Breast Cancer
Introduction : Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers that affects women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). It happens when cancerous cells in your breasts multiply and become tumors. About 80% of breast cancer cases are invasive, meaning a tumor may spread from your breast to other areas of your body.
Breast cancer typically affects women age 50 and older, but it can also affect women and people AFAB who are younger than 50. Men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB) may also develop breast cancer.
The condition can affect your breasts in different ways. Some breast cancer symptoms are very distinctive. Others may simply seem like areas of your breast that look very different from any other area. Breast cancer may not cause noticeable symptoms either. But when it does, symptoms may include:
- A change in the size, shape or contour of your breast.
- A mass or lump, which may feel as small as a pea.
- A lump or thickening in or near your breast or in your underarm that persists through your menstrual cycle.
- A change in the look or feel of your skin on your breast or nipple. Your skin may look dimpled, puckered, scaly or inflamed. It may look red, purple or darker than other parts of your breast.
- A marble-like hardened area under your skin.
- A blood-stained or clear fluid discharge from your nipple.
- Age: Being 55 or older.
- Sex: Women and people AFAB are much more likely to develop the condition than men and people AMAB.
- Family history: If your parents, siblings, children or other close relatives have breast cancer, you’re at risk of developing the disease.
- Genetics: Up to 15% of people with breast cancer develop the disease because they have inherited genetic mutations. The most common genetic mutations involve the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
- Smoking: Tobacco use has been linked to many different types of cancer, including breast cancer.
- Drinking beverages containing alcohol: Research shows that drinking beverages containing alcohol may increase breast cancer risk.
- Having obesity.
- Radiation exposure: If you’ve had prior radiation therapy — especially to your head, neck or chest — you’re more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Hormone replacement therapy: People who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have a higher risk of being diagnosed with the condition.
Healthcare providers may do physical examinations or order mammograms to check for signs of breast cancer. But they do the following tests to diagnose the disease:
- Breast ultrasound.
- Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
- Breast biopsy.
- Immunohistochemistry test to check for hormone receptors.
- Genetic tests to identify mutations that cause breast cancer.
Surgery is the primary breast cancer treatment, but healthcare providers may use other treatments. Breast cancer surgeries include:
- Mastectomy.
- Lumpectomy.
- Breast reconstruction.
Providers may combine surgery with one or more of the following treatments:
- Chemotherapy.
- Radiation therapy, including intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT).
- Immunotherapy.
- Hormone therapy, including selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) therapy.
- Targeted therapy.
The stage wise 5-year survival percentages
- Stage 1: ~99%
- Stage 2: ~86%
- Stage 3: ~57%
- Stage 4: ~30%
You may not be able to prevent breast cancer. But you can reduce your risk of developing it. Just as important, regular self-exams and mammograms can help detect breast cancer early on, when it’s easier to treat.
There’s no sure way to reduce breast cancer risk, but the American Cancer Society (ACS) has the following advice for all women and people AFAB:
- Get to and stay at a healthy weight: This is a weight that’s right for you. Ask a healthcare provider for information on setting up healthy weight management.
- Eat a healthy diet: Some studies show a diet that includes vegetables, fruit, calcium-rich dairy foods and lean protein may reduce your risk of breast cancer. Avoiding red meat and processed meat may also reduce your risk.
- Get moving: Studies show that regular physical activity lowers breast cancer risk.
- Avoid beverages containing alcohol: Research shows a link between breast cancer and alcohol. The American Medical Association recommends women and people AFAB limit alcohol to one drink a day.
- Get screened: Mammograms often detect tumors when they’re too small to be felt.
- Do regular self-exams: Examining your breasts regularly helps to maintain breast health and may allow you to find breast cancer tumors.
Some women and people AFAB have an increased risk for breast cancer because family members have it or they inherited a genetic mutation. If that’s your situation, you may want to consider the following:
- Genetic screening for breast cancer genes.
- Medication that may lower breast cancer risk like tamoxifen, raloxifene or aromatase inhibitors.
- Prophylactic (preventive) mastectomy.
- Frequent breast cancer screenings and physical examinations. If you have an increased risk for breast cancer, ask your provider if you should have additional tests to detect breast cancer, particularly if you’re under age 40 and have increased risk.