Female Breast Cancer
By: Alin ThomsTotal Views: 91, Word Count: 825,
Breast cancer is refers to a cancer that occurs in the breast tissue. Breast cancer is one of the common forms of cancer found in women. Cancer can be simply defined as a group of abnormal cells that have an abnormal growth of patterns. This disease is mostly diagnosed in women that are above the age of 50.
Types of the Female Breast Cancer
Following are the different types of the female breast cancer. It includes.
- Ductal carcinoma
- Lobular carcinoma
- ER positive cancer
- HER- 2 Positive Breast Cancer
Causes and Risk Factors of Female Breast Cancer
Following are the common causes and risk factors, which develops the female breast cancer. It includes.
Age and gender - The risk of the female breast cancer increases with the increase in age. Female above the age of 50 are more likely to develop the breast cancer as compared to women below 50 years. Breast cancers in males are very rare.
Family History of the Breast Cancer- The chances of developing breast cancer increases if you have a history of breast, colon, uterine and ovarian cancer in the family. About 25-35 percent of breast cancers occur due to the family history.
Genetic Factors- Defects found in two genes i.e. ‘BRCA1 and BRCA2’ genes often results in breast cancer development. Women with these defective genes have eighty percent chances of developing a breast cancer.
Menstrual cycle- Females having an early onset or late menopause have the higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Some of the other factors which causes female breast cancer and that can be controlled are mentioned below.
Consumption of Alcohol- Excessive intake of alcohol daily enhances the risk of breast cancer.
Late Pregnancy- Women, who get pregnant after the age of 30 years, acquires a great risk of developing breast cancer.
DES- Women, who prevent miscarriage using DES, develop a higher risk of breast cancer after the age of 40 years.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) - Women, who undergo a hormone replacement therapy for reducing the symptoms, which occurs due to the menopause, can develop breast cancer prominently.
Obesity- Women who are obese, produces more estrogen, which in turn increases the risk of breast cancer.
Radiation Therapy- Undergoing radiation therapy as a child or in a younger age may result in breast cancer in the later stages of life.
Symptoms of Female Breast Cancer
Following are the symptoms of the female breast cancer. It includes.
1. Formation of lumps in the breast region , usually it does not hurt
2. Change in the breast shape, size, or feel of the nipple area. Changes in the breast may include redness, dimpling, puckering on nipples and other areas of the breast
3. Fluid discharge from the nipples, like bloody, yellowish or greenish pus
4. Skin ulcers
5. Swelling on arms
6. Bone pain
7. Breast discomfort
8. Weight loss
Diagnosis of Female Breast Cancer
Following are the diagnosis, which can be done for the female breast cancer. It includes.
- Chest X-ray
- Bone scan
- Breast ultra sound
- MRI
- Alkaline phosphates test to check for bone disease
- Liver function tests
Treatment of Female Breast Cancer:-
For the self-treatment of breast cancer, a well balanced diet should be maintained. Once the diagnosis of the cancer is made, all the estrogen medication should be stopped, including the birth control pills.
Medical treatment:- Drug therapy is required after the surgery to prevent it from reoccurring. Doctor can recommend either a tamoxifen or chemotherapy, depending on the severity of the tumor. The advance cases can also be treated with the hormonal therapy.
Surgical treatment:- Two alternative options for the treatment of female breast cancer are:
Lumpectomy – here the breast lump is removed
Mastectomy – here all the parts and the nearby structure of the breast area is removed
Prevention of Female Breast Cancer:-
Early detection of breast cancer by regular best self –examination and regular mammography screening is very important. Eating a healthy heart diet with a low fat diet, exercise, and reducing the intake of alcohol will aid a lot in preventing the breast cancer.
However, the surgical removal of the breast is only the option to eradicate the breast cancer completely. Since, women are at a greater risk of developing a breast cancer and it cannot be prevented if the cancer is inherent i.e. genetic. Do consult your doctor after detecting the symptom of breast cancer, it will aid in saving your life.
About the Author
Dr.Alin Thoms is a well known cancer specialist ( oncologist) and has been in this field since from 1995. He uses radiotherapy or drugs to treat cancer. He has done B.A and B.M.B.ch from Oxford University. His special interests lies in - leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and chemotherapy and transplantation for these disorders. He is currently director of the North London Cancer Network.
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