Any modern representative of the weaker sex should know the symptoms and causes of the appearance of breast cancer in women, navigate the features of the treatment of this disease and forecasts. The frequency of oncological pathology is terrifying - and this is absolutely true. Mortally dangerous disease is diagnosed from year to year more often, women of any age group can become its victims. Cancer does not distinguish by nationality, income or other conditional criteria.
Relevance of the issue
Statistical studies designed to determine the frequency of occurrence, in order to make it easier to analyze the causes of breast cancer, show a rather sad picture: many have problems with the mammary glands, but people often turn to doctors too late. Victims of this form of cancer die hourly. If the patient can still be helped at the initial stage, neglected cases are difficult to treat and life-threatening. Among other oncological diseases, this one is most often found in women. It also provokes a maximum of fatal cases. Experts believe that a detailed study of the causes and factors, as well as raising public awareness of the signs and manifestations, are important tools that will help to identify pathologies more often at an early stage. The sooner a disease can be detected, the greater the chance of a successful cure. If a problem is detected in the first stage, the probability of a positive outcome reaches 95%.
In recent years, the oncological disease under consideration is increasingly found in women of young and middle age. Case studies have shown that early breast cancer often threatens women who have reached the age of 40, but recently the age bracket has been steadily shifting. Previously, only women with a hereditary predisposition to cancer were included in the risk group. If the mother or sisters suffered from the form in question, the woman has an increased risk of getting sick. Modern studies show: the number of hereditary cases among the total number of diagnosed is about 10%.
Factors and Risks
Doctors cannot yet say with certainty that all the causes of breast cancer are known, since cancer has yet to be studied in detail. Reliably identified factors indicating an increased danger in a particular case. If in assessing her condition a woman notes that at least one such factor is inherent in her, it is necessary to make it a rule to regularly undergo an examination for the oncological process. Doctors urge: do not hope that "will bypass me."
It is known that the type of malignant disease under consideration is susceptible to women in whom menstrual bleeding began at the age of less than twelve, as well as in those whose menopause was later than average. If a woman first gave birth at the age of over 35, if she did not give birth at all, if she is overweight, diabetic or hypertension, the risk of oncology is higher. Risks are more significant for patients with mastopathy and people living in a polluted environment, subject to regular stress loads. An additional danger is created by bad habits, addiction to tobacco and alcohol products.
Doctors recommend that all adult women visit the gynecologist at least once a year to check the condition of the mammary glands. If the doctor considers it necessary to send the client for an additional examination, mammogram or ultrasound, you do not need to delay visiting the appropriate office. Monthly, you can examine the chest yourself.
Features of preventive examinations
Doctors, studying the causes of breast cancer in women, revealed a connection between this disease and radiation exposure received by a person. This imposes certain restrictions on regular examinations in the X-ray room. Doctors recommend that women under the age of 35 do not undergo a mammogram if there is no unequivocal advice from a doctor. Any irradiation negatively affects health, including the radiation dose that a person receives when photographing the sternum under the apparatus.
At 35, primary mammography is indicated. The procedure is one-time. Its main task is to identify the features of the structure of the gland. From the age of 40, such a study is recommended for all women to do at least twice a year.
Check everything yourself
In order not to encounter radiation (a possible cause of metaplastic breast cancer and another form of the disease), while regularly checking the condition of the body, self-examination should be made a constant habit. Experts advise repeating it monthly. During the period of reproductive activity, it is advisable to check the gland for 7-14 days of menstruation.
The procedure is simple. Spend her, standing in front of the mirror. First, arms are lowered along the body. It is necessary to visually inspect the chest. Then the hands are laid behind the head and the visual inspection is repeated. It is necessary to evaluate whether the size, shape, whether there are swollen or reddened areas. Certain sections may be pulled in or begin to protrude - they require special attention. It is necessary to assess the condition of the nipples. A possible symptom of the disease is the presence of secretions.
The next step is a lying examination. Feel the chest, moving her fingers vertically and in circles. Suspicion should be caused by compacted areas, areas of pain and swelling. Raising and lowering the arm, you need to check the quality of the lymph nodes and the presence of inflammation. If a dubious symptom is detected, it is recommended to visit the clinic immediately.
Is it threatening?
In an attempt to identify all the possible causes of breast cancer in women, studies have been conducted on changes in the situation with this disease. The results were disappointing. The frequency of occurrence of this particular form of oncology in four half a century has become four times more. Presumably, this is due to a change in lifestyle, a short breastfeeding of children and a decrease in the number of babies born.
A woman who has not undergone childbirth or who has given birth to a child late is faced with an increased risk of malignant disease. In many ways, cancerous processes are associated with hormonal changes in the human body. Estrogen strongly affects the various processes taking place in the body. During pregnancy and lactation, its concentration is lower than in the rest of the time. To reduce risks for yourself, it is better to give birth to a baby if possible.
