To know the symptoms and causes of breast cancer in women, to navigate the features of the treatment of this disease and the prognosis should be any modern representative of the weaker sex. The incidence of oncological pathology is terrifying - and rightfully so. The deadly disease is being diagnosed more and more every year, women of any age group can become its victims. Cancer does not discriminate 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 people have problems with the mammary glands, but people often turn to doctors too late. Victims of this formcancers are dying every hour. If at the initial stage the patient can still be helped, advanced cases are difficult to treat and threaten life. Among other oncological diseases, this one is most common in women. It also causes the highest number of deaths. Experts believe that a detailed study of the causes and factors, as well as increasing public awareness of the signs and manifestations, are important tools that will help to more often detect pathology at an early stage. The sooner the disease can be detected, the greater the chances of a successful cure. If a problem is identified at the first stage, the probability of a positive outcome reaches 95%.
In recent years, the oncological disease in question is increasingly common in young and middle-aged women. A case study has shown that early breast cancer is more likely to threaten women who have reached the age of 40, but recently the age bar 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 that the number of hereditary cases among the total number of diagnosed cases is about 10%.
Factors and risks
Doctors cannot yet say with certainty that all the causes of breast cancer are known, since oncological diseases have yet to be studied in detail. Reliably identified factors that indicateincreased risk in a particular case. If, when 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 an oncological process. Doctors urge: do not hope that “I will be bypassed.”
It is known that the type of malignant disease in question affects women who have menstrual bleeding before the age of twelve, as well as those whose menopause period has come after the average period. If a woman gave birth for the first time over the age of 35, if she did not give birth at all, if she is overweight, diabetic or hypertension, the risk of oncology is higher. The risks are more significant for patients with mastopathy and people living in a polluted environment, subject to regular stress. An additional danger is created by bad habits, addiction to tobacco and alcohol products.
Doctors recommend that all adult women visit a gynecologist at least once a year to check the condition of the mammary glands. If the doctor considers it necessary to refer the client for an additional examination, mammography or ultrasound, there is no need to delay visiting the appropriate office. Monthly, you can examine the breast yourself.
Features of preventive examinations
Doctors, studying the causes of breast cancer in women, have identified a relationship between this disease and radiation exposure received by the person. This imposes certain restrictions on regular examinations inx-ray room. Doctors advise women under 35 not to have a mammogram unless explicitly advised by a doctor. Any exposure to radiation negatively affects he alth, including the radiation dose that a person receives when shooting the sternum under the apparatus.
At the age of 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 at least twice a year.
Check everything yourself
In order to avoid exposure to radiation (a possible cause of metaplastic breast cancer and other forms of the disease), while regularly checking the body's condition, self-examination should be a constant habit. Experts advise repeating it monthly. During the period of reproductive activity, it is advisable to check the gland on the 7-14th day of menstruation.
The procedure is simple. Spend it, standing in front of a mirror. First, the arms are lowered along the body. You need to visually inspect the chest. Then the hands are placed behind the head and the visual inspection is repeated. It is necessary to assess whether the size, shape are changing, whether there are swollen or reddened areas. Individual areas may retract or begin to bulge - they require special attention. It is necessary to assess the condition of the nipples. A possible symptom of the disease is the presence of discharge.
The next step is the prone examination. The chest is felt by moving the fingers vertically and in circles along it. Suspicion should cause compacted areas, areas of soreness and swelling. Raise and lower your handcheck the quality of the lymph nodes and the presence of inflammation. If a questionable symptom is detected, it is recommended to immediately visit the clinic.
Is it a threat?
In an attempt to identify all the possible causes of breast cancer in women, studies have been conducted to change the situation with this disease. The results were disappointing. The frequency of occurrence of this particular form of oncology has become four times greater in just half a century. Presumably, this is due to a change in lifestyle, short-term breastfeeding and a decrease in the number of babies born.
A woman who has not undergone childbirth or who has given birth late, faces an increased risk of malignant disease. In many ways, cancer processes are associated with hormonal changes in the human body. Estrogen strongly influences various processes occurring in the body. During pregnancy and lactation, its concentration is lower than at other times. To reduce the risks to yourself, it is best to have a baby as early as possible.
