What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a type of cancer that develops in breast. Cancer is manifested by uncontrolled division of cells. Breast cancer is the most common cancer for female subjects.
Why Does Breast Cancer Occur?
The most important risk factors for breast cancer are being female and aging. Hereditary and familial risks are also crucial; however, it should be remembered that even women with no familial history of cancer can have breast cancer. Puberty at an early age, late-onset menopause, nulliparity (having no history of delivery), giving birth at an advanced age, lack of history of breastfeeding are hormonal risks. Receiving hormone replacement therapy after menopause significantly increases the risk of breast cancer. Although it has a milder effect, using oral contraceptives can also be listed among the risks. Moreover, risk of developing breast cancer in the future is higher for individuals who receive radiotherapy for breast region in adolescence. Changes that increase the risk of breast cancer such as atypical hyperplasia, in situ lobular cancer or papillomatosis may sometimes be identified in fibrocystic breast pattern.
What are Symptoms of Breast Cancer?
Palpable lump in breast is the most critical sign of breast cancer. Acquired deformity in breast, abnormal enlargement of a breast, retraction in skin, collapses, retraction in nipple, redness, thickening and orange peel appearance in skin, discharge from nipple, flaky and watery appearance of nipple, swelling – mass lesion in armpits and –although rare- pain may indicate breast cancer. 80 percent of palpable lumps are benign.
How Is Breast Cancer Diagnosed?
Meme kanseri erken teşhisi ancak tarama muayeneleri ile mümkündür. Ortalama risk grubundaki her kadının 40 yaşından itibaren yılda bir kez, hiçbir şikâyeti olmadan meme kanseri taraması yaptırmasını öneriyoruz. Herhangi bir yaşta, memede ele gelen kitle ya da yukarıda sayılan belirtilerden birini fark eden kadın derhal doktora gitmelidir. Klinikte muayeneden sonra yaşa uygun olarak, mamografi, meme ultrasonu ve gerekli görülürse meme MR filmi ile memeler değerlendirilir. Kuşkulu kitle, kireçlenme ya da değişiklik varsa bu alana yapılacak iğne biyopsisi ile kesin meme kanseri tanısı koyulur. Meme kanseri diyebilmek için doku tanısı, yani biyopsi şarttır. Biyopsi yapılması sanılanın aksine kanserin yayılmasına ya da büyümesine neden olmaz.
What Are the Stages of Breast Cancer?
There are 4 stages of breast cancer. Those stages are: Early (stage 1), locally advanced (stage 2-3) and metastatic (stage 4). Early stage cancer is limited in breast. Cancer spreads to axillary lymph nodes and/or regional lymph nodes in locally advanced stages. Metastatic stage is characterized with spread of cancer outside of breast, to the distant organs like bones, lungs, liver or brain.
How Is Breast Cancer Treated?
Treatment of breast cancer is planned specially for each patient. Breast cancer has numerous subgroups. Even if the stage of cancer is the same, different treatment options may be needed. Treatment is planned depending on the characteristics of tumor, stage of disease, patient’s status of health and expectations. Surgery, chemotherapy or various medication therapies and radiotherapy are employed with different combinations. Surgery is frequently preferred as the first treatment option in early stage breast cancer. For advanced stage diseases, first, medication therapies are used, disease is taken under control, tumor is reduced and then, the patient is operated. If deemed necessary, radiotherapy is applied following surgery and medication therapies. The primary option is medication therapies for metastatic breast cancer and only selected patients are operated.
It should be emphasized that when breast cancer is managed at cancer centers with specialist physicians, success rate of treatment is higher comparing to other methods.