BREAST CANCER
Breast cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the breast. It is the most common cancer among women worldwide. Men can get it too, but in rare instances. Breast cancer can start from different parts of the breast. Most breast cancers begin in the ducts that carry milk to the nipple. Some start in the glands that make breast milk. There are other less common like phyllodes tumor and angiosarcoma. A few cancers start on the tissues of the breast.
Symptoms
- A breast lump or thickening that feels different from the surrounding tissue
- Change in the size, shape or appearance of a breast
- Changes to the skin over the breast, such as dimpling
- A newly inverted nipple
- Peeling, scaling, crusting or flaking of the pigmented area of skin surrounding the nipple (areola) or breast skin
- Redness or pitting of the skin over your breast.
Risk factors
Gender – Women are more likely to develop breast cancer than men.
Age – The older you are, the more likely you are to get breast cancer.
Breast condition history – If you’ve had a breast biopsy that found lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) or atypical hyperplasia of the breast, you have an increased risk of breast cancer.
A personal history of breast cancer – If you’ve had breast cancer in one breast, you have an increased risk of developing cancer in the other breast.
Breast cancer family history – If you have a family member who has had breast cancer, you are at a greater risk.
Genes inheritance – There are certain genes mutations that can be passed from parents to children. These genes can greatly increase your risk of breast cancer and other cancers, but they don’t make cancer inevitable.
Radiation exposure – If you received radiation treatments to your chest as a child or young adult, your risk of breast cancer is increased.
Obesity – Being obese increases your risk of breast cancer.
Early onset of menstruation – Beginning your period before age 12 increases your risk of breast cancer.
Late menopause onset – If you began menopause at an older age, you’re more likely to develop breast cancer.
Having your first child at an older age – Women who give birth to their first child after age 30 may have an increased risk of breast cancer.
Having never been pregnant – Women who have never been pregnant have a greater risk of breast cancer than those who have had one or more pregnancies.
Postmenopausal hormone therapy – Women who take hormone therapy medications that combine estrogen and progesterone to treat the signs and symptoms of menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer decreases when women stop taking these medications.
Alcohol intake – Drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer.
Treatment
Radiation therapy – This characterizes the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. There are different kinds of radiation therapy, but the common one is External-beam radiation therapy.
Hormone therapy – This is also referred to as endocrine therapy. It’s used to treat tumors whose growth are fueled by either estrogen or progesterone receptors.
Chemotherapy – This is the use of anti-cancer drugs. This form of treatment may be administered before surgery to shrink a large tumor, make surgery easier, and reduce the risk of recurrence. It is sometimes also used after surgery to avoid recurrence.
Immunotherapy – This is also known as biologic therapy. It’s the use of some drugs that cause a person’s immune system to effectively recognize and destroy cancer cells. There are different kinds of immunotherapy drugs that can be used for various reasons in patients.
Targeted Therapy – This type of treatment uses drugs that attack cancer cells while doing little damage to normal cells.
Surgery – This involves the removal a part or the entire breast depending on where the cancer cells have grown and how much the cancer has spread.
Preventive measures
Research shows that adopting a healthy lifestyle may lower your risk of developing breast cancer, even in women at high risk. Hence it’s important to adopt a healthy diet, avoid alcohol intake and smoking, exercise regularly, do a breast self-examination, and watch your weight.
Breast Cancer and COVID-19
According to the Centre for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), people being treated for breast cancer are at a high risk of experiencing severe illness if infected. This is because some of the treatments administered can weaken the immune system and affect the lungs. If the cancer has spread to the lungs, Covid19 can worsen the lung problems.
Nonetheless, it’s important to have constant follow up with your Oncologist and continue with your treatment to manage your current illness. If you have any concerns regarding your treatment & Covid19, loop in your doctor for clarification. Remember to take your medication as prescribed, and only discontinue if asked by your doctor. Follow the COVID prevention guidelines outlined by WHO to keep yourself safe.
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