 Overview |
Introduction
|
Breast
cancer is cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts.
Breast
cancer is the most common cancer among women. The first symptom of breast
cancer most women notice is a lump or an area of thickened tissue in their
breast.
Most breast
lumps (90%) aren't cancerous, but it's always best to have them checked by
your doctor.
There are
many types of breast cancer that differ in their capability of spreading to
other body tissues
|
Symptoms
|
Breast cancer symptoms and signs include
A lump in the breast or armpit,
Bloody nipple discharge,
Inverted nipple,
Orange-peel texture or dimpling of the breast's
skin,
Breast pain or sore nipple,
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpit, and
A change in the size or shape of the breast or
nipple.
|
Causes
|
The causes
of breast cancer are not yet fully known, although a number of risk factors
have been identified
|
Risk Factors
|
The causes
of breast cancer aren't fully understood, making it difficult to say why one
woman may develop breast cancer and another may not. There are some risk
factors to affect your likelihood of developing breast cancer which include:
Age
Breast
density
Family
history
Exposure to
oestrogen
Being
overweight or obese
Alcohol
Radiation
Hormone
therapy
Contraceptive
pills
|
Diagnosis
|
Many
patients are diagnosed with breast cancer after routine breast screening. If
you feel any lump in your breast which is increasing in size, you should
consult your doctor. After physical examination and taking the family history
your doctor may recommend mammography, ultrasound testing, and biopsy.
|
Treatment
|
Treatment
of breast cancer depends on the type of cancer and its stage (0-IV). If you
have cancer, you should be assigned a multidisciplinary team (MDT) – a team
of specialists who work together to provide the best treatment and care. The main
treatments for breast cancer are:
Surgery
Radiotherapy
Chemotherapy
Hormone
therapy
Biological
therapy (targeted therapy)
|
Prognosis
|
Prognosis depends on stage and type
of breast cancer.
Survival rates tell you what portion
of people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive a certain
amount of time (usually 5 years) after they were diagnosed. They can’t tell
you how long you will live, but they may help give you a better understanding
about the outlook. Some people will want to know the survival rates for their
cancer type and stage, and some people won’t.
|
Breast Cancer : Overview
