Breast cancer; symptoms, risk factors, treatments and preventions

For those who have been following The EKOsystem for sometime now, you'll agree that we are very concerned when it comes to matters of the breast. I agree, I love breasts but who doesn't? lol. In today's article, we'll be looking at breast cancer; the causes, symptoms, risk factors, treatments and preventions.

Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in women, and the second main cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. Breast cancer can affect men too, but this article will focus on breast cancer in women. Advances in screening and treatment have improved survival rates dramatically since 1989. The chance of any woman dying from breast cancer is around 1 in 37, or 2.7 percent. Awareness of the symptoms and the need for screening are important ways of reducing the risk of getting it.

What is breast cancer?

After puberty, a woman's breast consists of fat, connective tissue, and thousands of lobules, tiny glands that produce milk for breast-feeding. Tiny tubes, or ducts, carry the milk toward the nipple. Breast cancer usually starts in the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply them with milk. From there, it can spread to other parts of the body. In cancer, the body's cells multiply uncontrollably. It is the excessive cell growth that causes cancer. 

Symptoms

The first symptoms of breast cancer are usually an area of thickened tissue in the breast, or a lump in the breast or in an armpit. Note that, most lumps are not cancerous, however, women should have them checked by a health care professional. Other symptoms include:

·         a pain in the armpits or breast that does not change with the monthly cycle

·         pitting or redness of the skin of the breast, like the skin of an orange

·         a rash around or on one of the nipples

·         a discharge from a nipple, possibly containing blood

·         a sunken or inverted nipple

·         a change in the size or shape of the breast

·         peeling, flaking, or scaling of the skin on the breast or nipple

Risk factors

The exact cause remains unclear, but some risk factors make it more likely. Some of these are preventable.

1. Age: The risk increases with age. At 20 years, the chance of developing breast cancer in the next decade is 0.6 percent. By the age of 70 years, this figure goes up to 3.84 percent.

2. Genetics: If a close relative has or has had, breast cancer, the risk is higher.

3. A history of breast cancer or breast lumps: Women who have had breast cancer before are more likely to have it again, compared with those who have no history of the disease. Having some types of benign, or non-cancerous breast lumps increases the chance of developing cancer later on.

4. Dense breast tissue: Breast cancer is more likely to develop in higher density breast tissue.

5. Estrogen exposure and breast-feeding: Being exposed to estrogen for a longer period appears to increase the risk of breast cancer. This could be due to starting periods earlier or entering menopause later than average. Between these times, estrogen levels are higher. Breast-feeding, especially for over 1 year, appears to reduce the chance of developing breast cancer, possibly because pregnancy followed by breastfeeding reduces exposure to estrogen.

6.Body weight: Women who are overweight or have obesity after menopause may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, possibly due to higher levels of estrogen. High sugar intake may also be a factor.

7. Alcohol consumption: A higher rate of regular alcohol consumption appears to play a role. Studies have shown that women who consume more than 3 drinks a day have a 1.5 times higher risk.

8. Radiation exposure: Undergoing radiation treatment for a cancer that is not breast cancer increases the risk of breast cancer later in life.

9.Hormone treatments: The use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and oral birth control pills have been linked to breast cancer, due to increased levels of estrogen.

10.Cosmetic implants : Women with cosmetic breast implants who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher risk of dying from the disease and a 25 percent higher chance of being diagnosed at a later stage, compared with women without implants.

This could be due to due to the implants masking cancer during screening, or because the implants bring about changes in breast tissue. More research is needed.

Treatment

Treatment will depend on the following factors; the type of breast cancer, the stage of the cancer, sensitivity to hormones, the patient's age, overall health, and preferences.  Note that, treatments for breast and other cancers can have severe adverse effects. The patient should discuss with a doctor the risks involved and ways to minimize the negative effects, when deciding on treatment.

The main treatment options include:

·         Radiation therapy: Controlled doses of radiation are targeted at the tumor to destroy the cancer cells. Used from around a month after surgery, along with chemotherapy, it can kill any remaining cancer cells.

·         Surgery: Involves removing the cancerous cells or tumor.

·         Biological therapy, or targeted drug therapy: Targeted drugs destroy specific types of breast cancer. Examples include trastuzumab (Herceptin), lapatinib (Tykerb), and bevacizumab (Avastin). These drugs are all used for different purposes

·         Hormone therapy: Hormone blocking therapy is used to prevent recurrence in hormone-sensitive breast cancers. Hormone blocking therapy is normally used after surgery, but it may sometimes be used beforehand to shrink the tumor. It may be the only option for patients who cannot undergo surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy.

·         Chemotherapy: Medications known as cytotoxic drugs may be used to kill cancer cells, if there is a high risk of recurrence or spread.

Prevention 

There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, but some lifestyle decisions can significantly reduce the risk of breast and other types of cancer.

These include:

·         avoiding excess alcohol consumption

·         following a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables

·         getting enough exercise

·         maintaining a healthy body mass index 

Women should think carefully about their options for breast-feeding and the use of HRT following menopause, as these can affect the risk.

Your best defense is detecting breast cancer early. Visit your hospital regularly for screening to avoid being caught off-guard and save the tatas!

I hope you you learnt something new today. Don’t forget to share this with your mum, sister, wife and girlfriend. You can also check out our other publications on breast  REASONS WHY SLEEPING IN A BRA IS A BAD IDEA and SURPRISING FACTS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT YOUR BREAST.

Reference :  Christian Nordqvist, Medical News Today