An overview of breast cancer
Quote – “Whoever is trying to bring you down is already below you.”

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer (after skin cancer) to have been detected in women in the country. It can affect men too. There have been huge strides in the awareness and treatment of breast cancer in the last few years. In fact, early detection has been possible, and the survival rates have increased with the treatments for metastatic breast cancer.

What is breast cancer?

• Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer after skin cancer in women. Its incidence is about 12%.
• The breast cancer cells can affect any area of the breast, with cancer cells in each affected area prone to become malignant.

What are the early metastatic breast cancer signs that can help with its treatments?

• To be able to look out for breast cancer signs, one needs to know what to look for and not panic unnecessarily. It is best to learn how to carry out a self-examination of the breast and practice the same from an early age itself.
• If any change in the breasts and the nipples is observed, one must consult a professional healthcare provider immediately and have a thorough assessment made, especially since the two breasts are never absolutely alike. Besides, they undergo changes during the menstrual cycle, and one should be aware of those changes too.
• The changes and symptoms that are important to be noticed are the appearance in one’s skin, the shape of the nipples, such as a recently inverted nipple, formation of crests, scales, flakes in the areola, changes in the colored area around the nipple, dimpling of the skin over the breast, and thickening or lumps that are hard and different from the normal breast tissue. An orange peel like texture of the skin and redness is another indication.
• Signs of metastatic cancer will also depend on the organs affected. The brain, the lungs, the bones, and the liver are the common sites.

How is breast cancer confirmed?

• The doctor will do a thorough examination for metastatic breast cancer by checking the breast and the surrounding areas, including the area till the arm pits, for any enlarged lymph nodes, and prescribe treatments accordingly.
• The other tests are screening mammogram, diagnostic mammogram, ultrasound scan, MRI scan, and core biopsy.
• Core biopsy is done by means of a special needle guided by an ultrasound or an X-ray to the suspected tissue. The tissue core is taken and submitted for cytological studies. Generally, a metallic marker is left inside the tissue to help know the area of sampling later. Breast cancer can affect different tissues at different times, and it is important to know the areas where biopsies have been done.
• The study will help establish the type, grade, and the stage of the cancer.

What are the different types of cancers that affect the breast?

• Angiosarcoma is a cancer that affects the lining of blood and lymph vessels. This is a rare type of breast cancer.
• Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS in short), is the most common type of breast cancer. This affects the lining of the milk producing tubules. In Situ indicates that the cancer is in its initial stage and has not yet invaded the adjacent tissues and has only low potential to become invasive in the future.
• Inflammatory breast cancer is another rare type of breast cancer, but it is fast becoming a more common one. Signs such as dark pink to purple colorations on the breast, swelling, pain, and the heating of the affected area indicate this type of cancer.
• Invasive lobular carcinoma is a lesser common type of breast cancer. It begins in the ducts of the milk producing lobules of the milk glands and has the capacity to be metastatic. This type of metastatic breast cancer has the treatments through surgery or radiation therapy.
• While male breast cancer is rare, it shows that breast cancer does not affect women only.
• Paget’s disease of the breast is a cancer that starts at the nipples and gradually extends to the areola. It is seldom confined to the nipple and has its roots in the underlying ductal carcinoma.
• Recurrent breast cancer is the worst of the lot. It is caused by cancer cells that haven’t been eliminated from the treatments of an earlier cancer. A complete cure of recurrent breast cancers is rare.

What are the treatments generally available for metastatic breast cancers?

• Treatments are the same as for other cancers. There have been a great improvement in surgical techniques to keep the cosmetic aspects of breast the same as well as reduce tissue mutilation. Treatments have been developed for metastatic breast cancer as well.
• Some breast cancer cells have receptors for estrogen, ER positive or progesterone, and PR positive. Cancer cells are tested for these receptors, and these hormones are given to reduce the tumor size prior to surgery or to prevent the development of cancer post surgery.

New treatments for metastatic breast cancer consist of radical mastectomy, systemic immune or chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and chemo with new molecules.