Breast Cancer – Symptoms and Treatments

Breast Cancer: Before we discuss breast cancer symptoms and breast cancer treatments, let’s know what is breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a malignancy that starts in the tissues of the breasts, as the name implies. It begins when our cells begin to expand more quickly than is necessary. Breast cancer cells grow into a tumour that can be felt as a lump or seen on an X-ray.

Types of Breast Cancer

Although there are several types of breast cancer, the vast majority of cases (approximately 75%) are classified as “ductal carcinoma” and another one is “lobular carcinoma”.

Other types of breast cancer can start in cells of various locations in the breast, including the skin, tissues, and fat.

1. Invasive ductal carcinoma: In these cases, cancer first forms in the cells of the ducts that enable the flow of breast milk.  Cancer cells that are invasive can spread to other parts of the body.
2. Invasive lobular carcinoma: In these cases, Cancer cells spread from adjacent lobules to breast tissue. These invasive cancer cells have the potential to spread to other parts of the body as well.

Also Read: Breast Cancer Diagnosis – Screen Yourself For Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Symptoms and Treatments

There are many signs of breast cancer and doesn’t exist just a single sign of breast cancer.

If you look at the symptoms of breast cancer, you may notice a lump in the breast, a change in the shape or skin of the nipple, tightness in the breast, blood or fluid coming from the nipple, breast pain, peeling skin on the breast or nipple, and underarm swelling. Breast cancer symptoms include lumps in the arms.

What is a symptom of breast cancer?

Here follows, therefore, is a list of the most common breast cancer symptoms.

1. A lump in the breast, which may feel firm, and may sometimes be painful, but doesn’t necessarily have to be. Sometimes the area may not feel outright painful, but tender and sore.
2. A lump in or around the armpit area.
3. Changes in the size, shape, or coloring of the breast are potential signs of breast cancer. This may entail enlargement of the breast or changes in the appearance of the nipple(s).
4. Unusual nipple discharge (may appear yellowish-green).

Medically Accepted Breast Cancer Treatments

If you exhibit a sign of potential breast cancer or more than one of the breast cancer symptoms and believe you might have breast cancer, what are the available breast cancer treatments?

First, you must discuss the matter with your physician carefully; early detection is key. Presented here is a brief overview of medically accepted breast cancer treatments:

Also Read: How To Prevent Breast Cancer Naturally

1. Surgery

This can entail the surgical removal of a lump in the breast, which is referred to as a lumpectomy. A more involved procedure called a mastectomy entails the removal of the entire breast and may also involve the removal of lymph nodes (around the armpit area to where cancer can sometimes spread).

2. Radiation therapy

Sometimes used as one of the methods of breast cancer treatment, the objective is to destroy the tumour or eradicate cancerous cells in the tissues. It is often employed after a lumpectomy or mastectomy.

3. Chemotherapy

Involves an attempt to destroy any potentially cancerous cells that may still exist in breast tissues or have possibly spread to other areas of the body. It may be recommended as one of the breast cancer treatments following surgery.

4. Prescription medications

These breast cancer treatments are usually reserved for particular cases. Some breast cancer cells may respond to the female hormone estrogen; specifically, estrogen may stimulate these cancerous cells to replicate by binding to them. Certain prescriptions such as Tamoxifen help to prevent this estrogen-binding. Another group of such prescription medications is called aromatase inhibitors.

It should be noted that all of these aforementioned breast cancer treatments will depend on the stage of breast cancer.