomy to lower your risks of developing DCIS into invasive breast cancer and to prevent reoccurrence of DCIS breast cancer.

Hormone Therapy

A physician will evaluate hormone receptor status from cells removed in a biopsy. If hormone receptor status is positive that means DCIS cancer has cell receptors. In this case, Hormone therapy is done by using tamoxifen. Hormone therapy cannot be done after going under full mastectomy. In Lumpectomy hormone therapy is done with radiation therapy to prevent DCIC tumor to come back or developing into invasive breast cancer.

If hormone receptor status is negative that means DCIS tumor has not cell receptors. Then hormone therapy will not be determined.

Prognosis Factors for DCIS

Here are prognosis factors for DCIS:

Risk of DCIS turning into LCIS breast cancer after treatment

There are 30% of cases of developing LCIS invasive breast cancer in women, diagnosed with DCIS malignancy within ten years. That’s why it is essential to get complete treatment for DCIS breast tumors.

2.1.5 - Survival rate for DCIS breast cancer:

Normally, Ductal Carcinoma in Situ takes 5-10 years to be diagnosed. 98-99 percent of females diagnosed with DCIS successfully survive cancer. 80% – 85% of women diagnosed with DCIS non-invasive breast cancer lives without DCIS reoccurrence or without getting invasive breast cancer, who have taken proper treatment for DCIS breast tumors.

Still, there are minor chances of DCIS reappearance or developing invasive breast cancer in the same breast where DCIS tumor is found. Women who go for lumpectomy with radiation therapy are at higher risk than those who go for mastectomy. It is advisable to get a proper routine check-up after DCIS breast cancer treatment as invasive breast cancer is normally found early and could be cured positively.

2.1.6 - Causes of DCIS Breast Cancer

Causes of Ductal Carcinoma in Situ are still unclear. Usually, DCIS happens in the result of a genetic transformation. A genetic mutation causes abnormal cell division that creates DCIS tumors. Causes of mutation of genes are also not clear.

Other Risk Factors that may increase your risk of DCIS include:

Women who have had DCIS in the past, are on higher of getting DCIS tumor back within 5 – 10 years

Family medical history – if there are cases of breast cancer in the family

Increasing age

Getting pregnant for the first time after 30 years of age

Getting postmenopausal hormone therapy (estrogen-progestin replacement) for three to five years

Obesity – an unhealthy lifestyle

2.1.7 - Lower your Risk of DCIS Breast Tumor

You can lower your risk of DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in Situ) by

Having low fats food

Cutting smoking

Moderating drinking habits

Working out

Avoid taking hormone replacement therapy for a long time

2.2 - What is Invasive Breast Cancer?

Invasive breast cancer starts in the breast glands or milk ducts but does not confine there; the tumor develops within the soft breast tissue. It also can grow towards local axillary lymph nodes and to other organ systems.

What Stage Invasive Breast Cancer is?

Invasive breast cancer refers to Stage II of Breast Cancer, which has spread to other lymph nodes and organ systems of the body like bones, skin, lungs, brain or liver.

There are two common types of invasive breast cancer:

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma – IDC:

There are 80% of cases account for this type (IDC) of invasive breast cancer. In IDC, tumor starts in a duct, grow through duct walls and spread into breast tissues. Mostly it develops into its local area but it can spread in the body as well.

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma – ILC:

There are 10% of cases of invasive breast cancer accounts for ILC. With ILC, tumor cells produce in the glands or lobular and then grow beyond their locality. A most common sign of ILC's existence in the breast is breast stiffness instead of lumpiness.

Some females can have a permutation of both types of invasive breast cancer.

2.2.1 - What are the Signs of Invasive Breast Cancer?

Usually, breast cancer shows visible signs after 5 – 10 years of development. However, you can notice some of the following signs during the tumor’s growth:

Hardness or lumpiness in the breast even after menstrual periods

A pea-size lump in the breast

Change in the breast size or shape

Change in the nipple size or place

The scaly or red skin of the breast of nipple

Blood or fluid discharge from the nipple

A prominent area that is different from the other area of the breast

By doing monthly self-exam of the breast, you can easily notice these changes in the breast.

2.2.2 - What are Causes of Invasive Breast Cancer?

The primary cause of invasive breast cancer is undefined. There are some risk factors, which can increase the possibilities of invasive breast tumor i.e.:

Age- is the most common factor to increase the chances of developing invasive cancer of the breast. 70% of women above 55 years have an invasive type of breast cancer. Around 10% of invasive breast cancer diagnosed women are under 45 years old.

Family History – In white women, a family history of breast cancer is the second big cause of increasing invasive breast cancer risk.

Obesity – makes your breast thick and causes abnormality in cell division that causes a tumor. Having no children, late pregnancy or no breastfeeding are other reasons, cause breast thickness that can result in a tumor.

2.2.3 - Treatment of Invasive Breast Cancer

There are different things determine the treatment method for invasive breast cancer, like:

Cancer stage, size and location

Patient’s age and family medical history

Genetic mutation test result

If the patient is going through menopause

A doctor can ask about a patient’s choice of treatment method

What is the invasive Breast Cancer Prognosis?

To diagnose the tumor condition in breast cells, the doctor will check the cells' grades. A grade is decided on normal cells alikeness with cancer cells when observed under the microphone. There are two grade cells:

Lower-grade – tumor cells resemble normal cells of the breast.

Higher-grade – cancer cells are different from normal cells.

A doctor will decide the type of surgical therapy depending on cell grade.

The cancer cells will be tested for the hormone receptor. If the patient's estrogen and progesterone cause the tumor cells to develop then the doctor will also go for hormone therapies to block or stop hormones to treat the tumor.

A genetic mutation test for HER2 gent will also be tested to diagnose invasive breast cancer. A doctor will treat HER2 gene with ‘Herceptin’ called drug if found.

More tests will be taken to examine if the tumor has spread towards other body organs from the breast.

Different Methods to Treat Invasive Breast Cancer:

There are different methods are followed to treat invasive breast cancer including:

Surgical Therapy - mastectomy or Lumpectomy

Chemotherapy – is drug therapy, which is done before surgical therapy to squeeze cancer and make it treatable. Chemotherapy is also given after surgical therapy to stop the tumor reoccurrence.

Radiation therapy – is given after surgery or chemotherapy to prevent invasive breast cancer reoccurrence.

Hormone therapy – to stop hormone receptors

Targeted Therapy – is given if the HER2 gene is found

Some invasive breast cancer females opt for clinical trials where they go under different drug treatments, which are not available for others. Often doctor also recommends a drug therapy that is good for breast cancer treatment.

The doctor will use one or a combination of these treatment methods for the betterment of the patient. You are advised to consult your physician to decide the appropriate treatment course according to your condition.

Types of Invasive Breast Cancer

In this section we will explain types of Invasive Breast Cancer:

2.3 - What is IDC – Invasive Ductal Carcinoma?

IDC - Invasive Ductal Carcinoma is the most common kind of Invasive breast cancer in which cancer has spread beyond the milk duct walls to the breast tissues. IDC has high chances of spreading to lymph nodes (axillary) and into the other parts of the body.

Overall 80% of cases are found of Invasive ductal carcinoma in all kinds of breast cancer. The chances of developing IDC are high in women of 50+ years of old. Invasive ductal carcinoma is also found in men.

2.3.1 - What are the Signs and Symptoms of IDC?

IDC does not show obvious signs or symptoms at an early stage. Often, it is detected when it has spread into lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Mostly, Invasive ductal carcinoma in the breast is diagnosed using a mammogram for the first time.

Following are possible signs of invasive ductal carcinoma:

A lump or a hard mass in the breast or the armpit

Swelling in the breast skin

Pain in breast

Nipple discharge

Nipple inversion or pain in the nipple

Irritation or dimpling on breast skin

Patchy, reddened or hard skin or breast or nipple

2.3.2 - What are Diagnosis tests of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma:

More than one tests are performed to diagnose Invasive Ductal Carcinoma – IDC, including:

Physical breast exam:

Your doctor will check for swelling or lump using his/her fingers under the armpit or in the collarbone area to detect any abnormalities in the breast.

Screening Mammogram:

Mostly IDC is diagnosed in a screening mammogram, which is done on both of the breasts. Further tests are performed once IDC is diagnosed in mammography.

Ultrasound:

Often, Ultrasound is performed as a part of mammography.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of Breast:

A doctor can perform magnetic resonance imaging – MRI of the breast for a detailed examination of the abnormal area of the breast.

