Introduction
Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the body grow out of control. Cancer is always named for the part of the body where it starts, even if it spreads to other body parts later.
What is Breast cancer?
Breast cancer is cancer that develops in breast cells. Typically, the cancer forms in either the lobules or the ducts of the breast. Lobules are the glands that produce milk, and ducts are the pathways that bring the milk from the glands to the nipple. Cancer can also occur in the fatty tissue or the fibrous connective tissue within your breast.
The uncontrolled cancer cells often invade other healthy breast tissue and can travel to the lymph nodes under the arms. The lymph nodes are a primary pathway that helps the cancer cells move to other parts of the body.
Types of breast cancer
There are several types of breast cancer, which are broken into two main categories: “invasive” (as mentioned above), and “noninvasive,” or in situ. While invasive cancer has spread from the breast ducts or glands to other parts of the breast, noninvasive cancer has not spread from the original tissue.
- Ductal carcinoma in situ. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a noninvasive condition. With DCIS, the cells that line the ducts in your breast change and look cancerous. However, DCIS cells haven’t invaded the surrounding breast tissue.
- Lobular carcinoma in situ. Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is cancer that grows in the milk-producing glands of your breast. Like DCIS, the cancer cells haven’t yet invaded the surrounding tissue.
- Invasive ductal carcinoma. Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is the most common type of breast cancer. This type of breast cancer begins in your breast’s milk ducts and then invades nearby tissue in the breast. Once the breast cancer has spread to the tissue outside your milk ducts, it can begin to spread to other nearby organs and tissue.
- Invasive lobular carcinoma. Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) first develops in your breast’s lobules. If breast cancer is diagnosed as ILC, it has already spread to nearby tissue and organs.
Other, less common types of breast cancer include:
- Paget disease of the nipple. This type of breast cancer begins in the breasts’ ducts, but as it grows, it begins to affect the skin and areola of the nipple.
- Phyllodes tumour. This very rare type of breast cancer grows in the connective tissue of the breast.
- Angiosarcoma. This is cancer that grows on the blood vessels or lymph vessels in the breast.
Effect of Breast cancer on fertility
Some treatments for breast cancer may affect a woman’s fertility (ability to have a baby). For example, chemotherapy for breast cancer might damage the ovaries, which can sometimes cause immediate or delayed infertility. Still, many women are able to become pregnant after treatment. The best time to talk with your doctor about fertility is before starting breast cancer treatment. For more about how cancer treatment can affect fertility, see Fertility and Women With Cancer.
Symptoms of Breast cancer
Breast cancer symptoms and signs include;
- a lump in the breast or armpit
- bloody nipple discharge
- inverted nipple
- orange-peel texture or dimpling of the breast’s skin
- breast pain or sore nipple
- swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpit
- a change in the size or shape of the breast or nipple
Sometimes, there are no symptoms. Pay a visit to your health care provider if you notice any of these.
References
- Medicinenet. Breast cancer. Accessed on 20th October 2018.
- Healthline. Breast cancer. Accessed on 20th October 2018.