Step by step
Doctors, studying the causes and symptoms of breast cancer, provoking factors and methods of treatment, have established the features of the development of pathology. At first, the disease is at the 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 stage, since there are no specific manifestations. A preventive examination by a doctor is the only way to diagnose at this stage.
The first stage is accompanied by spreading to the tissues around. The size of the neoplasm is about a couple of centimeters, there are no metastases. At the second stage, the lymph nodes in the armpit swell. The third stage is accompanied by a adhesion of the lymph nodes under the armpits. It is possible to connect such structures to each other, soldering with subcutaneous tissue is possible. At the fourth stage, metastases appear in different parts of the body. Very often they are detected in the respiratory system, skin, liver.
Features and risks
As shown by studies of the causes and symptoms of breast cancer, 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 also threatens men. The incidence is significantly lower - about 1% of persons 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 viable options. Treatment with folk remedies, on your own, is always a harm to your he alth and a waste of precious time. To reduce the danger to yourself personally, it is recommended to exclude bad habits from everyday life and take calciferol. Those who eat he althy, are physically active and visit the doctor regularly are less at risk.
About genetics
The hereditary form of breast cancer and the genetic causes of this pathological condition are topics that have long been of concern to the scientific community. Statistical studies have shown that up to a quarter of all patients with a specified diagnosis have a hereditary disease. In almost 10% of cases, it is caused by a single gene, and in every fifth case it is caused by a combination of genetic structures and environmental factors at the same time.
The main risk group is women in whose family people suffered from the same type of oncology in question. They say about a special danger if there were three or more such patients. Heredity is a factor due to which scientists recommend to refrain from marital relations with oncological burden of partners. Otherwise, the danger of hereditary cancer becomes especially great. However, it is impossible to focus only on genes: even in people with a predisposition, the disease did not develop if measures were taken to prevent it. You can reduce the risks by eating right, enriching the diet with greens and fruits, and controlling weight. The diet should contain enough fiber. Moderate physical activity also reduces risks.
Clarification of the diagnosis
If it can be assumed that there have been causes of breast cancer in life, if symptoms are observed that make it possible to suspect the disease, you should consult a doctor. The doctor at the reception first collects a medical history and palpates the chest. Preliminary measures involve an assessment of 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 diagnosticsprescribe ultrasound or x-ray. X-ray is considered the main method, ultrasound only refines its results. Ultrasound is recommended only for patients under 40 years of age. For older women, mammography is considered more informative.
X-rays can be taken with contrast agents, but even without such compounds, the results will show the presence of calcium deposits, indicating the risk of cancer. To make the results more accurate, 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 found, pneumocystography is prescribed. The 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.
Diagnosis: nuances
If there is reason to believe that a woman has been affected by the causes of breast cancer, and as part of the examination it is possible to identify any neoplasm in the breast, samples of organic tissues should be obtained for histological examination. Receiving materials is called a biopsy. The accuracy of the analysis is considered very high, so reading the results is the basis for choosing a therapeutic program.
In general, 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 was achieved by American doctors and is 84%. in Japanese centersachieved a level of 74%, only one percent less - the merit of Australian doctors. Worldwide, the five-year survival rate for this diagnosis is estimated to be approximately 55%.
Biology and anatomy
To understand the causes of breast cancer, you need to imagine the essence of the pathological process. Cancer develops when atypical cells appear in the body, the division of which is not controlled naturally. Toxins produced by such structures have a toxic effect on the body as a whole. Tumor cells spread throughout the body with lymph, blood, germinate into the surrounding organs and lymph nodes - namely, there are especially many of them near the mammary glands. This leads to the rapid formation of metastases. The sooner the disease can be identified and treated, the better the prognosis.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to develop a full-fledged preventive program against oncology, since the causes of breast cancer to this day have not been fully and absolutely accurately 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 he alth.
About factors
The hereditary form of breast cancer is quite common. The cause of this disease is genetic prerequisites. The risks for those whose relatives have suffered such a disease are three times higher than for everyone else, but the exact mechanisms for the development of the disease are still unclear.
