Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Treatment & Diagnostics in Tardeo, Mumbai

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is cancer that develops in the breast area. Breast cancer is generally formed either in the breast lobule or in the breast ducts.

Breast cancer can be invasive and noninvasive. Invasive breast cancer can spread from the breast lobule, ducts, and glands to other parts of the breast, whereas noninvasive breast cancer does not metastasize from its site of origin.

About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the second most prevalent type of cancer. Breast cancer is more common in women, although it can occur in men too.

Cancer is a result of a mutation in the genes involved in cell growth. This, in turn, leads to uncontrolled cell division and cell multiplication. The type of cancer which affects the breast cells is known as breast cancer.

Types of Breast Cancer

Invasive breast cancer can be of the following types:

• Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC)
• Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) 

Noninvasive (in situ) breast cancer can be of these types:

• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) 

Other less prominent types of breast cancers include:

• Phyllodes tumor
• Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) 
• Angiosarcoma
• Paget disease of the nipple
• Metastatic breast cancer 
• Triple-negative breast cancer 

Symptoms Of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer usually shows some early symptoms, such as:

• Lump or bulge in the breast region or under the arm
• Change in breast shape or size
• Visible redness in the breast region
• Flaking, peeling, crusting, or scaling in the breast region
• Breast pain
• An inverted nipple
• Swelling in breast region or under the arm
• Unusual discharge from the nipples

What Causes Breast Cancer?

• A range of lifestyle, hormonal and environmental factors cause breast cancer. Despite intense research in this area, the exact cause of breast cancer remains undiscovered. 
• Approximately 5 to 10% of breast cancer cases are due to the gene mutations passed through genetic heritage. This is known as inherited breast cancer. Breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2) are the two well-known inherited mutated genes. 
• If you’re a woman, a family history of breast cancer, old age, obesity, postmenopausal hormone therapy, alcohol addiction, and radiation exposure increases your risk of breast cancer.  

When Should I Visit a Doctor for Breast Cancer?

If you experience any of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, it’s time to visit an oncologist or a breast surgeon right away. 

Request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Tardeo, Mumbai.

Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.

Breast Cancer Diagnosis

The diagnosis of breast cancer usually starts with a physical examination of the lump or bulge. It is followed by a mammogram and an ultrasound to look for any tumor or abnormality in the breast.

If you have a family history of breast cancer or any other type of cancer, your doctor may look for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations via a blood test to determine cancer. Based on the test results, your doctor may suggest a breast biopsy or MRI.

Once the diagnosis is made, your doctor will determine the stage of cancer based on the following factors:

• If the breast cancer is invasive or noninvasive
• Involvement of lymph nodes
• Tumor size
• If the cancer has metastasized 

Treatment Of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer can be treated via:

• Medications: Specific mutations in cancer cells can be dealt with proper medicines.
• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a drug treatment used to shrink or destroy cancer cells. It is mainly used along with the surgery. 
• Radiation therapy: In this treatment, high-power radiation beams are used to kill the cancer cells. 
• Hormone therapy: Two female hormones, estrogen, and progesterone, can increase the growth of breast tumors. Via hormone therapy, the body's production of these two hormones is blocked, thereby slowing and stopping cancer growth.
• Biological treatment: It uses targeted drugs like Herceptin, Tykerb, and Avastin to destroy specific types of breast cancer.
• Breast surgery: Breast surgery is done to remove the breast tumor. 

Medical advancements have made various types of breast surgeries to remove breast cancer possible, such as:

• Sentinel node biopsy: Removal of lymph nodes that have drainage from the cancer cells
• Mastectomy: Removal of the entire breast
• Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy: Removal of a healthy breast to avoid the risk of breast cancer again
• Lumpectomy: Removal of tumor and tissues on the surrounding
• Axillary lymph node dissection: Removal of additional lymph nodes after sentinel node biopsy if they contain cancer cells

Conclusion

With new medical approaches, early diagnosis, and improved understanding of the disease, breast cancer survival rates have increased in the last few years. As women are at higher risk of breast cancer than men, they should be more precautious and alert towards breast cancer symptoms to avoid future complications.