Biopsy:

A doctor can perform a biopsy to diagnose the DIC if screening mammograms and imaging tests do not confirm the condition of the affected area in the breast. Following are the commonly used types of biopsy to examine the growth of cancer in cells to determine the breast cancer treatment method:

Fine needle aspiration biopsy

It is done with a narrow needle to remove a small number of breast tissues for sampling that is examined under a microscope for cancer.

Core needle biopsy

It is done with a big needle to remove a large number of tissues from an affected area of the breast for sampling and examination.

Incisional biopsy

An incisional biopsy, a small piece of breast tissue is removed for analysis.

Excisional biopsy

It’s an extreme kind of biopsy where complete lump from abnormal areas of tissue is removed.

These methods and biopsies are performed to diagnose invasive ductal carcinoma. Proper treatment procedures will be determined once the IDC is diagnosed.

2.3.3 - What are Treatment methods for Invasive Ductal Carcinoma?

These are the different therapies are used to treat the invasive ductal carcinoma step by step or as a group:

Surgical Therapy for IDC – Mastectomy or Lumpectomy: will be done within the local area of the breast to remove complete or effected parts of breast and lymph nodes.

will be done within the local area of the breast to remove complete or effected parts of breast and lymph nodes. Radiation Therapy for IDC – Cancer in milk ducts is also killed or reserved by radiation therapy.

Cancer in milk ducts is also killed or reserved by radiation therapy. Systemic Therapies for IDC– Hormonal Therapy, Chemotherapy, and Targeted Therapies: Systemic therapies are used in addition to surgery or radiation therapy to prevent cancer recurrence and to treat metastases (it has occurred).

Follow-up care for invasive ductal carcinoma - IDC:

Follow-up physical exam and tests are recommended for IDC after treatment to prevent a recurrence, including:

Mammogram – Mammogram X-ray must be done afterward to check any abnormality after cancer treatments.

Mammogram X-ray must be done afterward to check any abnormality after cancer treatments. Physical exam – A regular physical exam done by your doctor and gynecologist to trace any abnormality in hormones level, which can trigger the tumor and cancer recurrence.

A regular physical exam done by your doctor and gynecologist to trace any abnormality in hormones level, which can trigger the tumor and cancer recurrence. Bone health - Your bones can be affected by chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. So, it is advised to check your bone health clinically.

2.4 - Invasive Lobular Carcinoma – ILC Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis, Subtypes, and Treatments

In this section we will learn about Invasive Lobular Carcinoma - ILC subtypes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment methods:

What is Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC)?

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma –ILC is one of the common types of invasive breast cancer where cancer cells have spread beyond the breast lobule to the breast tissues. With time, ILC can attack lymph nodes and other organs of the body.

Usually, Invasive lobular carcinoma occurs in the late 50s and early 60s in females because of hormonal therapy for menopause. Read more about subtypes of invasive lobular carcinoma, ILC symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments in the following lines:

2.4.1 - What are the Symptoms and Signs of ILC?

Normally, Invasive lobular carcinoma does not show any evident signs and symptoms. Because ILC does not form lumps in the breast, the tumor invades into breast tissues in a form of the line that is hard to see even on a mammogram.

Following are the possible signs of invasive lobular Carcinoma:

Swelling or clotting in the breast instead of a lump

A lump in the armpit

Nipple inversion

Scaly, red or irritating skin of the breast or nipples

Skin dimpling

Pain in the breast or the area of the nipple

Nipple discharge

2.4.2 - How to Diagnose ILC?

Opposite to IDC, Invasive lobular carcinoma grows in different areas of the breast at a time. Research shows that invasive lobular carcinoma can also be bilateral cancer (cancer that affects both breasts). Therefore, combinations of different diagnostic tests are performed to diagnose the presence of this complex type of invasive breast cancer including:

Breast Physical-Exam

Mammogram screening

Breast magnetic resonance imaging

Ultrasound

Biopsy

2.4.3 - Sub-types of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma – ILC:

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma – ILC is divided into the following subtypes based on the grade of cancer cells (how big and small cancer cells look under a microscope):

Classic ILC: Classic or typical type of ILC occurs when small cancer cells spread to fatty tissues and muscles of the breast called stroma. Stroma covers lobules, ducts, blood vessels and lymph nodes in the breasts. In classic ILC, cancer cells enter layers of stroma one-by-one, which is called a single-file pattern. All cancer cells and cells’ nucleus (center of the cell where genetic data is stored) look small and similar to each other in the classic type of ILC.

Classic ILC has further sub-types:

Solid ILC: in this form of ILC, cancer does not grow in single-file pattern through the stroma. Cancer grows through big layers of breast tissues.

Alveolar ILC: The cancer cells forms in groups consist of 20+ cells.

Tubular-lobular ILC: This type of classic ILC grows in the form of the tube as well as in single-file form.

Pleomorphic ILC: In this form of invasive lobular carcinoma, cancer cells are larger than the standard size of classic ILC cells, also different in their nucleus size.

Signet-Ring Cell: Some cancer cells are filled with liquid, which causes a nucleus to be on aside. This is why this type of ILC is called signet-ring cells due to its shape.

2.4.4 - What are the Treatments of ILC?

Following are the therapies, applied to treat invasive lobular carcinoma:

Surgical therapies: Mastectomy, Lumpectomy

Radiation Therapy

Chemo Therapy

Hormonal Therapy

Targeted Therapies

What is the Follow-Up Care for ILC?

Regular physical examination, mammography, and bone health monitoring are advised to prevent cancer re-occurrence and to improve the standard of life of the cancer patient after breast cancer treatment therapies.

2.5 - What is Inflammatory Breast Cancer?

Inflammatory breast cancer - IBC is a less common and intense breast tumor, which looks like a wound on the skin. With IBC, breast skin’s lymph vessels are blocked with lumps. Sometimes IBC (Inflammatory breast cancer) is considered as a skin infection because it is difficult to diagnose in a mammogram screening and ultrasound. Usually, it is diagnosed at a later stage when it is developed into breast skin or spread towards other body organs.

What stage Inflammatory breast Cancer is?

Inflammatory breast cancer starts as breast cancer’s stage IIIB from the time IBC develops into the skin. Once the tumor grows into chest or collarbone lymph nodes, it is cancer’s stage IIIC and if the tumor has burst out towards local lymph nodes, it is breast cancer stage IV.

What is the survival rate for Inflammatory Breast Cancer?

Now with advanced methods of treatment, the survival rate for inflammatory breast cancer is improving. According to a study eighty, two percent of IBC patient women lived three years after diagnosis.

2.5.1 - What Are the Symptoms of Inflammatory Breast Cancer?

Inflammatory breast cancer develops as a web beneath the skin and doesn’t show noticeable symptoms like a lump.

Some common signs of inflammatory breast cancer include:

Breast pain

Scaly skin patches often in red, pink or yellow texture

A permanent wound on breast

Breast skin irritation

Inverted nipple or fluid discharge from the nipple

Swollen Axillary or neck lymph nodes

Normally these signs happen and appear suddenly during a short time of weeks only.

2.5.2 - What are Inflammatory Breast Cancer Diagnosis Methods?

If you are observing a red swollen breast that cannot be treated with the usage of antibiotics for a week, then your physician can doubt inflammatory breast malignancy. Some screening tests and ultrasound will be taken to determine a complete diagnosis for IBC suspected breast. A doctor will ask for more tests for inflammatory breast cancer diagnosis:

Mammogram Screening - A mammogram screening will highlight the thick affected area of breast as a shadowy area.

MRI – MRI is an imaging test that makes images of breast inner structure with strong electromagnets and radiation.

CT Scan– creates a complete picture of your breast’s inner structure and shows affected areas.

PET Scan with CT Scan – help to diagnose if cancer from the breast has spread to the other organs of body and lymph nodes.

Biopsy – The doctor will take a sample of breast tissue to test for the existence of cancer. A biopsy is a sure way to diagnose breast cancer. Sample breast tissue is removed by using needles or sometimes by cutting the skin. What kind of biopsy will be appropriated for you is dependent on the results of screening tests?

If inflammatory breast cancer is diagnosed then more tests will be taken to determine the stage of cancer and how much it has developed to decide a treatment method.

2.5.3 - What is Inflammatory Breast Cancer Treatment?

As inflammatory breast cancer shows up suddenly and grows quickly, the doctor will go for a forceful course of treatment, including:

Chemotherapy – is done to shrink the tumor that can be caught for treatment.

Surgery – A complete mastectomy is done for inflammatory breast cancer after chemotherapy.

Targeted Therapy– HER2 protein will be blocked with targeted drug therapy if found in cancer cells.

Hormone therapy – Hormone receptors for cancer cells will be blocked with hormonal therapy if the hormone receptors test is positive.

Radiation – this therapy is normally given after mastectomy or chemotherapy to lower the risk for cancer reoccurrence.

