Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsMetastasisCausesDiagnosisStagesTreatmentIn MenPrevention and DetectionOutlookCopingNext in Breast Cancer GuideBreast Cancer Signs and Symptoms
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Metastasis
Causes
Diagnosis
Stages
Treatment
In Men
Prevention and Detection
Outlook
Coping
Next in Breast Cancer Guide
Breast cancerhappens when cells in the breast start to grow out of control. Afterskin cancer, it’s the most common cancer in people assigned female at birth in the United States.
There are different types of breast cancer, and many treatment options are available. Physical signs that breast cancer is developing include changes to the skin on the breast,nippledischarge, and a new lump on or around the breast area.
This article provides an overview of the causes, early signs, risk factors, and treatments for breast cancer.
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Types of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is described based on the type of breast tissue in which the tumor originates: ductal and lobular. They can have different receptors, including triple-negative breast cancer or hormone positive, for example.
Metastatic Breast Cancer
Metastatic breast cancerdescribes stage 4 or advanced breast cancer. This means cancer has spread from the breast area to other body parts, typically the brain or the liver.While metastatic breast cancer isn’t curable, it is treatable withchemotherapy, other systemic treatments (those that affect the entire body), and sometimes surgery or radiation.
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC) is estimated to comprise roughly 10% to 15% of all breast cancers.The name stems from the fact that these cancer cells do not have the three receptors (estrogen, progesterone, andHER2) that typically contribute to breast cancer growth. TNBC progresses and spreads quickly, and treatment options are more limited.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer
This type of breast cancer is aggressive and rare, making up roughly 1% to 5% of breast cancer diagnoses in the United States.
Inflammatory breast cancerprogresses quickly, with the cancer cells moving to block the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast, causing the affected breast to look swollen and inflamed. Diagnosis is often difficult without a breast lump, but it can be treated with chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation.
Breast Cancer Symptoms
One of the most commonbreast cancer symptomsis a lump, or mass, on the breast area. Other signs can include:
Early Signs
Subtle breast changes are some of theearliest signs of breast cancer, including:
Early-stage breast cancers aren’t always immediately noticeable but can be detected with routine screening andmammograms.
How Fast Does Breast Cancer Spread?
There are a couple of ways thatbreast cancer can spread:
How quickly a particular case of breast cancer will spread depends on several factors, including the type of breast cancer, the stage and grade, and personal factors like your age.
What Causes Breast Cancer?
When cells in the breast start to grow and multiply abnormally, breast cancer develops. Experts don’t know exactly why this happens in each case. That said, some risk factors may make it more likely that a person will develop breast cancer, including:
How Is Breast Cancer Diagnosed?
An abnormal result on a screening test, like a mammogram, is the first step indiagnosing breast cancer. A healthcare provider may order a biopsy (removing a small sample of breast tissue to detect cancerous cells in a lab) to make an official diagnosis.
Breast Self-Exam
Breast self-examsare not a reasonable option for screening in place of routine mammograms at the appropriate age.Research shows self-exams frequently lead to unnecessary biopsies on breast lumps that are not cancerous.
Manybreast lumps are normaland not cancerous. Experts say hard, painless lumps with an irregular shape are more likely to be cancer, but some cancerous lumps may be round, soft, tender, and painful.
Stages of Breast Cancer
Thestages of breast cancerdescribe how much cancer has spread in the body. This helps healthcare providers gauge how serious it is and develop the best treatment plans for your situation.
Stage 0
Stage 0 is a precancerous or noninvasive stage. That means the cells in question might appear abnormal but haven’t turned into cancer or spread to other parts of the body.
Stage 1
Stage 2
In this stage, the breast cancer has either developed into a larger primary tumor or may have spread into additional lymph nodes.
Stage 3
Stage 3 means that cancer has invaded further than stage 2 but hasn’t spread past the organs and tissues surrounding the breast area. Stage 3 breast cancer includes most inflammatory breast cancers.
Stage 4
Stage 4 breast cancer (or metastatic breast cancer) has spread into organs in other parts of the body, including the brain, liver, bones, skin, and lungs.
