Introduction
Breast cancer is a type of cancer in which
cancer tumor starts to grow out of control in the breast. The breast has three
main parts: duct tubes, lobules, and connective tissue. The lobules are the
glands that produce milk. The duct tubes carry milk to the nipple. The
connective tissue support and hold everything in the breast. Breast cancer can
start with any part of the breast. Most of the breast cancer starts with
lobules and duct tubes.
General Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Lump in the breast is a common symptom in breast
cancer. But there are other symptoms for the breast cancer which is as follows:
·
Lump in the breast or underarm
·
Change in breast skin's texture
·
Nipple discharge
·
Breast skin dimpling or Irritation
·
Breast or nipple pain
·
Nipple retraction or inversion
·
Redness on the breast
·
Swelling in the breast
·
The drastic change in size or shape of the breast
·
Nipple discharge
·
According to Dr. Sandeep Nayak one of the best
oncologist in India, “When any lump or swelling is growing painlessly, the very
absence of pain should make you consider cancer.” You must consult your doctor
immediately in case of such changes that you notice.
Preventions for breast cancer
1. Breast Self Examination
Every woman should do a self-breast examination
to prevent breast cancer. The early detection of breast cancer can
cure cancer completely.
There are 5 simple steps for the self-breast
examination given by some of the best cancer specialists :
Step 1- Examine your breast in the
shower.
Step 2- Examine breast in front of the
mirror with your arm down, up and on the hip.
Step 3- Stand and press your finger
around the breast in a circular way.
Step 4- Lie down and repeat step 3.
Step 5- Sometimes squeeze your nipple
to check for unusual discharge and check the armpit carefully.
The self-examination should be done once a month
only. An ideal day for self-examination would be the seventh day after your
menstrual period. Menopausal women can choose any day.
Some important tips provided by cancer
specialists for preventing breast cancer are as follows.
2. Healthy diet
There are no specific foods that prevent breast
cancer. Some foods can help to cut the risk of breast cancer. There should be
an intake of fresh fruits and vegetables in the daily diet. For drinks add
pomegranate juice and green tea in a diet for better weight management. It is
important to keep up a healthy weight for everyone. The overweight of a woman
increases the risk of breast cancer, especially after menopause.
3. Daily exercises
Exercises are an important aspect of healthy
living. The women who do exercises at least 30 minutes a day have a lower risk
of breast cancer. Daily exercise is the best way to keep a healthy weight.
Light exercises like yoga and meditation to keep physical and mental health in
proper condition.
4. Limit the intake of alcohol and stop smoking
Try to take a moderate level of alcohol. The excessive drinking of
alcohol can increases the risk of cancer. Smoking is dangerous to health.
Smoking can increase the risk of breast cancer.
5. Family history
It is important to know family history for
women. Women with cancer family history should take special care to protect
from cancer. The risk of breast cancer gets high if you have a mother or sister
who developed breast cancer. Dr. Sandeep Nayak, renowned cancer
specialist in Bangalore, suggests a visit to the hospital to understand
your family history for cancer. There are genetic tests available that can help
you identify if cancer can be hereditary in your family.
6. Breast Feeding
Research has shown that women who breastfeed
have less risk of breast cancer than those who don’t. Breastfeeding should be
done for a total of one year or more that lowers the risk of breast cancer.
Stages and treatments for breast cancer
The stages of breast cancer can be identified by the
place, size, and tumor that has spread to the nearby organs. The doctor uses
the TNM staging system to find the stage of cancer.
Stage 0
Stage 0 breast cancer is only in the ducts of breast tissues and
not spread around the breast tissues. In this stage, this type of cancer is
mostly curable. The removal of the affected part of the breast can cure cancer
completely. There is no need for further treatment after removing the tumor
from the breast.
Stage I
In stage I, the tumor is less than 2cm. The tumor is not spread to
lymph nodes or other organs. This stage of cancer is curable.
The first surgery is used for the removal of the tumor.
After the surgery, radiation therapy is also used to reduce the
chances of cancer from coming back. Dr. Sandeep Nayak suggests even
chemotherapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Stage II
In stage II, the tumor size is up to 5 cm. The tumor is spread to
lymph nodes, but not to other organs. The many cases are curable in this stage.
Treatment for this stage is chemotherapy to reduce the
size of the tumor. Then the surgery takes place to remove the affected area.
Stage III
In this stage, the tumor size is more than 5 cm. the tumor is
spread to breast areas. The cancer cells are not spread outside the breast area
or any other nearby organs.
After the treatment, the recurrence of a tumor may
happen. In this stage, the surgery is used to remove the affected breast.
The breast can be reconstructed after some time of the surgery.
Stage IV
In this stage, the cancer tumors are spread across the breast area
and nearby organs. This stage of cancer is not usually curable. Surgery is
performed only to give the quality of life to the patient.
In all of the above stages, the surgeries take place to
remove the tumor from the breast. Minimal Invasive Breast Surgery (MIBS) is an
advanced and latest technique for treating breast cancer. Robotic surgery is
one type of minimally invasive surgery.