You can choose a clinical trial with the consultation of your doctor. Timely diagnosis and proper treatment can increase the survival rate for inflammatory breast cancer.

2.6 - Lobular Carcinoma in Situ – LCIS Symptoms, Causes, Diagnoses and Treatments

Here we will read about Lobular Carcinoma in Situ - LCIS Casues, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatments:

What is Lobular Carcinoma in Situ - LCIS?

Lobular Carcinoma in Situ – LCIS is an uncommon non-cancerous breast condition in which abnormal growth of cells happens within the breast lobules or milk glands. In LCIS, abnormal cells are not spread to milk ducts yet.

Lobular Carcinoma in situ is not considered as a sign of breast cancer but it increases the risks of developing breast cancer. Overall 1% to 6% of LCIS cases are found in all benign breast diseases. Lobular Carcinoma in situ can turn out as ILC (Invasive Breast Carcinoma) that is a type of Invasive breast cancer and comprises 10% - 15% cases of breast cancers.

2.6.1 - What are the Signs and Symptoms of LCIS - Lobular Carcinoma in Situ?

Commonly LCIS does not show any evident signs and symptoms. Your doctor may find Lobular Carcinoma in situ during a physical exam conducted for another reason.

Invasive Signs of LCIS:

These can be signs of Lobular Carcinoma in situ:

Lump

Change in breast size or shape

Patchy or red skin

Hardness or swelling under the breast skin

Discharge from nipple other than milk

It is recommended to go for a complete clinical checkup if you find any of these signs in your breasts. Doctors suggest a regular clinical breast exam for females after 40 years of age.

2.6.2 - What are the Causes and risk factors of LCIS?

“What can cause LCIS?” This question does not have any approved answer.

LCIS is an abnormal glandular condition that starts when gene mutation occurs in breast lobular that causes abnormal cells growth and these abnormal cells do not invade beyond the lobular.

Risk Factors of LCIS – Lobular Carcinoma in Situ

There are 20% risks in women for developing Lobular Carcinoma in situ. Following are the some known risk factors of LCIS:

Age factor – Risks of LCIS are increased after 40 years of old

– Risks of LCIS are increased after 40 years of old Family history – If there have been any cases of breast cancer or LCIS in blood relations

– If there have been any cases of breast cancer or LCIS in blood relations HRT – Hormone Replacement Therapy to treat menopause symptoms

2.6.3 - How to diagnose Lobular Carcinoma in Situ?

LCIS breast condition can occur in one or two breasts however, it cannot be diagnosed in a mammogram screening. Lobular carcinoma in situ is often found during a biopsy, which is probably performed to examine another area of the breast to evaluate some other breast condition like calcifications (the condition when calcium is accumulated under the skin and appears as small white dots on the breast skin).

If LCIS is traced in one or two of your breasts then a doctor can recommend for further diagnostic tests to monitor closely detecting the breast cancer signs, including:

Mammography

MRI

2.6.4 - Treatments for LCIS - Lobular Carcinoma in Situ

Following are the primary treatment methods for LCIS:

Breast cancer surgery

Lumpectomy (one type of targeted breast cancer surgery to reserve cancer) is performed to treat Lobular Carcinoma in situ. In a lumpectomy, effected tissues are removed so that abnormal cells cannot spread in other areas of breast or body.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is performed to kill the abnormal cells or to shrink them to stop from invading beyond the lobular.

Hormone Therapy

With chemotherapy, estrogen-progestin hormone therapy is also used to treat LCIS with positive estrogen receptor cells. It will reduce the risks of developing invasive breast cancer.

2.6.5 - Lower your Risk of LCIS – Lobular Carcinoma in Situ

You can lower your risk of getting Lobular Carcinoma in situ – LCIS by improving your lifestyle. i.e.:

By reducing alcohol consumption (not more than two times in a week)

Maintaining your body weight by increasing physical activities

Having a healthy diet, which is low in fats

It is recommended that consult with your doctor for regular cancer-preventing tips according to your body type and health condition.

2.7 - Recurrent Breast Cancer

What is Recurrent Breast Cancer?

Sometimes breast cancer returns to its local place/region or in the second breast after some time of getting successful cancer treatment, this condition is called recurrent breast cancer or breast cancer recurrence.

Causes of breast cancer recurrence:

Unfortunately, medical breast cancer diagnosis equipment is not that profound to detect insignificant tumor cells. That is why sometimes small cells are not detected during the post-surgery tests that can survive during surgery and therapies (chemotherapy/radiotherapy), which become a cause of cancer recurrence in the body.

2.7.2 - Types of Recurrent Breast Cancer:

There are three types of recurrent breast cancer depending on the areas of cancer returns:

Local Recurrence Regional Recurrence Distant or Metastatic Recurrence

(Another name for Local and Regional recurrent breast cancer is “locoregional recurrence”, because of similar features)

In the following lines, we will learn symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments of all three recurrent breast cancers:

1. Local Recurrence:

Local recurrence of breast cancer happens when cancer returns to the same area, detected earlier.

Local Recurrence Symptoms:

Symptoms of local recurrence are:

Swollen or redbreast skin

Nipple’s pain, discharge, inversion or reddened skin

The appearance of a new lump in the breast

Unusual dimpling or firm breast skin

Dragging or swelling at the place of breast-conserving surgery

Hardened skin around the place of mastectomy

These signs also can appear on the breast after surgery or therapies so it is recommended to go for a complete clinical examination including imaging tests to determine the nature of symptoms.

Tests to diagnose local recurrence:

Your oncologist will perform the following diagnostic tests to confirm breast cancer local recurrence:

Mammogram: First of all a mammogram will be performed to examine the lump or swollen area in the breast.

Ultrasound / MRI / PET scan: If mammogram results do not clear the existence of lump then your doctor will go for imaging tests like ultrasound, MRI or PET scan.

Biopsy: and if mammogram and imaging tests confirm the cancer recurrence then a biopsy will be performed to take lump samples.

2. Regional Recurrence:

Regional recurrence happens when cancer returns in the same region of the breast, diagnosed earlier i.e. collarbone or axillary lymph nodes.

Regional Recurrence Symptoms:

Following are the regional recurrence symptoms:

Frequent pain in shoulder, arm or chest

Insensitivity in the muscles of shoulders or arm

Difficulty in passing down the food or drink to the throat

Swelling in the same arm where breast cancer occurred earlier

Swelling or lump in the same axillary lymph nodes, around breastbone or above the collarbone

Tests to diagnose regional recurrence:

Following are the diagnosis tests for regional recurrence:

Mammogram : Mostly a lump in the lymph node is detected in a mammogram.

: Mostly a lump in the lymph node is detected in a mammogram. Imaging Test : Another imaging test like ultrasound, PET/CT scan or MRI can be performed if needed.

: Another imaging test like ultrasound, PET/CT scan or MRI can be performed if needed. Biopsy: Lymph node biopsy will be performed to confirm the recurrence of breast cancer.

Treatments for Locoregional Recurrence:

If locoregional (local+regional) recurrence has diagnosed then your doctor will determine the treatment according to its nature, like:

Total Mastectomy : If cancer recurrence happens after breast-conserving surgery then your oncologist will choose total mastectomy to treat breast cancer’s locoregional recurrence.

: If cancer recurrence happens after breast-conserving surgery then your oncologist will choose total mastectomy to treat breast cancer’s locoregional recurrence. Radiotherapy : full-dose of radiations will be given to regional lymph nodes or chest wall to treat locoregional recurrence

: full-dose of radiations will be given to regional lymph nodes or chest wall to treat locoregional recurrence Systemic therapy: systemic therapy will be given to shrink or kill cancer cells.

The patient and doctor will discuss and choose his/her treatment plan according to the patient’s health condition, hormone receptor status, tumor grade, previous adjuvant therapies and the period between previous treatment and recurrence.

3. Distant or Metastatic Recurrence:

If breast cancer returns in the other breast or some other part of the body like bones, lungs, liver or brain, it will be called distant or metastatic recurrence of breast cancer.

