فهم علامات سرطان الثدي يعد أمرًا حيويًا لتحقيق الكشف المبكر والعلاج الفعّال.
علامات سرطان الثدي
Breast cancer is a disease characterized by abnormal proliferation of cells in breast tissue, and its signs vary depending on its stage and type.
Awareness of the signs andCancer symptoms The breast is vital for early detection.
Some common signs and symptoms include:
- Lumps or bumps in the breast or armpit. This is one of the most common signs of breast cancer. These lumps may be hard, soft, or rubbery.
- Changes in breast appearance: You should pay attention to any changes in the size, shape or texture of the breast.
- Changes in the nipple: You must be careful of any changes in the nipple, such as: the nipple becoming indented and turning inward, or the release of secretions other than milk, including blood and clear secretions.
- Breast pain: Although pain is not a common symptom of breast cancer in its early stages, but it may occur in certain cases, persistent or worsening pain are warning signs to see a doctor.
- Changes in the appearance of the breast skin: Thickening of the skin in the breast may be observed, or enlargement of the pores to become an “orange peel”-like texture.
It is important to remember that these symptoms may also be caused by benign conditions, such as infections or cysts, however, it is essential to seek a medical evaluation to rule out any potential health concerns.
Early symptoms of breast cancer
The first sign of breast cancer is often a new breast lump that is painless and firm, with irregular edges, and is often not visible to the naked eye or palpable but appears incidentally on a routine mammogram or mammogram.
However, not all breast lumps that appear are cancerous, and other symptoms can also appear as early warning indicators of breast cancer, including:
- Swelling or redness of the breast skin or other visible differences in one or both breasts.
- An increase in size or a change in breast shape.
- Changes in the appearance of one or both nipples.
- Pain and nipple discharge other than breast milk.
- Nodules appear on or inside the breast.
It is important to consult a healthcare professional if you notice any breast changes;
يمكنك قراءة ايضًا : اسباب سرطان القولون عند النساء
Symptoms of breast cancer at age 30
The incidence of breast cancer at the age of 30 is a relatively rare case, and there are certain symptoms that may indicate the presence of a health problem in a girl or woman, and they are called symptoms of breast cancer at the age of 30, and they include:
- Lumps in the breast or underarm.
- Constant pain under the armpit and in the breast.
- Changes in the nipple with pain and itching.
- Skin changes such as redness and peeling of the breast skin.
- Abnormal discharge from the nipple, usually from one nipple.
الكشف المبكر عن سرطان الثدي
Although symptoms of breast cancer can occur at any age, it is most commonly discovered in women over the age of 40, which may reduce the chances of survival.
Early detection plays a crucial role in improving breast cancer treatment outcomes.
According to studies, the survival rate for breast cancer has been shown to be 93% or higher during the first five years after the disease is detected at an early stage in women.
Regular clinical breast examinations and breast self-examinations can help with early detection.
احجزي موعدك الآن في Oncology center At Al-Mousa Hospital to undergo breast cancer screening and careful follow-up with a medical team specialized in caring for women.
تعرف علي : Causes of leukemia and how it occurs
Types of breast cancer
The types of breast cancer vary depending on many factors, such as the location of infection and the nature and shape of the cancer cells. The types include the following:
- Inflammatory breast cancer: It is a rare type that causes redness and swelling in the breast, due to blockage that occurs in the lymphatic vessels caused by cancer cells.
- Invasive breast cancer: It is the most common type and starts from the milk ducts and then gradually extends to the tissues surrounding them, then extends to multiple parts of the body, so it is called invasive.
- Localized breast cancer: It is also called non-invasive, as it occurs only within the milk ducts without spreading, and is one of the early stages of breast cancer that can be treated without complications.
- HER2-positive breast cancer: This cancer grows due to increased levels of the HER2 protein and is usually treated with drugs directed at that protein.
- Triple negative breast cancer: It is a difficult type to treat because it does not contain any hormone receptors or proteins such as HER2.
Breast cancer screening
Regular breast cancer screening is vital for detection and diagnosis.
The American Cancer Society recommends the following screening guidelines:
- Women at average risk of cancer should have a mammogram every year starting at age 40.
- Women at high risk for cancer should have mammograms and MRIs every year, starting at age 30.
The most common methods of breast cancer screening are:
- Mammography: Mammograms may detect early signs of breast cancer, such as tiny lumps.
Other tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound, may be used in specific cases.
- Clinical breast examination: Health care professionals perform a clinical examination of the breast by feeling and observing the surrounding areas to look for any abnormalities, such as lumps or changes in texture, and it is one of the most important routine examinations.
Breast biopsy
If a strange mass or abnormality is discovered during a screening test or self-examination, your doctor may suggest a breast biopsy.
