What is breast cancer?
One in every nine women in the UK will develop breast cancer at some point in her life – more than 45,000 cases are diagnosed each year. It has become the most common cancer in the UK, and is the leading cause of death for women aged 34 to 54.
Men can also develop this breast cancer.
Despite recent improvements due to better treatments and earlier detection, the UK still has one of the highest mortality rates for breast cancer in the world. But research is beginning to reap dividends in new ways of understanding how breast cancer cells work.
Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. Damage to the DNA of these cells results in uncontrolled cell division and growth, and, eventually, sufficient cells accumulate to form a lump.
The cells invade normal surrounding breast tissue and can break off from the primary lump to spread in lymph channels or the blood stream to other organs where secondary lumps (metastases) may form.
The breast is divided into ducts and lobules. The most common form of breast cancer arises from the ducts and is known as invasive ductal carcinoma. Cancers arising from the lobules (invasive lobular carcinomas) are less common.
As with most cancers, the key to successful treatment is early diagnosis before the cancer has had the chance to spread to other organs.
Breast cancer causes
The precise reasons why a woman develops breast cancer are still unknown, but are thought to be a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. Scientists have identified two genes which are more likely to be defective in someone with breast cancer. These genes are also blamed for some other cancers. However, even the two mutated genes are thought only to be responsible for approximately five to 10 per cent of breast cancer cases.
Hormones seem to have an important role in breast cancer. Research has shown a link between oestrogen levels (the female sex hormone) and the risk of developing breast cancer. The exact causes of breast cancer have not been clearly identified, but there are certain risk factors:
- Getting older – 80 per cent of breast cancer cases are in postmenopausal women – it’s relatively unusual in younger women
- Having a significant family history of breast cancer, which may be associated with inherited gene mutations
- Having no children or women who have their first child later in life
- Starting your periods early or going through the menopause late
- Certain types of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the menopause over a prolonged period
- Being overweight
- Drinking excess alcohol
Breast cancer symptoms
The most common way that a potential problem is detected is when physical changes are noticed in the breast. The key is for the woman to know what ‘normal’ is – then changes can be noticed. All women should practise breast awareness. This involves getting to know what’s normal for your breasts in terms of look and texture, so you can spot any changes and get them checked as soon as possible.
Examples of the kind of things to look out for include:
- Lumps or thickening of the tissue
- Any flaking skin or discharge from the nipple.
- ‘Tethering’ of the skin, as if it’s being pulled from the inside
- Any unusual sensation or discomfort
- A change in outline, shape or size of the breast
Remember, although most lumps are harmless and will turn out not to be cancerous, you should still get them checked by a doctor as soon as possible, especially if you’re young.
Many lumps will be picked up with mammograms – x-rays of the breast taken every few years as part of the NHS National Breast Screening Programme. The NHS National Breast Screening Programme provides free screening for breast cancer for all women over the age of 50. If you’re between 50 and 70 you should be routinely invited for a mammogram every three years. Women over 70 are encouraged to make their own appointments. Regular breast screening may also highlight changes in the breast, enabling the condition to be diagnosed before any symptoms occur.
You may want to have a look at Macmillan’s OPERA tool. This online risk assessment program has been designed to give information about your hereditary risk based on the your personal and family history of breast and ovarian cancer.
Diagnosing breast cancer
If a lump is found, techniques used to investigate it include using an ultrasound and mammogram. Doctors may take a sample of tissue using a needle. This is then analysed to assess whether malignant cells are present and confirm the diagnosis of cancer.
The cells may be tested to see if they carry certain receptors, which may influence the treatments offered. If they carry hormone receptors, it suggests they’re sensitive to female sex hormones and hormone therapies are likely to be used in their treatment. Cells carrying the Her2 receptor may respond to the drug trastuzumab (herceptin), which may be used in the treatment of some Her2 positive cancers.
All patients suspected of having breast cancer must be seen by a hospital specialist within two weeks of an urgent referral by their GP. Some hospitals run ‘one-stop shops’ for rapid assessment of breast lumps where all the examinations can be done on the spot, often with the results available on the same day.
For Further Information:-http://www.breastcancerhelpcenter.com/
