The most common type of cancer found in women is breast cancer. Although it can affect men too, it happens very rarely. Breast cancer develops when some cells in the breast start growing out of control and form lumps or masses. These abnormal cells can spread to nearby healthy tissue if not treated in time. Understanding its symptoms, causes, and treatments can help detect it early and potentially save lives..
What Is Breast Cancer?
The abnormal division of cells in the breast area is what is known as breast cancer. The concept of cancer cells is similar to that of you having a bunch of weeds taking over your garden—it next thing you see is that they would kill the other healthy plants due to their out of control nature. In a similar way, cancer cells are taking over the areas that are not their own and thus the development of lumps which can be felt by the doctors through the skin or detected through mammograms or any other imaging tests.
Why Do People Get Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer doesn’t have one single cause. You can think of it like a puzzle — every piece represents a different factor that plays a role in how the disease develops.
Age: Most cases of breast cancer are present in women who are older than 50 years. Like an old car that’s been around the block a few times, our bodies also show signs of ageing by becoming more vulnerable to cancer, which is why the probability of cancer increases with age.
Family History & Genetics: It is quite likely that you may develop breast cancer if your mother, sister, or grandmother has or had breast cancer. Genes like BRCA1 and BRCA2 that are associated with breast cancer and are inherited from one generation to another are the main reason for most cases of breast cancer.
Hormones: Hormones in our bodies are like transmitting one chemical message to another part of the body. The breast cancer risk will be elevated if one hormone level is too high or if the person has been exposed to hormones for a long time.
Lifestyle Factors: Lack of exercise, excessive weight, and overconsumption of hard liquor are some of the factors that have contributed to the increased risk of breast cancer. But the good news is that these factors can be managed with healthy lifestyle choices.
Reproductive History: The risk for women who have never been pregnant is slightly higher. Also, those whose first pregnancy was after 30 years of age are at a slightly higher risk. Hormone replacement therapy during menopause for a long time is also among the factors that may lead to this one.
Warning Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Early identification can increase the chances of getting successful treatment. It should be noted that not all lumps are cancer however, it is always advisable that any alteration be examined by a doctor.
A new lump in the breast or underarm area
Breast shape or size variations
Alterations in the skin of the breast such as puckering or thickening that mimic the texture of an orange peel
Reddened or scaly breast skin.
Breast skin that is reddened or scaly
Nipple changes, such as turning inward or the production of discharge (especially if it is bloody), without breastfeeding
If you notice swelling under your armpit or near your neck, just below the collarbone, it could mean that the cancer has started to spread to the nearby lymph nodes.
The continuous breast pain, even though most cancers are painless
How Doctors Treat Breast Cancer
The treatment of cancer is based on its stage, size, and type. Basically, medical science of today provides multiple ways to cure the disease.
Surgery
Lumpectomy: Getting rid of the tumour and some surrounding tissue of the breast.
Mastectomy: It is a type of surgery that involves removing the entire breast, sometimes, doctors suggest it for larger or cancers that have spread widely.
Chemotherapy: These are drugs that travel throughout the body and kill the cancer cells. The procedure can definitely be done prior to an operation in order to shrink the tumours, or it can also be done after an operation to eliminate the possible leftover cells.
Radiation Therapy: High-energy rays that kill cancer cells that have been left after surgery, thus, the risk of cancer returning, is minimal.
Hormone Therapy: The drugs that stop the body from producing hormones, thus, the growth of cancer is slowed or stopped for hormone-helped cancers.
Targeted Therapy: The “smart” cancer-killing method that works only on those parts of the cells that are specific to certain molecules and very minimally affects normal cells.
Immunotherapy: A method which encourages the body’s defense system to replay cancer fight more efficiently—a new method that is still at the stage of research and development.
The Importance of Regular Check-Ups
Mainly mammograms can detect cancer very early – well before the patient can feel it – thus giving the doctor the best chance of treatment.
Women should understand the normal look and feel of their breasts in order to recognize changes at an early stage. The power of the monthly self-examination and the doctor’s opinion at the right time in the fight against breast cancer cannot be ignored.
Living with Breast Cancer
Many people breast cancer patients live healthy and full life, thanks to the improvement of treatments and the success of early cancer detection. The point is not to refuse to see the doctor at the occurrence of the change in the body – in the case of a lump with or without itching, swelling, or unusual secretion, get medical attention immediately.
Getting Help is Easy
Centres that specialise in cancer care, such as surgical oncology solutions, offer both face to face and online consultations. Highly skilled oncologists put in the work to make treatment plans that are unique to every patient, thus balancing efficiency with comfort to the greatest extent.
Conclusion
Developing breast cancer is definitely a hard blow to a woman, but it is a fact that survival rates have been improving, and this is attributed to awareness, preventive steps, and prompt treatment. In fact, the early detection of breast cancer is the difference between living and dying— so, start monitoring your health today.