Distant or Metastatic Recurrence Symptoms:

Symptoms of distant and metastatic recurrence will be different according to the area of recurrence:

Weakness or insensitivity in any part of the body

Severe headache

Frequent pain in your bones, backbone or joints

Jaundice

Not able to pass urine or experiencing difficulty with it

Frequent pain in the chest or dry cough

Seizures

Experiencing shortness or trouble in breathing

Experiencing problems in eye vision like lost or blurry vision)

Absence of appetite

Constant pain, inflammation or swelling in the stomach

Frequent weight loss or nausea

Loss of concentration

Diagnoses of distant or metastatic recurrence:

Following are the diagnoses tests for distant or metastatic recurrence of breast cancer:

Bones scan

Blood test

Brain and Spine’s MRI

PET/CT scan of brain, pelvis, chest or stomach

Ultrasound/X-ray of the chest and abdomen

Bronchoscopy

Biopsy of suspected section

Taking fluid samples from the chest/lungs or spinal area to determine the existence of cancer cells

Treatments for metastatic recurrence:

There are different methods to treat metastatic recurrence, including:

Surgical Therapies (mastectomy/lumpectomy)

Sentinel node biopsy

Radiotherapy

Chemotherapy

Targeted Therapy

Every patient has a different medical history, previous treatment history and location of recurrence, so the treatment approach will be different depending on the cancer characteristics. Discuss with your doctor about your treatment preferences and state of mind for recurrent breast cancer.

2.8 - What are Paget’s disease of Nipple Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment Procedures

In the following section we will read about Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment Methods of Paget's disease of Nipple:

What is Paget’s disease of Nipple?

Paget's disease is an uncommon type of breast cancer limited to only breast’s nipple. In PDoN (Paget ’s disease of nipple) tumor cells accumulate in the nipple or the areola (the dark area under the nipple). In PDoN the skin of the nipple, areola tends to become irritated, itchy, scaly or red.

How does Paget’s disease of nipple spread?

Normally, the tumor affects the nipple’s duct first and then invades the skin of the nipple and area of the nipple. This is why it indicates that Paget’s disease is multifocal (it has primary roots in other areas of a breast).

2.8.1 - What does Cause Paget’s disease of Nipple?

There are no known causes of nipple’s Paget’s yet. Some studies say that cancer grows in the breast ducts first and then spread to the surface of the nipple. Other studies suggest that cells in the nipple become cancerous. Also, it can be a symptom of DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ).

One should have a keen observation of abnormalities of nipple’s skin because casual changes on the nipple surface can be symptoms of PDoN. Besides, Nipple’s Paget’s disease usually can be a symptom of DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) or IDC (invasive ductal carcinoma).

What is the Ratio of Paget’s disease of Nipple?

It normally occurs in women in their late 50s, but Paget’s disease of nipple can also affect men. But, the cases in men are less than 1%.

2.8.2 - What are the Signs and Symptoms of PDoN?

Commonly, PDoN occurs in one breast. Initial signs of Paget’s disease include the scaly, red, swollen or flaky skin of the area of the nipple. These signs are used to appear and disappear at the time. Therefore, they are not taken seriously and often are mistaken for the signs of noncancerous skin inflammation. Sometimes, PDoN can show more intense symptoms, including:

Pain in/around the nipple

Burning irritation on the nipple’s skin

Hardened or scaly skin

Nipple becomes flat

Nipple’s discharge other than milk

Usually, PDoN does not get diagnosed at the primary stage. It is recommended to visit your doctor if you feel any of the mentioned signs and symptoms.

2.8.3 - What are the Diagnosis procedures for Paget’s disease?

These are the procedures, applied to diagnose Paget’s disease of Nipple:

Clinical Physical-Exam: Your doctor examines the breast particularly the area of nipple for abnormalities like swollen skin or lump.

Mammogram: Mammogram screening detects the presence of cancer in a nipple and within the breast.

Breast MRI / Ultrasound: these imaging tests are done to scan the whole breast for cancer.

Biopsy: Nipple and areola’s biopsy will be done to examine cancer and its stage under the lens of a microscope. If the doctor finds discharge from the nipple then the sample of liquid will be taken to test.

2.8.4 - What is Treatment method of Paget’s disease?

Your doctor will choose a therapy depending on the stage of cancer to treat Breast’s Paget’s disease:

Mastectomy: Total Mastectomy is the first choice of doctors to treat PDoN. The whole breast including nipple and areola is removed to eradicate cancer and to reduce the risk of getting invasive or noninvasive cancer in the future.

Lumpectomy: Also known as breast-conserving therapy is done to remove cancer from the breast while conserving healthy soft tissue of the breast. In the people with Paget’s disease that is limited to a nipple and not spread to other areas of breast, Lumpectomy has been a popular choice among patients with PDoN due to its positive survival rate.

Sentinel node biopsy: Sentinel node biopsy is done to remove only lymph nodes to examine the presence of tumor after treatment to assess the success rate of a given treatment. This type of biopsy is also a favored therapy to treat PDoN limited to the nipple and has no traced of cancer within the breast.

2.8.5 - Adjuvant Therapies for Paget’s disease of the Nipple:

Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy is given after lumpectomy to make sure there are no cancer cells left and to prevent cancer recurrence.

Chemotherapy/hormone therapy/targeted therapy: If cancer is not limited to the only nipple then other additional therapies will be applied after the radiation therapy to detect the cancer present in the body.

2.8.6 - Follow-up care for Paget’s disease of the nipple:

Follow-up physical breast checkup and mammogram is advised especially for the people who go for breast-conserving surgery to treat Paget’s disease. Please consult your doctor for further information depending on your medical condition.

3 - Breast Cancer Stages | Symptoms, Prognosis and Treatment Options

In this section, we will read about different stages of breast cancer and there sysmptoms, prognosis and treatment options:

3.1 - What is Breast Cancer Stage 0-1

Breast cancer stage 0-1 is a non-invasive or earlier stage of invasive cancer where the tumor is limited to its local area.

Types of Breast Diseases Called Stage 0:

In stage 0, cancerous cells are developing within breast milk duct but not spreading beyond duct walls. All Carcinoma ‘in Situ’ are stage 0-1 of breast cancer i.e.

DCIS (Ductal carcinoma in situ) – the most common type of breast cancer

LCIS (Lobular carcinoma in situ) – Now it is not considered as a type of breast cancer but this breast disease increases the risk of invasive breast cancer

Paget disease of the nipple – is a benign breast disease but sometimes it turns out as a symptom of invasive breast cancer.

3.1.1 - Types of Breast Cancer Stage 1:

Stage 1 is an earlier stage of invasive breast cancer where cancerous cells are spreading towards nearby soft tissues of breast cancer. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) and Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) are common stages 1 breast cancer.

Size of tumor defines the types of Stage 1 that are divided into the following categories:

Stage 1A – In stage 1A of breast cancer, cancerous cells have not reached in lymph nodes and the size of a tumor is less than 2cm.

Stage 1B – In stage 1B, the tumor has attacked breast lymph nodes and the size of the tumor is about 2.0 millimeters.

3.1.2 - Symptoms of Breast Cancer Stage 0-1:

Breast Cancer Stage 0-1 Prognosis:

Earlier breast cancer stage 1 and 0 have a good ratio of prognosis with treatment. Timely diagnosis and treatment improve the survival rate of breast cancer patients. According to a study by ACS 90% of women diagnosed with breast cancer stage 1 have survived through the last two decades. The survival rate has improved until now with improved methods of treatment and diagnosis. However, the survival rate for stage 1A is higher than for breast cancer stage 1B.

3.1.3 - Treatment Options for Breast Cancer Stage 0-1:

Cancer staging is a vital factor in determining the treatment method for breast cancer. Treatment method will be determined using ‘TNM’ staging method:

TNM staging method:

T / T1 / T2 / T3 / T3 / T4– Tumor Size

Tumor Size N / N0 / N1mi – If a tumor has attacked lymph nodes

If a tumor has attacked lymph nodes M / M0 – if cancer has metastasized to the other body organs

Other elements those are important in determining treatment method for breast cancer:

Speed of the growth of cancer cells

If cancer cells have hormone receptors or HER2

If you are having menopause

Your health and family history for breast cancer

These are the treatment options for stage 0-1:

Surgery:

The most common treatment stage 1 breast cancer is surgery. Whether the whole breast will be removed using Mastectomy. Another surgical method is Lumpectomy where an only affected area will be removed including axillary lymph nodes and a margin of normal breast soft tissues.

Radiation Therapy:

Normally Radiation Therapy is given as additional therapy after Lumpectomy. Radiation therapy is given to the rest of the soft tissues of the breast to make sure no cancer cells have remained.

Hormone Therapy:

Hormone Therapy is given if breast cancer cells are Hormone Receptors positive. Normally hormone therapy is given for five years.

Chemotherapy:

Normally Chemotherapy is not given in breast cancer stage 1. However, Chemotherapy can be given under some circumstance (if the tumor size is bigger than 1 centimeter)

Follow-up Care:

Regular clinical breast exams and mammograms are recommended after getting treatment for breast cancer stage 0-1 to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer.

3.2 - What is Stage 2 Breast Cancer?

In stage 2 breast cancer, the tumor keeps growing inside of its local area and is not spreading outwards the breast or just spread to the local lymph nodes.