Breast Cancer Treatment
Available treatment options for breast cancer might include chemotherapy,radiation therapy,biological therapy,hormonal therapy, orsurgery. Some treatment plans might involve a combination of these therapies and lifestyle changes for support.
Surgery: Mastectomy and Other Options
Depending on the specific case, there are two surgeries that can be performed for breast cancer.
Alumpectomyis a procedure done to remove the cancer tumor, along with some of the surrounding tissue. Amastectomyis the complete removal of one or both breasts. It can be used to treat or prevent breast cancer.
A healthcare provider and surgeon will discuss your options and recommend if surgery is needed.
Chemotherapy
Radiation Therapy
This treatment option uses high-energy rays to target and destroy cancer cells. Radiation therapy is often used after a lumpectomy or mastectomy and when cancer has spread to other organs in the body.
Hormone Therapy
Certain breast cancers respond to hormone therapy, which involves drugs that block production or interaction of estrogen and progesterone. Sometimes, hormone therapy is used before or after surgery to help increase the chances of surgical success and decrease the odds that cancer will return.
Other Medications
Other classes of medications can be used to treat certain types of breast cancer.Immunotherapyuses the body’s immune system to help fight off cancer cells.PARP inhibitorsoften treat breast cancer involving theBRCA1 or BRCA2gene mutations.
Can Men Get Breast Cancer?
It’s not very common, butmen can get breast cancer. It was predicted that roughly 2,800 new cases of invasive breast cancer would be diagnosed in men in 2023.
Research suggests thatinvasive ductal carcinomais the most common type of breast cancer that men develop.Common symptoms include a lump on or around the breast, nipple discharge, and changes to the skin.
Breast Cancer Prevention and Early Detection
Because breast cancer is so prevalent, knowing the steps to help prevent or detect it is important. Experts recommend screening and lifestyle changes such as:
It is recommended that average-risk women get a mammogram every two years from age 40 to 74. Those at high risk of breast cancer (such as those with a genetic risk factor) may need to be screened earlier and more often.
Outlook for Breast Cancer
Each person’s outlook will be slightly different based on the type of breast cancer, the stage at which it was diagnosed, how large the tumor is, and other factors. While breast cancer is the second most common type, it is not the most fatal.
Certain types of breast cancers, such as invasive breast cancers and breast cancers with larger tumors, typically have a worse prognosis. The cancer stage is a good indicator of theoutlook, as the five-year relative survival rate for breast cancer continues to drop as the cancer advances.
Additionally, data shows that Black women have a higher death rate from breast cancer than White women, and breast cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanic women.A combination of factors contributes to these breast cancer disparities, including systemic and socioeconomic factors that have created access to care and other inequities.
Tips for Coping With Breast Cancer
Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis can be an overwhelmingly emotional experience. Keep in mind that you are not alone and that there is support available. Experts recommend the following tips to help youadjust and cope with your journey:
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American Cancer Society.Types of breast cancer.
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American Cancer Society.Treatment of stage IV (metastatic) breast cancer.
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National Cancer Institute.Inflammatory breast cancer.
American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.
Susan G. Komen.Warning signs of breast cancer.
National Breast Cancer Foundation.Metastatic breast cancer.
American Cancer Society.What causes breast cancer?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What are the risk factors for breast cancer?.
Susan G. Komen.Breast cancer diagnosis.
American Cancer Society.Frequently asked questions about breast cancer screening guidelines.
American Cancer Society.Recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer.
American Cancer Society.Guidelines for the early detection of cancer.
American Cancer Society.Breast cancer stages.
BreastCancer.org.Breast cancer stages: 0 through IV.
American Cancer Society.Surgery for breast cancer.
American Cancer Society.Chemotherapy for breast cancer.
American Cancer Society.Radiation for breast cancer.
American Cancer Society.Hormone therapy for breast cancer.
American Cancer Society.Immunotherapy for breast cancer.
American Society of Clinical Oncology.Breast cancer: Types of treatment.
American Cancer Society.Key statistics for breast cancer in men.
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National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: female breast cancer.
American Cancer Society.Survival rates for breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Research Foundation.Black women and breast cancer: Why disparities persist and how to end them.
American Cancer Society.Coping and living well during cancer treatment.
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