Step by step
Doctors, studying the causes and symptoms of breast cancer, the factors provoking the disease and treatment methods, established the features of the development of pathology. First, the disease is at a zero stage - atypical cells are localized in the duct or a specific lobule and do not cover areas nearby. It is very difficult to notice the disease at this step, since there are no specific manifestations. A preventive examination by a doctor is the only diagnostic method at this stage.
The first stage is accompanied by the spread to the tissues around. The size of the neoplasm is about a couple of centimeters, there are no metastases. At the second stage, lymph nodes swell in the axillary fossa. The third stage is accompanied by a commissure of lymph nodes under the armpits. It is possible to combine such structures with each other, possibly soldering with subcutaneous tissue. At the fourth stage, metastases appear in different parts of the body. Very often, these are detected in the respiratory system, skin, liver.
Features and risks
As studies of the causes and symptoms of breast cancer have shown, such a malignant disease threatens not only the fairer sex. The mammary gland is in the body of any person, it is formed by organic tissues similar in structure, therefore, the described pathology is also threatening men. The incidence is significantly lower - about 1% of people suffering from atypical processes in the mammary gland belong to the male sex.
The only way to treat the disease is traditional medicine. There are no other effective options. Treatment with folk remedies, with one's own strength is always a harm to one’s health and a loss of invaluable time. To reduce the risk to yourself personally, it is recommended to eliminate bad habits from everyday life and take calciferol. Less risky for those who eat right, are physically active and regularly visit the doctor.
About genetics
The hereditary form of breast cancer and the genetic causes of this pathological condition are topics that have long worried the scientific community. Statistical studies have shown that up to a quarter of all patients with an agreed diagnosis have a hereditary disease. In almost 10% of cases, it is provoked by one gene, and in every fifth - by a combination of genetic structures and environmental factors simultaneously.
The main risk group is women, in whose family people suffered from the same type of oncology in question. They say about special danger if there were three or more such patients. Heredity is a factor due to which scientists recommend refraining from marital relations with oncological burden of partners. Otherwise, the danger of hereditary cancer becomes especially great. However, one cannot focus solely on genes: even in people with a predisposition, the disease did not develop if measures were taken to prevent it. You can reduce risks by eating properly, enriching the diet with greens and fruits, controlling weight. Diet should contain a lot of fiber. Moderate physical activity also reduces risks.
Diagnosis
If you can assume that in life there have been causes of breast cancer, if there are symptoms that make it possible to suspect a disease, you should consult a doctor. The doctor at the reception first collects a medical history and palpates the chest. Preliminary measures involve assessing the symmetry of the breasts, their appearance, including the features of the nipples. The doctor will assess the condition of the tissues, determine if there are seals. For diagnosis, an ultrasound or x-ray is prescribed. X-rays are considered the main method, ultrasound only clarifies its results. Ultrasound is recommended only for patients younger than 40 years of age. For women older, mammography is considered more informative.
An X-ray can be taken using contrast agents, but even without such compounds, the results will show the presence of calcium deposits, indicating a cancer risk. For more accurate results, contrast mammography is recommended, that is, a study in which special substances are injected into the ducts of the gland. The event helps to accurately determine the ductal type of oncology. If a cyst is detected, pneumocystography is prescribed. Liquid contents are removed from the formation, filled with air and the walls are examined. Fuzzy contours and other features indicate the possibility of a malignant process.
Diagnostics: nuances
If there is reason to believe that the woman was affected by the causes of breast cancer, and as part of the examination it is possible to identify any neoplasm in the breast, it is necessary to obtain samples of organic tissues for histological examination. Obtaining materials is called biopsy. The accuracy of the analysis is considered very high, so reading the results is the basis for choosing a therapeutic program.
In the general case, timely diagnosis and diagnosis, the right choice of treatment is the key to a favorable outcome of the case. The best five-year survival rate is achieved by American doctors and is 84%. In Japanese centers, they achieved a level of 74%, only one percent less - the merit of Australian doctors. For the whole world, five-year survival for the diagnosis in question is estimated at approximately 55%.
Biology and anatomy
To understand the causes of breast cancer, you need to imagine the essence of the pathological process. An oncological disease develops if atypical cells appear in the body, the division of which is not controlled naturally. Toxins produced by such structures poison the body as a whole. Tumor cells spread through the body with lymph, blood, sprout into the surrounding organs and lymph nodes - namely, near the mammary glands there are especially many of them. This leads to the rapid formation of metastases. The sooner it is possible to identify the disease and begin its treatment, the better the prognosis.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to develop a full-fledged preventive program against oncology, since the causes of breast cancer have not yet been fully and absolutely established. Scientists are studying this issue, but so far they have only been able to formulate a list of factors that most strongly affect women's health.
About factors
Quite often there is a hereditary form of breast cancer. The cause of this disease is genetic prerequisites. The risks of those whose relatives suffered such a disease are three times higher than for everyone else, but the exact mechanisms of the development of the disease are still unclear.