3.2.1 - Types of stage 2 breast cancer:

Stage 2 is an initial stage of breast cancer that is divided into two types, based on the tumor size and location:

Breast Cancer Stage IIA:

This Stage is defined by these factors:

There is no tumor found in abnormal cells

Not more than four axillary lymph nodes have tumor signs

A tumor is smaller than 2 centimeters

Tumor size is 2-5 cm and has not spread to axillary lymph nodes

Breast Cancer Stage IIB:

Stage IIB is defined by these factors:

The tumor size is 2-5 cm and has entered into

Tumor size is bigger than 5 cm but has not entered into lymph nodes

3.2.2 - Symptoms of Stage 2 Breast Cancer:

Learn about Symptoms of Invasive breast cancer stage II

3.2.3 - Breast Cancer Stage II Prognosis:

Overall, stage II patients have a good prognosis. Breast cancer Stage II is treated with invasive treatment procedures but Stage II breast cancer patients respond to treatment very well. Stage IIA has a better survival rate than Stage IIB.

3.2.4 - Stage II Breast Cancer Treatment Options:

Following are the treatment options for stage II breast cancer:

Surgical Treatment:

If cancer is reached to stage IIB then it will be treated with complete mastectomy followed by radiation. Lumpectomy with radiation is a better option to treat a single cancerous cell. Sentinel biopsy can also be applied to treat breast cancer spread to axillary or breast lymph nodes.

You may need breast transplantation after complete mastectomy. In this case, a breast will be implanted right after the surgery. If you need radiation after surgery then breast will be implanted after radiation.

Radiation Therapy:

After getting surgical treatment, you will be given radiation therapy to lower the risk of breast recurrence depending on your condition. Radiation therapy is not given to women if 60+ if:

Tumor size is about 2 cm and has removed with breast cancer surgery

There is no cancer found in lymph nodes

Cancer is hormone receptors positive and hormonal therapy is being given to treat the cancer

Yet, radiation therapy can be beneficial in any case to prevent recurrent breast cancer.

Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy is recommended to treat Stage 2 Breast Cancer to reduce the chances of breast cancer recurrence and to confirm there is not cancer spread beyond the breast.

Hormonal Therapy:

Stage II cancer that has cancerous cells with positive Estrogen receptors are treated with Hormonal Therapy.

Targeted Therapy:

Stage II breast cancer that contains several cells with HER2 receptors is treated using Targeted therapy that includes drug therapy and neoadjuvant therapy.

Mentioned above treatments will be given separately or systematically depending on your cancer size and grade. Other factors that will affect your treatment plan include:

Your health condition and family history

If you are going through menopause and using hormones to ease your menopause period

If your cancer has positive with ER, PR or HER2 Receptors

Discuss your preferences and personal thoughts about your treatment options and plan your treatment with your doctor.

Follow-up Care:

Keep visiting your doctor and go for clinical breast exams and mammograms regularly after getting treatment for Stage II breast cancer. Regular checkup after cancer treatment will lower your risk of breast recurrence and improve the survival rate.

3.3 - What is Breast Cancer Stage 3?

In Stage 3 Breast Cancer, the tumor has spread beyond its local area of the breast to adjacent lymph nodes and muscles but has not spread to other body organs. It is an advanced stage of breast cancer.

Following, we will learn about prognosis and treatment options for stage IIIA & stage IIIC.

3.3.1 - Types of Breast Cancer Stage 3:

Depending on the difference in tumor size and growth, Stage 3 breast cancer is divided into the following three types:

Breast Cancer Stage IIIA (3A):

Stage 3 breast cancer falls under the stage IIIA category if it matches any of these characteristics:

A tumor can be of any size and has spread to 4-9 lymph nodes

Tumor size is more than 5 cm with the breast and a small number of cancerous cells have found in local lymph nodes of about .2 – 2.0 millimeters.

Size of the tumor is larger than 5cm and has spread to 1-3 local lymph nodes

Breast Cancer Stage IIIB (3B):

In stage IIIB (3B), a tumor can be of any size and cancer has spread to local lymph nodes. Stage IIIB is similar to Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Learn more about stage IIIB.

Breast Cancer Stage IIIC (3C):

Stage 3 breast cancer falls under the stage IIIC category if it matches any of these characteristics:

A tumor can be of any size, cancer has spread to more than 9 axillary lymph nodes and the breast skin or chest wall

There is no evident tumor found within breast but lymph nodes around collarbone have cancerous cells

There is no tumor found in the breast or any size of a tumor is found in the breast and cancerous cells are found in axillary lymph nodes near the breastbone

Stage 3C breast cancer has divided further into two categories:

Operable Stage IIIC: If cancerous cells are have found in more than nine axillary lymph nodes or the lymph nodes of collarbone or breastbone, it is called ‘Operable’ stage IIIC breast cancer.

Inoperable Stage IIIC: If cancerous cells have invaded beyond the collarbone lymph nodes, it is called ‘Inoperable’ stage IIIC.

Note: ‘inoperable’ does not stand for ‘incurable’. It means more than one aggressive treatment methods will be needed to treat cancer. Patients with stage IIIC have a good response to the treatment.

3.3.2 - Prognosis of Breast Cancer Stage IIIA - IIIC:

The overall survival rate for breast cancer stage 3 is 72 out of 100. Mostly, patients with breast cancer stage 3A have a good prognosis compared to stage 3B. However, every patient has a different response rate to treatment. It is important to know that the survival rate for diagnosed stage 3 breast cancer can be multiply by having accurate support and treatment. You should discuss with your doctor about the right treatment options and care if you have diagnosed with breast cancer stage 3.

3.3.3 - Treatment Options for Breast Cancer Stage IIIA - IIIB:

Treatment options will differentiate for every patient diagnosed with breast cancer stage 3 depending on their condition. Usually, a combination of more than two treatment methods is given in stage 3 breast cancer. Following are the possible treatment options for stage 3 breast cancer:

Targeted Drug Therapy before Surgical Therapy:

A doctor will limit your cancer with targeted drug therapy before surgery, including:

Chemotherapy: Because of the growth of stage 3 breast cancer, you will need to go for chemotherapy to limit cancer before surgical therapy.

Hormonal therapy: If your cancer cells are ER-positive, PR-positive or HER2 positive, then your doctor will give you hormonal targeted therapy.

Surgical treatment of breasts and Lymph nodes:

Total mastectomy: the Whole breast will be removed to treat advanced breast cancer. Radiation therapy will be given after surgery to kill cancer completely.

Lumpectomy: If you have given successful targeted drug therapy and the tumor has shrink then your surgeon will remove the only affected area in the breast. Radiotherapy will be accompanied by chemotherapy and lumpectomy to treat stage 3 breast cancer.

Excisional Biopsy: Affected axillary lymph nodes can be removed using an excisional biopsy or can be treated by radiotherapy.

After Surgery of Breast Cancer Stage IIIA - IIIB:

You may need to go for breast implantation (after breast removal in total mastectomy) after radiotherapy. You may need hormonal therapy for cancer with positive hormone receptors or more chemotherapy to limit cancer or avoid recurrence after surgery.

3.4 - Definition of Stage IIIB (3B) Inflammatory Breast Cancer:

Stage IIIB (3B) breast cancer (is considered the same as Inflammatory breast cancer) is an invasive stage of cancer. In this stage of breast cancer:

The breast tumor can be of any size (mostly bigger than 5cm)

And cancer has spread into breast skin, chest wall or axillary/regional 9+ lymph nodes

but has not invaded distant organs

3.4.1 - Stage IIIB (3B) Breast Cancer Symptoms:

Most common symptoms of Stage IIIB (3B) inflammatory breast cancer are:

Reddened skin of the breast

Ulcer, inflammation or swelling in the breast

Hardened and scaly skin of the breast

Inversion or retraction of the nipple

The difference in the size of both breasts. One look bigger than the other one because of swelling

Feeling like there is a heavy mass hanging in the breast

Tenderness or continuous irritation or pain in the breast

3.4.2 - Stage IIIB Breast cancer Prognosis:

When breast cancer is diagnosed after reaching stage IIIB, it is already turned into invasive and aggressive cancer. At this stage breast cancer increases very fast that it has spread in the whole breast. That is why the prognosis of stage IIIB breast cancer is not very good that other types of breast cancer. There are higher risks of breast cancer recurrence after getting treatment.

3.4.3 - Stage IIIB Breast Cancer Survival Rate:

It is a rare stage of breast cancer. According to statistics, 72 women out of 100 diagnosed with stage IIIB breast cancer will live for 5 years after treatment. However, this is not the final number. Every patient responds differently to a treatment. Always, Discuss with your doctor about your condition and possible treatment methods.

