Breast Cancer : Symptoms, Stages, Treatments and Prevention

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer occurring in women, which causes the most number of cancer-related deaths among women. As per data from WHO, breast cancer impacts 2.1 million women each year across the world. It is estimated that the rates of breast cancer are the highest in developed countries. But with the changing lifestyle in the developing countries, the rates are increasing here as well.

In India, the survival rate is fairly low than that in most of the developed countries. This is major because of the delay in detection. Survival becomes increasingly difficult in the case of stages 3 and 4. As per a survey, 1,62,468 new cases are registered cases, and 87,090 deaths are reported every year since 2018. Further, according to one of the reports published by the Indian Council for Medical Research in 2019, the total number of breast cancer cases reported in India will reach 17.3 lakhs in 2020.

Women between the age of 25 and 55 are the most affected. Clearly, there is an urgent need for awareness and to achieve this, it’s necessary to educate the masses about the symptoms, diagnosis, stages, cure, and proactive measures.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Most of the symptoms can be observed by the patients themselves. This is the reason why women are urged to check their breasts once every 3-4 months for early detection. Common Symptoms of breast cancer are:

1.New formation of any lump in the breast or underarm/armpit

2.Irritation in the breast skin

3.Thickening or swelling of any part of the breast

4.Redness or flaky skin in or around the nipple area

5.Pain in the nipple area on pulling or otherwise

6.Pain in the nipple area

7.Any change in the shape or size of the breast

8.Discharge from nipple other than breast milk, or discharge of blood.

It is not necessary that the patients have to show all of the symptoms. Even if only 1-2 symptoms are evident, it is advised to see a doctor as soon as possible. Breast cancer is treatable if it is detected early and when the treatment is followed strictly.

Diagnosing Breast Cancer

Various tests and procedures are used to diagnose breast cancer. Breast Exam is the most common one and can be carried at home. The subjects can check both their breasts and the lymph nodes in the armpits, feeling for any lumps or abnormalities. For better analysis, a doctor should be seen. Other procedures are:

Mammogram: This is nothing but an X-ray of the breasts. It is a common method of screening breast cancer. In case some abnormality is detected in the screening stage, it is recommended to go for a diagnostic mammogram.

Breast Ultrasound: This method involves the use of Ultrasound waves to obtain images of internal parts of the body. This is used to detect any lumps in the breasts or armpits and whether the lump is a solid mass or a cyst filled with fluid.

Biopsy: This is like the sure-shot detection procedure. This involves removing a sample of breast cells for testing. A specialized needle device guided by an X-ray is used to take the sample from the suspicious area. The samples are then sent to laboratories to determine whether or not the cells are cancerous. A biopsy can also give results about what stage the cancer is at.

Breast MRI: MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging, and the machine uses a magnet and radio waves to create images of the interior of breasts. Since MRI doesn’t use any radiations to obtain the images, the subject is given a dye injection before the further procedure is followed.

Understanding the Various Stages

The stages of breast cancer range from stage 0-4. The stage is usually determined by biopsy.

Stage 0 means that the cancer is not invasive and present in the milk ducts only.

In the sub-stages of Stage 1, the tumor can grow from being small and invasive to spreading in the lymph nodes.

In the sub-stages of Stage 2, the tumor can reach 1-3 auxiliary lymph nodes and can grow from 20-50mm in size.

In early Stage 3, the tumor can spread to 4-9 lymph nodes and up to 10 lymph nodes in the later phase of Stage 3. Further, it can spread to the chest walls and to the collarbones to cause swelling of the breast.

Stage 4 is also called metastatic cancer because of the cancerous cells spread to other organs like the brain, bones, liver, and distant lymph nodes.

Treatment for Breast Cancer

There are various treatments available. The one to be adopted is determined by the stage and how far it has spread. The following are the treatment options available as of now.

Surgery: In this, the doctors operate on the breast to cut and remove the cancerous cells.

Chemotherapy: This method involves the use of specialized medicines that shrink and eliminate cancerous cells. These medicines can be given be in several forms viz oral pills, injecting in the veins, or both.

Radiation Therapy: In this method, high-energy radiations are used to kill cancerous cells.

Hormonal Therapy: This method targets and blacks away from the hormones that the cancerous cells need to grow and spread.

Biological Therapy: This method works to magnify the body’s natural immune system to fight against breast cancer and to control the side effects of other treatments.

Alternative and Complementary Treatments: These refer to the medicines and health practices that are not standard treatments. Alternative treatments can be used in the place of the standard treatments, and complementary treatments are used along with the standard treatments. Common examples are herbal supplements, meditation, and yoga. But these do not work necessarily and should be undertaken on a professional’s advice.

How to Prevent Breast Cancer?

Prevention is indeed better than cure. Some studies show that even lifestyle changes can contribute to breast cancer. To lower the risk of breast cancer, women should limit alcohol consumption, quit smoking, manage body weight by engaging in exercises and other forms of physical activity. Some studies have shown that the type of food consumed also determines the risk. Consuming a plant-based and balanced diet is highly recommended. The fat intake must be monitored, and the fats consumed should also be plant-based.

Conclusion

Breast cancer is a cause of death among women, and unfortunately, the rates are increasing. In this light, educating women is the need of the hour. Various awareness drives have been launched, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month for this month is focused on early detection. Educating women about the symptoms and urging them to check themselves regularly is something that can save many lives. And this is something that can really make a change.

Follow us-

Instagram/ Facebook/ Youtube/ Pinterest 

Also Read:

Breast Cancer Screening : Why and how you should regularly do it at home

Breast Feeding

How To Lose A Postpartum Belly?