The effect of hormonal status has been established. In many respects, it depends on the woman's use of oral contraceptives. If a person uses such drugs for an eight-year period or longer, the risk of cancer for her is one third higher than that inherent to everyone else.
It is known that among patients with cancer clinics there are relatively many women with excess weight. A BMI above 25 units indicates a great risk of oncology. For women with this weight, all the possible causes of a recurrence of breast cancer have not been established, but it is known for certain that it appears in them most often. Similar effects are distinguished by radiation, trauma, interaction with carcinogenic compounds, as well as some pathologies.
About the fight against the disease
Although the causes of breast cancer in women have yet to be clarified, methods already exist to combat this disease. Features of the course are determined by the doctor, assessing the patient's condition and stage of the disease. The basic approach is surgery. The doctor removes the tumor node, removes tissue around and nearby lymph nodes. If there is evidence for this, the gland is completely excised. After surgery, you can do plastic recovery.
The hormonal course is indicated due to the fact that the oncological process depends on the presence of active components in the human body. Assign a program to lower estrogen concentration. There are two options: removal of the ovaries or a drug course to suppress activity.
Adjuvant treatment includes additional measures to improve the outcome of the main course. If, for various reasons, a woman’s breast cancer requires treatment with hormones, potent drugs, the use of effective auxiliary components of the program improves the prognosis and increases the tolerability of treatment.
Chemotherapy involves specific drugs used before and after surgery. Before surgery, drugs are prescribed that reduce the size of the neoplasm, after which they prevent the appearance of metastases. Since the causes of breast cancer, as well as the recurrence of such a process, are still unspecified, it is necessary to use all possible methods and means of combating the disease in order to reduce the risks of exacerbation. Taxanes are medicines designed to normalize the processes of cell division, and antibiotics reduce tumor size. Antimetabolites - drugs that inhibit metabolic processes in atypical cells. Alkylizing agents have a similar effect. A set of drugs is selected individually, taking into account the characteristics of the patient's body.
Immunotherapy and radiation
Although the causes of breast cancer have not yet been conclusively identified, certain immunotherapy methods have been developed that have worked well in combating the effects of these factors. The goal of the course is to improve the body's ability to resist malignant pathology, as well as create specific cellular immunity, which allows it to cope with atypical processes. Use vaccines made from cells characteristic of the case.
Despite the fact that one of the causes of breast cancer is radiation, radiation therapy is one of the main approaches to treatment. If the problem was identified only at a late stage, when the operation is contraindicated, radiation becomes the only effective approach. The method allows you to destroy atypical structures, if any, remained in the body after surgery. Precision radio emission before surgery allows you to slightly reduce the size of the pathological region.
And then what?
Breast cancer is the reason for a thorough combination treatment, which is not easy to transfer due to complications and unpleasant consequences. The rehabilitation stage after the main therapeutic course is extremely important, largely determines the prognosis of the case. Many different approaches and multicomponent rehabilitation courses are known. Equipment was developed for diagnosing and treating the condition, and methods for restoring breasts removed due to a malignant process were created. Mastectomy has long ceased to be a consequence that casts a shadow on the whole subsequent life of a woman. Methods have been developed to alleviate the effects of radiation, as well as psychological programs.
About the consequences and experiences of patients
As can be seen from the reviews, breast cancer fundamentally changes the life of women who have had this disease. Even after successful treatment, many suffer from swelling of the hands. This is due to lymphatic stasis and impairs the ability of the shoulder joint to move. Possible scarring of tissues. To minimize unpleasant consequences, it is necessary to responsibly treat the gymnastics program developed by the doctor. Physiotherapy is indicated. To cope with lymphatic congestion, a comprehensive course is needed. The late development of this phenomenon is considered one of the signs of relapse.
It is equally important to deal with the psychological consequences of the disease. The operation and its consequences, a change in the contours of the body strongly affect the human psyche, so women need the help of an experienced psychologist. If necessary, prosthetics are recommended. The systems available to modern people are quite perfect, so it’s very difficult to distinguish an artificial breast from a real one.
About Prevention
Primary preventive measures are aimed at preventing the disease. The influence of risk factors must be minimized. One of the main ones is late birth. To reduce the risk to yourself, it is better to give birth to the first child under the age of 30. Doctors recommend breastfeeding for at least six months. It is important to use contraceptives correctly, to prevent abortions, and to plan a conception with a doctor. An equally significant aspect is related to ecology. The less carcinogenic substances affect the female body, the lower the likelihood of illness. It is recommended to exclude alcohol and tobacco products, stress factors. Primary prevention aims to prevent pathology, reduce the incidence rate.
A secondary preventive measure is a screening to determine the disease with an early manifestation of its symptoms. Since 1970, cancer screening has been launched in some countries. The best way to make a timely diagnosis is to analyze the results of a mammogram. Ultrasound is another method of secondary prevention. This event helps to identify small areas of atypical formation. The study is recommended for 5-7 days of the menstrual cycle. Preventive mastectomy is indicated for some women.