Establishedinfluence of hormonal status. In many ways, it depends on the use of oral contraceptives by a woman. If a person uses such drugs for an eight-year period or longer, the risk of cancer for him is one-third higher than that of everyone else.
It is known that among the patients of cancer clinics there are relatively many overweight women. A BMI above 25 units indicates a greater risk of oncology. For women with this weight, all possible causes of breast cancer recurrence have not been established, but it is known for certain that it is in them that it appears most often. Irradiation, trauma, interaction with carcinogenic compounds, as well as some pathologies differ in a similar effect.
About fighting the disease
Although the causes of breast cancer in women have yet to be clarified, there are already methods to combat this disease. The course features are determined by the doctor, assessing the patient's condition and the stage of the disease. The basic approach is surgical intervention. The doctor removes the tumor node, removes the tissues around and nearby lymph nodes. If there is evidence for this, the gland is cut out completely. After the operation, plastic restoration can be done.
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 the concentration of estrogen. There are two options: removal of the ovaries or a drug course to suppress activity.
Adjuvant treatmentincludes additional activities to improve the result of the main course. If, for various reasons, breast cancer in a woman required 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 the operation, drugs are prescribed that reduce the size of the neoplasm, after - preventing the appearance of metastases. Since the causes of breast cancer, as well as the recurrence of such a process, remain 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 drugs designed to normalize the processes of cell division, and antibiotics reduce tumor dimensions. Antimetabolites are agents that inhibit metabolic processes in atypical cells. Alkylating drugs 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 definitively identified, certain immunotherapies have been developed that are well proven in combating the consequences of exposure to these factors. The goal of the course is to improve the body's ability to resist malignant pathology, as well as to create specific cellular immunity that allows it to cope with atypical processes. Use vaccines made from cellsoccasional.
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 can only be identified at a late stage, when surgery is contraindicated, radiation becomes the only effective approach. The method allows you to destroy atypical structures, if any remained in the body after surgery. Targeted radio emission before surgery allows you to somewhat reduce the size of the pathological area.
And then what?
Breast cancer is the reason for a thorough combined treatment, which is not easy to endure due to complications and unpleasant consequences. The rehabilitation stage after the main therapeutic course is extremely important, it largely determines the prognosis of the case. There are many different approaches and multicomponent recovery courses. Equipment for the diagnosis and treatment of the condition has been developed, methods have been created for the restoration of breasts removed due to a malignant process. Mastectomy has long ceased to be a consequence that casts a shadow over the entire subsequent life of a woman. Methods have been developed to alleviate the effects of exposure, as well as psychological programs.
About the consequences and experience of patients
As you can see from the reviews, breast cancer fundamentally changes the lives of women who have had this disease. Even after successful treatment, many suffer from swelling of the hands. This is due to lymphatic congestion and impairs the ability of the shoulder joint to move. Possible tissue scarring. To minimize unpleasant consequences, it is necessary to take a responsible attitude to the gymnastics program developed by the doctor. Shown physiotherapy. To cope with lymphatic stagnation, a comprehensive course is needed. The late development of such a 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, changing the contours of the body greatly affect the human psyche, so women need the help of an experienced psychologist. If necessary, it is recommended to make prosthetics. The systems available to modern people are quite advanced, so it is very difficult to distinguish between an artificial breast and a real one.
About prevention
Primary preventive measures are aimed at preventing disease. It is necessary to minimize the influence of risk factors. One of the main ones is late delivery. To reduce the risk to yourself, it is better to give birth to the first child under the age of 30. Doctors recommend breastfeeding your baby for at least six months. It is important to use contraceptives correctly, prevent abortions, plan conception with a doctor. Another important aspect is related to the environment. The less carcinogenic substances affect the female body, the lower the likelihood of the disease. 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 isscreening to determine the disease at an early manifestation of its symptoms. Since 1970, screening against cancer has been launched in some countries. The best way to make a timely diagnosis is to analyze the results of mammography. Ultrasound is another method of secondary prevention. This event helps to identify small areas of atypical formation. The study is recommended to be done on the 5-7th day of the menstrual cycle. Some women are eligible for prophylactic mastectomy.
