Explore more Unknown facts about breast cancer
October was declared Pink Month by the World Health Organization in 2015 as part of a global campaign to increase awareness of breast cancer.
During Pink Month, initiatives are made to inform people who may be apprehensive about the illness, including early detection and the telltale signs and symptoms of breast cancer.
It was mentioned that over 500,000 women worldwide lose their lives to breast cancer each year. Low survival rates arise from the fact that most women with breast cancer in resource-poor areas receive their diagnosis at an advanced stage of the disease.
Breast cancer is described as “a disease in which abnormal breast cells grow out of control and form tumours” by the highest health body. Tumors have the potential to grow throughout the body and become lethal if ignored.
The milk ducts and/or the breast’s milk-producing lobules are where breast cancer cells first proliferate. There is no risk to life from the early form (in situ). It is possible for cancer cells to invade neighboring breast tissue. Tumors produced by this result in thickening or lumps.
Metastasis is the process through which invasive tumors move to neighboring lymph nodes or other organs. One can die from metastasis. Treatment, however, is determined by the patient, the kind of cancer, and how far it has progressed.
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Breast cancers have the potential to spread to other body parts and cause additional symptoms. Although it is possible to have cancer-bearing lymph nodes that are not felt, the lymph nodes under the arm are frequently the first detectable site of dissemination.
Every country in the world experiences breast cancer, with men accounting for between 0.5% and 1% of cases. The largest risk factor for breast cancer is gender. The care of breast cancer in men is based on the same concepts as in women.
Globally, there were 685,000 breast cancer-related deaths and 2.3 million new cases of the disease in women in 2020. Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, with 7.8 million women alive as of the end of 2020 who had received a diagnosis within the previous five years. According to a WHO report, women can get breast cancer at any age after puberty anywhere in the world, but the incidence rises with age.
Symptoms and Signs
Breast cancer symptoms can include breast thickening or lumps, which are frequently painless; changes in the breast’s size, shape, or appearance; skin changes such as dimpling, redness, or pitting; changes in the appearance of the nipple or the skin around it (areola); abnormal or bloody fluid coming from the nipple.
Risk Factors
The risk of breast cancer is increased by a family history of the disease, but there are other risk factors as well, such as age, harmful alcohol use, radiation exposure history, tobacco use, postmenopausal hormone therapy, reproductive history (including age at first pregnancy and age at menstruation), and obesity.
In the meantime, “the majority of women who receive a breast cancer diagnosis do not know their family history of the illness. The WHO stated that a woman’s risk is not always lower if her family history is unknown.
Treatment
Treatment for breast cancer is customized according to the cancer’s subtype and stage of development. Depending on whether the cancer is limited to the breast (stages 0-I) or has progressed to the lymph nodes or other body parts (stages II-IV), different strategies are used.
Doctors frequently combine therapies, including as surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy, to reduce the chance of recurrence.
Regardless of pain, those with an atypical breast lump should seek medical attention right away because early identification is critical. Even though the majority of breast lumps are not malignant, if cancer is discovered and the tumor is small and localized, quick examination enables effective therapy.
It is possible for cancerous cells to metastasize to other organs such the brain, liver, lungs, and bones, resulting in extra symptoms like headaches or bone pain. Prompt medical intervention enhances the chances of a successful course of therapy and better results. Frequent self-examinations and screenings are crucial for the early diagnosis and successful treatment of breast cancer.
Surgery to remove the breast tumor, radiation therapy to lower the chance of recurrence in the breast and surrounding tissues, and drugs such as hormone therapies, chemotherapy, or targeted biological therapies to kill cancer cells and stop it from spreading are some of the treatment options.
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