Young Women's Wellness

What is breast cancer?​

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        Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the world. Both women and men can get breast cancer, though it is more common for women to get it. Breast cancer is when cells in the breast start to grow uncontrollably. When breast cancer is found early, it can usually be treated somewhat easily. If cancer cells start to spread to other body parts, it becomes more dangerous. 

 

Who can get breast cancer?

 

        Anyone can get breast cancer, but it’s most common for women. Only about 1 in 100 patients with breast cancer are men. There are a few things that can increase your chance of getting breast cancer, such as:

• Getting older

• Being overweight

• Drinking too much alcohol

• Having gene mutations

• Smoking or using tobacco

• If you have family who have gotten breast cancer

• If you have been exposed to radiation

        While these things can increase your chances of getting breast cancer, most breast cancer patients don’t have any of these risks. Plus, even if you do have some of these risks, you may not get breast cancer.

 

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

 

        Breast cancer is different for every patient, so patients may have different symptoms. A few common signs or symptoms of breast cancer are:

• A lump or thick area in the breast (may not hurt)

• Change in appearance or size of breast

• Dimpling

• Redness

• Pitting and other changes in skin

• Fluid coming from the nipple that looks bloody or strange.

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How is breast cancer diagnosed?

 

        Physicians can do physical examinations to see if a patient might have breast cancer. However, to confirm a diagnosis, doctors can do tests such as:

• A breast ultrasound (which is a special type of scan)

• A breast MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging, another type of scan)

• A breast biopsy (where doctors take a small piece of tissue to test it)

• Genetic tests.

 

What are the stages of breast cancer?

 

        Doctors use the stages of cancer to see how much the cancer has spread.

Stage 0: The cancer cells are non-invasive, they are only growing in one place.

Stage I: The cancer cells are near breast tissue and starting to grow in the breast.

Stage II: The cancer cells have formed tumors.

Stage III: The breast cancer cells have spread to nearby tissue and lymph nodes.

Stage IV: The breast cancer cells have spread to other areas in the body like the liver, bones, or brain.

 

How is breast cancer treated?

 

        Since breast cancer is different for everyone, most people will receive different treatments. One treatment option is to use surgery to remove the cancer cells and tumors. You can also get radiation therapy, which is using strong energy to kill cancer cells to stop them from coming back. Plus, some medications are made to kill cancer cells and stop them from spreading, such as chemotherapy. Typically, treatments work best if they are started early and if they are completed.

 

What does breast cancer look like around the world?

 

        Breast cancer happens all around the world, and is the most common cancer in many countries. In 2022, there were 2.3 million people diagnosed with breast cancer and roughly 670,000 died. But lots of countries have been working hard to help people fight cancer. In many countries, the chance of dying from breast cancer has gone down a lot. Plus, in many countries, the death rate goes down by 4% every year. Medicine is always improving and doctors are always discovering new ways to treat breast cancer and other diseases.