Breast Cancer – All You Need To Know

Who Gets Breast Cancer?

Men can get breast cancer too, but they account for less than 1% of all breast cancer cases. Among women, breast cancer is the most second most common cancer diagnosed, after skin cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths, after lung cancer. On average, 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetimes. About two-thirds of women with breast cancer are 55 or older. Most of the rest are between 35 and 54.

Breast Cancer Symptoms:

A lump or thickened area in or near your breast or underarm that lasts through your period

A mass or lump, even if it feels as small as a pea
A change in your breast’s size, shape, or curve
Nipple discharge that can be bloody or clear
Changes in the skin of your breast or your nipple. It could be dimpled, puckered, scaly, or inflamed.
Red skin on your breast or nipple
Changes in the shape or position of your nipple
An area that’s different from any other area on either breast
A hard, marble-sized spot under your skin

Types of Breast Cancer:

Some of the most common types of breast cancer include:

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). This is ductal carcinoma in its earliest stage (stage 0). In this case, the disease is still in the milk ducts. But if you don’t treat this type, it can become invasive. It’s often curable.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). This is found only in the lobules, which produce breast milk. It isn’t a true cancer, but it means you’re more likely to get breast cancer later. If you have it, get regular breast exams and mammograms.
Invasive cancers. These have spread or invaded the surrounding breast tissue.
Invasive or infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC). This cancer starts in the milk ducts. It breaks through the wall of the duct and invades the fatty tissue of the breast. It’s the most common form, accounting for 80% of invasive cases.
Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). This cancer starts in the lobules but spreads to surrounding tissues or other body parts. It accounts for about 10% of invasive breast cancers. Subtypes of this invasive breast cancer include:
Adenoid cystic (or adenocystic) carcinoma. These are similar to cells found in your salivary glands and saliva.
Low-grade adenosquamous carcinoma (a type of metaplastic carcinoma). This rare tumor is usually slow-growing and often mistaken for other types.
Medullary carcinoma. The tumors in this rare type are a soft, squishy mass that looks like part of your brain called the medulla.
Mucinous carcinoma. Tumors in this rare type float in a pool of mucin, part of the slippery, slimy stuff that makes up mucus.
Papillary carcinoma. Fingerlike projections set these tumors apart. This rare type usually affects women who’ve been through menopause.
Tubular carcinoma. The tumors are slow-growing and tube-shaped.

Less common types include:

Inflammatory breast cancer. This rare type is caused by inflammatory cells in lymph vessels in your skin.
Paget’s disease of the nipple. This type affects the areola, the thin skin around your nipple.
Phyllodes tumors of the breast. These rare tumors grow in a leaflike pattern. They grow quickly but rarely spread outside the breast.
Metastatic breast cancer. This is cancer that has spread to another body part, like your brain, bones, or lungs.

Breast Cancer Risk Factors You Can’t Control:

Age: Women over 50 are more likely to get breast cancer than younger women.
Race: African American women are more likely than white women to get breast cancer before menopause.
Dense breasts. If your breasts have more connective tissue than fatty tissue, it can be hard to see tumors on a mammogram.
Personal history of cancer. Your odds go up slightly if you have certain benign breast conditions. They go up more sharply if you’ve had breast cancer before.
Family history. If a first-degree female relative (mother, sister, or daughter) had breast cancer, you’re two times more likely to get the disease. Having two or more first-degree relatives with a history of breast cancer increases your risk at least three times. This is especially true if they got cancer before menopause or if it affected both breasts. The risk can also rise if your father or brother was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Changes to two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, are responsible for some cases of breast cancer in families. About 1 woman in 200 has one of these genes. While they make you more likely to get cancer, they don’t mean you definitely will. If you have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, you have a 7 in 10 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer by age 80. These genes also raise your odds of ovarian cancer, and they’re linked to pancreatic cancer and male breast cancer. Other gene mutations linked to breast cancer risk include mutations of the PTEN gene, the ATM gen, the TP53 gene, the CHEK2 gene, the CDH1 gene, the STK11 gene, and the PALB2 gene. These carry a lower risk for breast cancer development than the BRCA genes.

Breast Cancer Diagnosis:

Imaging tests. Your doctor will use these to learn more about your breast.
- This test uses sound waves to make a picture of your breast.
- This detailed X-ray gives doctors a better view of lumps and other problems.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This body scan uses a magnet linked to a computer to create detailed images of the insides of your breasts.
Biopsy. For this test, the doctor removes tissue or fluid from your breast. They look at it under a microscope to check for if cancer cells and, if they’re there, learn which type they are. Common procedures include:
Fine-needle aspiration. This is for easy-to-reach lumps or those that might be filled with fluid.
Core-needle biopsy. This type uses a bigger needle to remove a piece of tissue.
Surgical (open) biopsy. A surgeon removes the entire lump along with nearby breast tissue.
Lymph node biopsy. The doctor removes a part of the lymph nodes under your arm to see if cancer has spread.
Image-guided biopsy. The doctor uses imaging to guide the needle.