Breast Care / Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the second most frequent cancer in women, after skin cancer. Women over the age of 50 are more likely to be affected.
Men can get breast cancer as well, albeit it is uncommon. Male breast cancer affects about 2,600 males in the United States each year, accounting for fewer than 1% of total cases. Transgender women are more likely than cisgender guys to acquire breast cancer. In addition, transgender guys are less likely than cisgender women to acquire breast cancer. Breast cancer is most commonly diagnosed in women over 50, although it may strike anybody at any age.
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Non-Hispanic white women, on average, have a slightly greater risk of breast cancer than women of any other race or ethnicity. Non-Hispanic black women are virtually as likely to get the illness as non-Hispanic white women. Asian, Hispanic, and Native American women are statistically the least likely to acquire breast cancer.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer in its early stages?
Breast cancer symptoms differ from person to person. Breast cancer symptoms might include:
- A change in your breast’s size, shape, or contour.
- A little lump or tumor that feels like a pea.
- A lump or thickening in or around your breast or underarm that lasts for the duration of your menstrual cycle.
- A change in the appearance or feel of your breast or nipple skin (dimpled, puckered, scaly or inflamed).
- The skin of your breast or nipple is red.
- A region on either breast that is unique from the rest of the breast.
- A firm marble-like region beneath your skin.
- A clear or blood-stained fluid discharge from your nipple.
Some women are completely unaware that they have breast cancer. This is why mammograms are so crucial.
What factors contribute to breast cancer?
When abnormal cells in your breast proliferate and multiply, breast cancer develops. However, specialists are unsure what triggers this process in the first place.
- Age. Breast cancer is more likely in people over the age of 55.
- Sex. Breast cancer is far more common in women than in males.
- Genetics and family history. If your parents, siblings, children, or other close relatives have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you’re more likely to have it yourself at some time. About 5% to 10% of breast cancers are caused by single faulty genes handed down from parents to children, which can be detected by genetic testing.
- Smoking. Tobacco usage is connected to a variety of cancers, including breast cancer.
- Drinking. Drinking alcohol has been linked to an increased risk of some forms of breast cancer, according to research.
- Obesity. Obesity raises your chances of developing breast cancer and having it return.
- Exposure to radiation. You’re more likely to get breast cancer if you’ve received past radiation therapy, especially to your head, neck, or chest.
- Hormone therapy is a type of hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement treatment (HRT) users are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer.
How can breast cancer get detected?
Your doctor will examine your breasts and inquire about your family history, medical history, and any current problems. Tests to look for breast abnormalities will also be recommended by your healthcare practitioner. These tests may involve the following:
- Mammogram. Changes or abnormal growths in your breast might be detected with these particular X-ray scans. Breast cancer prevention often includes a mammogram.
- Ultrasonography. Sound waves are used to obtain photographs of the tissues inside your breast during this examination. It’s used to detect lumps or abnormalities in the breast.
- PET scanning (positron emission tomography): PET scans employ unique dyes to identify worrisome regions. Your healthcare professional injects a particular dye into your veins and uses a scanner to capture photographs.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that employs magnets and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the structures inside your breast.
Your healthcare practitioner may conduct a biopsy of your breast tissue if the imaging tests reveal anything abnormal. The sample will be sent to a pathology lab for examination.Your healthcare practitioner will discuss your treatment choices with you in detail if you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer. They can inform you what to expect in your scenario because everyone’s treatment and recovery will be different. Early-stage breast cancer patients can typically successfully manage their illness with therapy. Many people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer go on to enjoy long and happy lives. Late-stage breast cancer, on the other hand, is more difficult to cure and can be deadly.
Breast cancer patients have a 90 percent five-year survival rate. This indicates that 90% of patients who are diagnosed with the condition survive five years. Breast cancer that has spread to adjacent areas has an 86 percent five-year survival rate, whereas metastatic breast cancer has a 28 percent five-year survival rate. Fortunately, as we understand more about the illness and create new and better management strategies, breast cancer survival rates are increasing. It’s important to remember that survival rates are simply estimations. They can’t tell you how successful your therapy will be or how long you’ll survive. Speak with your healthcare professional if you have particular questions regarding breast cancer survival rates.