3.4.4 - Stage IIIB (3B) Breast Cancer Treatment Options:

Because the symptoms of stage IIIB (3B) breast cancer like inflammation, tenderness, irritation, swelling are common types of conditions of breast infection during pregnancy, menopause, and breastfeeding. That is why your doctor will give you medicines to treat these infections before if you have these symptoms. If you do not respond to those medicines and it does not cure the infection in a week or 10 days then the doctor will take diagnostic tests to find breast cancer.

There are possibilities of having breast cancer stage 3B if you are having these signs and are not breastfeeding, pregnant and not going through menopause. If breast cancer stage IIIB is diagnosed then following treatment options will be considered:

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy will be given to limit cancer in lymph nodes before surgery. Chemotherapy will also be given after surgery to lower chances of cancer recurrence.

Total Mastectomy: the Whole breast will be removed with regional lymph nodes diagnosed with cancerous cells.

Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy will be accompanied by total mastectomy.

Hormonal and targeted drug therapy: cancer that is hormone receptors positive or HER2 positive, will be treated with hormonal or targeted drug therapy followed by surgery.

3.4.5 - Risk Factors of Breast Cancer Stage 3B:

Mostly, middle-aged overweight and obese women of around 52-57 years of age get stage IIIB (3B) Stage Cancer. So you have to look for your lifestyle and cannot ignore symptoms because breast cancer increases quickly in stage 3B (IIIB).

3.5 - What is Stage 4 (metastatic) Breast Cancer?

In Stage 4 (metastatic) breast cancer, cancer has spread beyond its local place and lymph nodes towards distant lymph nodes and other organs i.e. bones, skin, brain or liver. It is the most advanced or says the last stage of cancer. Stage 4 is also referred to as metastatic breast cancer. Mostly, stage 4 breast cancer is the advanced form of cancer recurrence (initial breast cancer that was treated and returned after a year or some moths).

3.5.1 - Prognosis of Stage 4 Breast Cancer:

Stage 4 breast cancer is incurable but still treatable. Doctors give treatment to stage 4 (metastatic) breast cancer to slow down cancer growth or to limit tumors and to help patients to survive for long. Remember that stage 4 is not an indication of the end of your life. Treatment methods are improving day by day and many patients live a long productive life after stage 4 diagnoses and getting treatment.

3.5.2 - What is Survival Rate of Stage 4 Breast Cancer?

There are not authorized statistics for a survival rate of stage 4 breast cancer. Different patients response contrarily to cancer treatment. Approximately, 34% of patients survive for 5 years after an advanced breast cancer diagnosis. With improving treatment techniques, the survival rate is improving for stage 4 breast cancer patients. Many women live for 10 years after being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer.

3.5.3 - Treatment Option for Stage 4 Breast Cancer:

Whether breast cancer has metastasized to other body organs. It will be considered and treated as breast cancer. For instance, if breast cancer has spread into the skin, it will not be considered as skin cancer but breast cancer and will be treated as breast cancer. Stage 4 breast cancer treatment is decided by the following factors:

Breast cancer symptoms

Size and grade of cancer cells

Where cancer has metastasized

Previous treatments of breast cancer

Mostly, systematic (drugs) therapy is given to treat stage 4 (metastatic) breast cancer. Surgical therapy is also given to treat regional or local breast cancer sometimes. Following systematic therapies are given to treat stage 4 breast cancer depending on HR / ER / PR and HER2 status of cancerous status:

Hormone therapy: Women who have hormone receptors positive cancer are given hormone therapy first. There are different drug combinations including tamoxifen. Tamoxifen is a drug to treat stage 4 breast cancer in women who have not gone through menopause. However, hormone therapy can be slow. That is why chemotherapy is given first to treat the most aggressive breast cancer.

Chemotherapy: Women with ER / PR / HER2 negative (hormone receptors negative) cancer are given chemotherapy first as primary therapy. Patients with negative hormone receptors cancer do not respond to hormone therapy. Sometimes chemotherapy is given to treat metastasized tumors in a specific area. The chemotherapy drug is injected into a specific area.

Targeted Drug Therapy: targeted drug therapy is given to women with HER2 positive cancer. Targeted drug therapy is often combined with hormone therapy for better results.

The same drugs are given continuously to the patient until they stop responding or start reacting. Then other drugs are tried.

Surgical Therapy: Systematic drug therapy is the main approach to treat stage 4 (metastatic) breast cancer. This is the only way to control cancer that has spread in other parts of the body. Still, local and regional breast cancer is removed with surgery. It helps to avoid cancer recurrence and to avoid further complications of cancer.

Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy followed by surgery is given in the following conditions:

To remove a blockage in blood veins of liver

To stop fractures in bones

To treat metastasized tumor in a specific area like brain

If there is a visible cancer wound in breast or chest

When the breast tumor is causing an open wound in the breast (or chest)

To prevent pain caused by cancer

To prevent symptoms from appearing

Talk to your doctor to understand the purpose of a certain type of treatment for stage 4 breast cancer. If that is to treat cancer or to prevent symptoms.

4 - Breast Cancer Diagnosis Methods:

In the following section, we will read about Diagnosis Methods of Breast Cancer:

4.1 - What is Breast-Self Examination?

Breast self-examination is an inspection method of breasts using own fingers to understand the normal condition of your breasts. It helps you to get familiar with the normal form of breast and identify if it occurs any optical or physical changes within the breast tissues. Different causes can be reason changes in breasts like a lump or pain, which sometimes appears to be a reason for breast cancer.

However, breast self-examination is not a dependable method of breast cancer diagnosis and doctors do not support it anymore. Yet in some cases, women have been able to found a lump in their breasts. That lump was detected as an initial symptom of breast cancer after taking screen tests. That is why doctors recommend BSE (breast self-examination) for all human beings once in a month after 18 years of old.

4.1.1 - Purpose of Breast Self-Examination

The purpose of breast self-examination is to understand your breasts for their normal condition so that one can find any abnormal change quickly it happens. This helps in detecting breast cancer or benign breast disease (that can lead to a tumor) at an initial stage and make cancer treatments more effective. These changes are often not to be worried about but BSE is considered as a prevention tool for breast cancer.

Doctors do not support screening tests as a part of breast self-exam, as severe X-rays can cause death. One should go for screening or mammography he/she feels lump or pain in the breast or the area of nipples. If you have had breast cancer and gone under the cancer treatment then breast self-examination can help detect cancer recurrence and improve survival rate. One should immediately consult with a doctor if he observes any abnormal changes and where the doctor will perform mammogram screening for confirmation. Mammography is the most practiced and reliable diagnostic tool for breast cancer.

4.1.2 - Precautions for Breast Self-Examination:

Let us learn things you should keep in mind before doing breast self-exam:

You should inspect your breast when your menstrual periods have ended and your breasts are not swollen

If there are irregularities in your menstrual periods or you are pregnant or having menopause after 50 then select a particular date in a month.

Do not do your breast self-examination while you are under a shower or have applied moisturizer on your breast skin and hands.

You do not need to worry if you feel a lump or hard mass under the breast skin. Around 80% of lumps detected in breast tissues are benign. You should visit your doctor immediately for a detailed clinical breast examination. This should not be performed in the shower or with lotion on your skin or fingers.

4.1.3 - How should one perform Breast Self-Examination?

In the following 9 points, we will learn to perform breast self-exam:

Lie straight down on an even surface, place a cushion beneath your right shoulder and put right arm beneath the head Press your right breast using three left-hand fingers to feel for hard mass or lumps Your finger’s pressure on the breast should be firm enough. This way you will learn how does your breast feel normally. Press and move your hand all around the breast vertically or in circles. You should do this likewise every time. Remember to check the whole breast this way and keep in mind how it feels. Gently squeeze your nipple with your forefinger and thumb and check if there is any discharge Repeat the same on the left breast with fingers of the right hand Now stand in front of the mirror and check for changes in breast’s appearances like redness, swelling, dimpling of the skin and changes in the nipple You can check your breasts under a shower with soapy hands. Your hand will slide over the skin to feel any changes Examine the underarm, the area between breasts and underarm, the area between breasts and collarbone to shoulders.

When should you get a Doctor’s appointment?

Visit your doctor immediately if you find any of these symptoms in your breasts:

Existence of a lump

Unusual nipple discharge

Swelling, dimpling or irritation of the breast skin

Redness or pain in the nipple

Patchy skin around or of nipple

Inverted nipple

4.1.4 - Benefits of Breast Self-Examination:

Breast self-exam has its benefits if it is performed regularly including clinical breast exam and mammogram screening. There are 20% of cases where breast cancer has found using physical breast examination instead of mammography. Doctors highly recommend to everybody to perform breast self-exam regularly including screen tests like mammography and MRI to get complete benefits of BSE.

