Breast Cancer Awareness: Most Common Risk Factors, Symptoms, Facts

Any cancer occurs when there is a change in cells. Breast cancer occurs when there is a change in breast cells, i.e., breast cells grow uncontrollably. Lobules, duct, and connective tissues are the three primary components of the breast. The lobules are gland producing milk, the duct is a tube carrying the milk to the nipple, and connective tissues are fatty tissues, which are responsible for holding everything together. Cancer can form in any of the above-mentioned breast parts.

The treatment for breast cancer depends on its stage or how worse the cancer is. Several treatments for breast cancer, like surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, medications, and hormone therapy, are available. There are several breast cancer surgery types, like lumpectomy, sentinel node biopsy, mastectomy, etc.

5 Breast Cancer Stages

Breast cancer is classified into five distinct stages depending on how large the tumour is and how much it has spread. Whenever breast cancer is detected, consulting the best breast cancer doctors for treatment would be beneficial.

1. Stage 0

If the cancer cells are present only in the ducts and have not spread anywhere else, it is stage 0 cancer.

2. Stage 1

In Stage 1A cancer, the cancer cells are less than or equal to two centimetres wide and have not spread in the lymph nodes. If the cancer cells are spread surrounding lymph nodes, and the cells are smaller than two cms, it is Stage 1B cancer.

3. Stage 2

If the tumour cells are less than two cms wide and have affected one to three lymph nodes, it is Stage 2A cancer. In Stage 2B cancer, the tumour size grows from two to five cms, affecting one to three lymph nodes.

4. Stage 3

When the tumour spreads in four to nine lymph nodes, and the size grows more than five cm, it is Stage 3A cancer. In Stage 3B cancer, the chest wall and nine lymph nodes get affected. When the tumour affects more than ten lymph nodes, it is Stage 3C cancer.

5. Stage 4

Here, the tumour can be of any size and has spread to all nearby organs and lymph nodes.

Breast Cancer Symptoms

If breast cancer is in its early stage, no symptoms are observed. Below are some common symptoms observed in breast cancers:

• A tissue thickens and looks different than the other ones

• Red, pitted skin on the breast

• Swelling on the breast

• Nipple discharging the blood

• Breast pain

• Change in breast size

• Change in the breast skin’s appearance

• Peeling or Flaking of nipple’s or breast’s skin

• Inverted nipple

Risk Factors For Breast Cancer

There are several risk factors responsible for causing breast cancer. They are as follows:

• Breast cancer generally occurs after the age of 50.

• Changes in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

• Early menstrual period and late menopause

• Fatty connective tissues or dense breast

• Drug, diethylstilbestrol (DES), given to pregnant women

Conclusion

If you observe any of the above breast cancer symptoms, you can consult the best breast cancer doctors from Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Treatment Institute & Research Centre. This hospital has treated several breast cancer patients with higher success rates.