Breast Cancer

Overview

Breast cancer is cancer that develops in the cells of the breasts. It is one of the most common type of cancer found in women. It happens mostly in women, but men can develop breast cancer as well.

Signs and Symptoms

A painless breast lump, Changes in shape or size of breast, Dimpling or puckering of the overlying skin, Peeling or crusting of the areola (pigmented area of skin around the nipple), Inverted nipple

Common Causes

Being female, Increasing age especially after the age of 40, Strong family history of breast cancer, Inherited gene (BRCA 1 and 2) mutation, Previous history of breast cancer, Previous history of other breast conditions, Hormonal replacemet therapy longer than 5 years, Prolonged use of oral contraceptives, Late childbearing (after 30 years old), Nulliparous, Early menstruation and late menopause, Obesity, Increased breast density, Excessive alcohol intake, Smoking, Exposure to radiation

Risk Factors

Being female, Increasing age especially after the age of 40, Strong family history of breast cancer, Inherited gene (BRCA 1 and 2) mutation, Previous history of breast cancer, Previous history of other breast conditions, Hormonal replacemet therapy longer than 5 years, Prolonged use of oral contraceptives, Late childbearing (after 30 years old), Nulliparous, Early menstruation and late menopause, Obesity, Increased breast density, Excessive alcohol intake, Smoking, Exposure to radiation

Investigation Techniques

Breast examination, Mammogram, Breast ultrasound, Biopsy of breast tissue, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breasts, Computerised tomography (CT) scan, Blood tests such as blood cell count and blood marker tests, Positron emission tomography (PET) scan, Bone scan

Treatment and Prevention

Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy, Hormone treatment, Immunotherapy, Targeted drug treatments, Breast cancer surgery, such as lumpectomy, mastectomy, axillary lymph node dissection, sentinel node biopsy, removing both breasts, Palliative care, Can be prevented by regular screening and healthy lifestyle