4.1.5 - Breast Self-Exam Risks and Limitations:

There have been some favors and some oppose breast self-exam from different doctors. There are mixed opinions about BSE being important in detecting breast cancer earlier or improving survival rate. Breast self-exam has some limitations, including:

According to a survey, most women think breast self-examination caused them anxiety and harm to their health due to unnecessary exposure to radioactive rays and biopsies. After taking benign lumps serious but the tumor was not found during a biopsy, they felt they have gone under an invasive diagnosis treatment unnecessarily.

Breast self-exam cannot be an alternative to a clinical breast exam.

There can be such risks and limitations but BSE has benefits, which is why doctors advise to include it an optional tool with screening tests. Consult your doctor about the benefits and limitations of breast self-exam to get better breast awareness.

4.2 - What is a Clinical Breast Examination?

Clinical breast examination is a detailed checkup of breasts and the area of underarms by a professional and trained physician. A clinical breast exam is performed during a routine checkup or you can ask your doctor to check for abnormal changes in breasts if you feel needed.

4.2.1 - Why is Clinical Breast Examination needed?

The main purpose of CBE is to detect changes like hard mass or lump in breasts at an earlier stage. Further diagnosis tests for breast cancer will be essential if a lump or abnormal change has found in breast tissues. Not all lumps or changes are cancer symptoms. Most of the time breasts can be hardened because of the normal hormonal cycle. People, have had breast cancer and have undergone cancer treatments, should have a clinical breast exam to prevent recurrent cancer.

4.2.2 - When Should you have Clinical Breast Exam?

Today, different advanced breast exam techniques are present including Mammogram screening and MRI. There are 22% chances that screening methods can wrong breast cancer detection. Besides, mammograms are favored to diagnose breast cancer in women of 50+. There are 30% chances that mammograms cannot detect tumors when performed on young women. A clinical breast exam is a good approach for early detection of abnormal changes in breasts in women under 25. Besides, a clinical breast exam is performed after mammogram screening to confirm the test results in women of 50+.

One should go for Clinical breast exam if:

Found any changes in breast skin or nipple during a breast self-exam

If you have undergone breast implantation after mastectomy

If there is any pain or discomfort in breasts, axillary or nipple

Annually CBE is recommended for women after 40 years of old

4.2.3 - How is the Clinical Breast Exam performed?

There are different CBE techniques, including:

Detailed Visual exam

In a detailed visual exam of breasts, a trained physician examines breasts and nipples appearance for changes. These techniques include these steps:

A patient will sit in a form posture at a straight surface with loosening belt and cloth on breasts and arms rests downwards

A doctor will look if there is any change in breasts and nipples shape and skin color. Whether breasts and nipples are swollen or not, breasts and nipple’s crust is scaly or abnormal in the crust or not and if nipples are inverted or not, etc…

Then the doctor will ask the patient to raise her arms over her head and will note if there any unusual mass between breast and chest wall

A doctor can ask the patient to bend backward with her hands on hips to observe the movement of tissues of breasts.

Regular Palpation

After visual examination, the doctor will exam for any changes in breasts’ density by palpation.

The patient will sit upon a straight surface and the physician will use the finger pads (the area of fingers between fingertips and palm) of his/her hands to check for changes in the density of breast tissues.

A physician will move his/her fingers from the lower part of the breasts to the upper part of the breast towards the collarbone. Palpation will be done vertically and then in circular moves without lifting fingers up or without breaking the process of palpation. During palpation, the doctor will check every portion of the tissues attentively.

The area of nipples and areola are included in palpation. A doctor will check nipples by pinching them with his/her index finger and thumb if there is any unusual discharge.

A doctor can ask the patient to stretch her arms behind the head and examine the lower area of breasts against the chest wall.

Palpation will be repeated in the opposite breast the same way. Deep palpation is not possible on the full breast. Thus, the accuracy of palpation is doubted.

Inspecting the axillary and lymph nodes

Also, a physician will examine breast lymph nodes and axillary area:

While sitting up, a patient will stretch her arm over the head

A physician will place his/her finger in the center of underarm, the patient will lower her arm while the physician’s finger is in the underarm

A physician will move his/her finger vertically and will check for lymph nodes

Further investigation will be recommended if a physician finds lymph nodes hard with the area of one centimeter

The physician will write down if any abnormal changes are found. Also, further screening tests will be prescribed if a physician finds any changes in breasts, axillary or breast lymph nodes.

Note:

Clinical breast examination is an affordable test for breast cancer. Many breast cancers can be diagnosed with CBE. This is why depending on mammography solely is not sufficient. Clinical breast exams can find cancer in negative mammography and can recommend ultrasound for further identification.

4.3 - What is Breast Cancer Screening?

Breast cancer screening is a set of tests to check the existence of cancer in healthy people using X-ray equipment or physical checkup.

4.3.1 - Why is Breast Cancer Screening?

Screening test for breast cancer helps to detect the tumor at an early stage when it does not show any symptoms and cannot be seen or felt. Usually, tumors are easily cured if found at an early stage rather than later.

4.3.2 - When is breast cancer screening recommended?

Normally, doctors recommend regular and advanced level breast screening to someone with a larger risk of getting breast cancer. People with gene mutation and family history of cancer are at larger risk of developing breast tumor. Overall, 8/1000 times cancer has detected through breast screening in females.

4.3.3 - Types of Breast Cancer Screening Tests:

There are different types of breast cancer screening including normal physical checkup to advanced X-ray tests. A doctor will choose a test according to the person’s medical condition. Here is a brief overview of all of breast cancer screening tests:

Physical breast exam:

The physical breast exam includes a self-breast exam and a clinical breast exam. A self-breast exam is an examination of own breasts and underarms for changes using own hands and mirror. Whereas, in clinical breast examination, a doctor inspects your breast and the axillary area for lumps and other changes that can be a reason for breast cancer.

Mammography

Mammography is an advanced method of breast screening using an X-ray unit. Most oncologists for cancer detection in healthy people with no evident signs favor mammogram screening. In mammography, an X-ray machine generates breasts image that looks thorough breast skin and soft tissues. Your radiologist will read those images to find the existence of breast cancer.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound is next to mammography. Ultrasound technique can detect cancer with images using sound waves in those areas of the breast where mammography finds it hard to reach. It also can help to check the nature and density of a lump in the breast.

MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a technique of breast scanning and generating images using radio waves and magnets. MRI and mammograms are applied together to scan breasts with greater risk of breast cancer or who have already been diagnosing and treating for breast cancer. Doctors do not apply and recommend MRI to healthy women or at a lower risk of developing cancer.

4.3.4 - Pros of Breast Cancer Screening

Most health providers come to an understanding that regular breast cancer screening can multiply the survival rate of breast cancer. Breast cancer can be treated easily without applying aggressive therapies like surgery or chemotherapy if found earlier.

In women, who have undergone breast cancer therapies can prevent cancer recurrence if they follow regular breast screening.

4.3.5 - Cons of Breast Cancer Screening

Where there are enough benefits of breast screening, some risks are also there to keep in consideration:

There are 25% chances of the false-positive test results. Some women get a positive test result but cancer is not found in further studies. This causes unnecessary pain and wastage of resources.

Sometimes mammograms cannot detect cancer and miss the treatment. This is why depending on breast screening only is not sufficient.

You will have to go for biopsies to avoid the confusion caused by false-positive and false-negative screening test results. Those women have not malignant tumor complaints about the harm caused by unnecessary exposure to radiation and surgical methods.

Exposure to ultra violates radiation waves can harm you. It can even cause cancer in healthy people.

4.3.6 - Breast Cancer Screening recommendations:

Doctors strongly recommend breast cancer screening to women with assured BRCA1/2 genes mutation and family history with breast cancer every year after 30 years of old. As these women have a greater risk of growing cancer in breasts or ovaries. Doctors advise these women should go for clinical breast cancer exam every year when under 25 and every 6-12 months after 25 years of old. Breast cancer can be treated using hormonal drugs therapy if detected earlier.

Talk to your doctor about your health condition and medical history (if you have gone through breast cancer treatment before). After a complete study of your genes mutation and family history, your doctor will decide if aggressive screening tests are required.

4.4 - Mammography (Mammograms) benefits, risks, and limitations

Here we will know about breast cancer mammograms' benefits, risks and limitations:

4.4.1 - What is a Mammogram (Mammography)?

A mammogram is a more sensitive imaging test than an x-ray to detect abnormalities for cancer in muscles and tissues of the breast.