A breast biopsy is the most effective way to determine whether a lump or bump is cancerous or benign.
The type of breast biopsy varies depending on the need, including:
- Needle biopsy: In this procedure, a needle is used as a non-surgical method to extract a small sample from the area to be examined.
There are two main types of needle biopsy: fine needle biopsy (FNA) and core needle biopsy (CNB), which doctors use to collect multiple samples.
- Surgical examination: If the results of the needle examination are unclear or if further examination is needed, surgical examination under general anesthesia may be suggested.
The examination sample is sent to the pathology laboratory, where it is analyzed by an anatomy and pathology specialist.
Home screening for breast cancer
In addition to regular exams, individuals can also perform self-examinations at home to learn about normal breast anatomy and detect any changes. Although self-examinations are not a substitute for a professional examination, they may be a valuable tool for early detection.
Performing a breast self-exam involves visually examining the breast and surrounding areas to look for any changes in appearance, and also includes feeling the breasts to look for any lumps, abnormalities or changes in texture.
It is also worth noting that despite the benefits of regular examinations in detecting cancer cells in their early stages, the examination may have some harms, such as false positive results, which may lead to more unnecessary tests, anxiety, and over-diagnosis, which includes detecting cancers that would not have caused harm during the woman’s lifetime.
We advise you to consult our specialist doctors to determine the necessary testing methods for your individual condition and to determine a scientific and reliable diagnosis to avoid the harms of excessive testing.
Causes of breast cancer
The causes of breast cancer have not been completely determined, but there are risk factors that increase the possibility of developing the disease, the most prominent of which are:
- Aging, especially in women over 50.
- Smoking and drinking alcohol increase the risk of infection.
- Hereditary genes and a family history of breast cancer.
- Exposure to radiation therapy to the breast area or infection with some benign tumors in the breast.
- Due to hormonal changes such as delayed menopause or long-term use of some hormonal treatments.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
If you notice any abnormal symptoms, such as the presence of lumps in the breast, a change in the size and shape of the breast, or abnormal secretions from the pregnancy, you must immediately go to the doctor to diagnose the disease using the various methods we mentioned, in addition to mammography, which is the best method of early detection, even if the tumors are small and cannot be noticed.
Who is at risk of contracting the disease?
Women and men are at risk of contracting the disease, but women are more at risk compared to men, especially women over the age of 50, and also those who have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. Studies have also shown that women with dense breast tissue are more susceptible to infection and it is difficult to detect the disease in its early stages.
Methods of treating breast cancer
After making a complete diagnosis and evaluating the patient’s condition, the doctor begins to choose appropriate breast cancer treatment methods, which include the following:
- Surgical option:
It includes many surgical operations that the doctor chooses from, such as removing the tumor only, mastectomy, or removing lymph nodes along with the breast to prevent the spread of cancer cells.
- Radiotherapy:
It is usually used after surgical treatment to get rid of any remaining cancer cells, and also reduces recurrence. - Chemotherapy:
It is one of the first methods of treating cancer that relies on administering medications intravenously to destroy cancer cells and shrink the tumor, but there are side effects to this type of treatment. - Immunotherapy:
It is used to stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells, and it can give good results with triple-negative breast cancer. - Targeted therapy:
It is used to treat certain conditions, such as HERB-positive breast cancer. It focuses on the protein associated with the cancer and eliminates it. - العلاج الهرموني:
It is a type of effective treatment to control hormonal cancer and includes some medications that are used before and after menopause, or medications that reduce the ovarian production of some hormones.
Frequently asked questions
How does a woman know that she has breast cancer?
As we mentioned, there are some symptoms that raise suspicion about cancer, such as the presence of a lump in the breast, with secretions from the nipple and a change in its shape, in addition to changes in the skin of the breast, but what confirms the infection are the approved diagnostic methods.
Where does breast cancer pain start?
The pain usually begins in the cells lining the milk ducts or in the glands responsible for producing breast milk, and over time it begins to spread into the surrounding or nearby tissues.
What does a breast with breast cancer look like?
The appearance of the affected breast is a thick, lumpy breast with severe changes in its shape and size. The breast skin also appears red and wrinkled, with abnormal discharge from the nipple.
How do I differentiate between normal and abnormal breast pain?
Normal breast pain appears at the time of menstruation and includes both breasts with a feeling of swelling, while abnormal breast pain occurs in only one breast and is accompanied by the presence of a hard mass with changes in the shape and size of the breast and nipple.
Is breast cancer painful to the touch?
No, in most cases, at the beginning of breast cancer, it is not painful to the touch, but some changes occur that make it painful later, such as inflammation of the mammary glands, and inflammation that causes breast redness and pain.
Maintaining regular cancer screenings, including radiology, physical examination and mammogram, is vital for early detection.
المراجع والمصادر