4.4.2 - How does Mammogram help to detect breast cancer?

A mammogram uses low-dose radioactive rays to enhance changes within a breast. A doctor will read and decide whether these changes are signs of breast cancer or not and determines more tests are needed or not. The changes a mammogram detects in a breast can be:

Calcifications

Tumor cells

Lumps

Why should I go to Mammogram?

Mammograms help diagnose the presence of breast cancer even before showing any evident signs to feel like a lump in a physical breast-exam. This ability of mammograms makes them the most favorable diagnose method for breast cancer at an early and treatable stage.

When Should I Get a Mammogram Test?

One should go for mammography when feels:

A hard mass in one or both breasts

Nipple discharge

Change in breast or nipple’s shape

4.4.3 - Types of Mammograms:

There are two types of Mammograms:

1. Screening mammograms

When a mammogram is performed to look for cancer symptoms in people those have not any evident signs, it is called screening mammograms. X-ray images of both breasts from different angles are generated using screening mammograms to look for any changes or cancer signs within the breast.

2. Diagnostic mammograms

When mammogram tests are done on patients with the identified cancer symptoms or after breast cancer treatment, it’s called diagnostic mammograms. In diagnostic mammograms, more detailed images of breasts are taken that were not included in screening mammograms.

4.4.4 - Benefits of Mammograms:

Here are prime benefits of mammograms:

Mammograms are very sensitive to detect all types of breast cancer.

Screening mammograms are capable to detect tumors within the soft breast tissues at an initial stage. These early detected small tumors are easy to remove and curable.

No harmful radioactivity remains within the body after mammograms.

4.4.5 - Risks of Mammograms:

Sometimes, Mammograms can be slightly harmful, but the benefits of mammography exceed in value than these risks:

Radioactive rays produced by screening mammograms can be cancerous if left in the body.

X-rays can harm pregnant women and their babies.

4.4.6 - Limitations of Mammograms:

Mammography is an excellent method to diagnose breast cancer at a treatable stage. There are some limitations of mammograms though:

Not all breast cancers can be detected on mammograms.

Mammography does not detect cancer but the abnormal area within the breast. A doctor will decide whether these abnormalities are tumors or not by reading mammogram X-rays and by determining further diagnosis results.

There are 30% chances of False-Positive mammograms. When screening mammogram shows positive results for breast cancer but further tests like biopsy falsify the presence of cancer, it is called a False-positive mammogram. If Mammograms results show negative results but other tests confirm the presence of cancer, it is called a False-Negative mammogram.

Application of deodorant, powder or other cosmetics can confuse the mammogram results. So it’s advised not to wear perfumes, jewelry or cosmetics while going for mammography.

Dense breasts increase the risk of breast cancer but it is difficult for mammograms to detect cancer in dense breasts.

Only screening mammography is not enough to detect tumors or non-cancerous diseases within breasts.

There can be difficult for mammograms to show clear results on implanted breasts.

Mammography is an outstanding diagnosis method for breast cancer. It’s advised to go for mammograms if you feel any changes during physical breast examination as early detection can save your life.

4.5 - Magnetic Resonance Imaging - MRI for Breast Cancer

Here we will read about what is Magnetic Resonanace Imaging - MRI, why is MRI used for breast cancer, benefits and risks of MRI:

4.5.1 - What is MRI for Breast Cancer?

In Magnetic Resonance Imaging - MRI for breast cancer, the doctor takes three-dimensional images of the inner area of breasts using electromagnets and radio waves technology.

4.5.2 - Why is MRI used for Breast Cancer?

Here are different uses of Magnetic Resonance Imaging – MRI for breast cancer:

Detailed Images: Doctors use Magnetic Resonance Imaging – MRI to get more information through detailed images about the cancerous or suspicious area within the breast.

Doctors use Magnetic Resonance Imaging – MRI to get more information through detailed images about the cancerous or suspicious area within the breast. Detect lump: To detect a lump or hard mass in the breast that cannot be seen in mammograms or ultra-sonograms but can be felt with hands during CBE - Clinical Breast Exam.

To detect a lump or hard mass in the breast that cannot be seen in mammograms or ultra-sonograms but can be felt with hands during CBE - Clinical Breast Exam. Test Dense Breasts: DoctorsusesMRI to detect abnormalities in young women’s breasts because young women (under 30) have dense glandular muscles. Mammograms hardly detect abnormality in dense breasts.

DoctorsusesMRI to detect abnormalities in young women’s breasts because young women (under 30) have dense glandular muscles. Mammograms hardly detect abnormality in dense breasts. To guide surgical treatment: Sometime Mammograms find cancerous cells in breast lymph nodes but there is not any lump or hard mass within the breast. Doctors use MRI during the surgical treatment of cancerous lymph nodes. By using Magnetic Resonance Imaging, technology doctor can see a cancerous area in zoom resolution that makes it easy to detect abnormal area and remove the tumor.

Sometime Mammograms find cancerous cells in breast lymph nodes but there is not any lump or hard mass within the breast. Doctors use MRI during the surgical treatment of cancerous lymph nodes. By using Magnetic Resonance Imaging, technology doctor can see a cancerous area in zoom resolution that makes it easy to detect abnormal area and remove the tumor. To detect ILC: MRI scanning helps to detect ILC (invasive lobular carcinoma). If it is an in situ (local) breast cancer LCIS or has spread beyond to its local area.

MRI scanning helps to detect ILC (invasive lobular carcinoma). If it is an in situ (local) breast cancer LCIS or has spread beyond to its local area. To check the other breast: According to the ACS recommendations, the Doctor should use MRI on the other breast for cancer symptoms after diagnosing a tumor in one breast.

According to the recommendations, the Doctor should use MRI on the other breast for cancer symptoms after diagnosing a tumor in one breast. To determine additional treatment methods: After analyzing the abnormal area in cross-sectional images, a doctor can find if cancer has metastasized. It can help determine treatment methods for breast cancer whether it should be the only mastectomy or should include additional therapies including radiation therapy or lumpectomy.

After analyzing the abnormal area in cross-sectional images, a doctor can find if cancer has metastasized. It can help determine treatment methods for breast cancer whether it should be the only mastectomy or should include additional therapies including radiation therapy or lumpectomy. To detect the accuracy of breast implantation: after getting silicone breast implantation after mastectomy, the doctor scans breast with MRI to detect if there is any silicone gel leakage with the chest wall and normal breast tissues. MRI scanning makes it easy to differentiate the gel with normal cells during scanning.

after getting silicone breast implantation after mastectomy, the doctor scans breast with MRI to detect if there is any silicone gel leakage with the chest wall and normal breast tissues. MRI scanning makes it easy to differentiate the gel with normal cells during scanning. To detect recurrent breast cancer: Doctor scans breasts with Magnetic Resonance Imaging for surgical scars after getting cancer surgical treatment. Any abnormality around surgical scars can be a sign of cancer recurrence.

Doctor scans breasts with Magnetic Resonance Imaging for surgical scars after getting cancer surgical treatment. Any abnormality around surgical scars can be a sign of cancer recurrence. To detect metastatic breast cancer: Doctors use MRI to scan the whole body for the possibility of breast cancer has metastasized to the other body organs like the brain, liver, or abdomen.

4.5.3 - Process of Magnetic Resonance for Breast Cancer:

Here is the process of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for breast cancer:

Preparation for breast MRI:

You will have to keep these things in mind when going for breast MRI:

Do not wear any jewelry or metal on your body when going for breast MRI

The MRI process can prolong for 30-40 minutes. Tell your doctor if you have a problem with lying on your stomach in one position for a long period. The doctor can give you tranquilizer or can use an open MRI unit to solve this problem.

Process of breast MRI:

Here is the

First, you will lay with your face down and bare torso on a padded table with holes with breast spirals. These spirals are waves receivers attached to the MRI tool to generate images. Your breasts will set in holes.

Then, the table will move into the cylinder-shaped Magnetic Resonance Imaging Machine.

Your breasts will be scanned using electromagnets and radio waves that cannot be seen but will create an extreme sound.

A radiologist will scan your breasts with an MRI device until it gets required images. MRI is an easy and painless process that you can go back to your daily routines right after finishing the test.

4.5.4 - Benefits of Breast MRI:

MRI is much sensitive to detect the tumor at its earlier stage. Mostly Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) is diagnosed using MRI that can be missed in conventional screening.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging is more than 12% more beneficial for scanning recurrent breast cancer than mammograms.

MRI scanning is beneficial for finding breast cancer in women who have a family history of cancer.

4.5.5 - Risks of Breast MRI:

There are higher chances of false-positive results with breast MRI. MRI can show cancer when it does not exist. More screening and biopsies will be needed to confirm false-positive