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Breast cancer is a form of cancer that occurs in the breast cells. Usually, it develops in the lobules or ducts. Ducts are the pathways that carry milk from the glands to the nipple, whereas lobules are the glands that produce milk. There are various types of breast cancer. A breast’s fatty tissue or fibrous connective tissue may also develop into one of these types of cancer. The uncontrolled cancer cells frequently travel to the lymph nodes under the arms and surrounding healthy breast tissue. Cancer has access to a pathway by which it can travel to other body parts when it enters the lymph nodes.1

What are the different stages of breast cancer?

Breast cancer stages are determined by the size of the tumour and how far it has spread. A cancer that is large or has spread to nearby tissues or organs is more advanced than one that is small or confined to the breast. These are the stages of breast cancer:

• Stage 0 — The condition is not yet invasive, which implies that it hasn’t emerged from your breast ducts.
• Stage I — The cancer cells have now invaded the surrounding breast tissue.
• Stage II — Tumours maybe 2 to 5 cm in size and may or may not impact the nearby lymph nodes.
• Stage III — At this point, the cancer has spread past its original site. Although it has spread to nearby lymph nodes and tissue, it has not reached distant organs.
• Stage IV — The cancer has gone to your bones, liver, lungs, and brain apart from your breast. Metastatic breast cancer is another name for stage IV breast cancer.2

What are the types of breast cancer?

Breast cancer can be categorised into two primary groups: invasive breast cancer and non-invasive breast cancer.

In contrast to invasive breast cancer, which has moved from the breast ducts or glands to other regions, non-invasive cancer (also known as breast cancer in situ) has not spread from the original tissue.

The most common types of breast cancer are divided into the following categories:

• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) — DCIS is a non-invasive condition where the cancer cells are confined to the ducts in your breast and have not spread to the tissue around them.
• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) — LCIS is a type of cancer that develops in the milk-producing glands of your breast. Like DCIS, the cancer cells are still present within the affected tissue.
• Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) — IDC is the most common type of breast cancer that begins in the milk ducts of the breast and spreads to adjacent tissue. Once it has spread to tissue outside your milk ducts, this cancer can spread to nearby organs and tissue.
• Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) — ILC initially appears in the lobules before migrating to surrounding tissue.

The following breast cancer types are less common:

• Paget disease of the breast (the nipple) — This specific type of breast cancer starts in the nipple’s ducts but spreads to the skin and areola as it progresses.
• Phyllodes tumour — This is a rare kind of breast cancer that develops in the connective tissue of the breast. Some of these tumours are cancerous, but the majority of them are benign.
• Angiosarcoma — This cancer develops in the blood or lymph vessels of the breast.
• Inflammatory breast cancer — It’s visible like a rash with an orange peel-like skin texture on the affected breast.3

What is the most serious type of breast cancer?

Triple-negative breast cancer or TNBC is the most serious kind of breast cancer. Breast cancer cells that lack the estrogen and progesterone receptors and have high levels of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) are called triple-negative breast cancer. These markers are crucial for prognosis and treatment. There are few options for treatment available due to their rarity and aggression. Additionally, it occurs frequently.

People with a BRCA gene mutation, those under 50, and breast cancer linked to pregnancy all have triple-negative breast cancer. Options for treatment include — surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.4

What are breast cancer lumps?

It is the most common sign of breast cancer. However, rather than showing as a distinct lump, breast cancer can also show up as thickened skin or tissue. Some breast cancer types, like inflammatory breast cancer, may not result in a breast lump. Breast lumps in females are typically found close to the armpit. They are located close to the nipple in males.

Breast cancer lumps differ from non-cancerous lumps in many ways. Always remember that these are generalisations. Never attempt to identify a lump on your own. Even doctors occasionally can’t tell based only on touch.

The following are a few indicators that a breast lump is cancerous:

• It can’t hurt.
• It’s either firm or hard.
• It’s bumpy.
• It has irregular edges.
• You can’t move it with your fingers.
• It is growing or changing.

Breast cancer lumps can occasionally show in quite differently. They might be movable, painful, and soft. Additionally, they might show up anywhere on the armpit or chest. If you discover a suspicious lump that looks like breast cancer lumps or spots in your breast or any other breast cancer symptoms, schedule an appointment to visit your doctor. There are many other potential causes of breast lumps. Thus it’s doubtful that it’s breast cancer.5

How to treat breast cancer?

Your doctor will assess your cancer’s size, stage, and grade. How likely your cancer is to progress and spread depends on its grade. You can then discuss other options for treatment after that.

The most popular treatment for breast cancer is surgery. Many people additionally receive treatments such as -

• Chemotherapy — It is the process through which cancer cells are eliminated using medication. Chemotherapy is sometimes given to patients alone, but it is also regularly combined with other treatments, including surgery.
• Radiation therapy — The cancer cells can be specifically targeted and eliminated using a powerful radiation beam. External beam radiation is used in the majority of radiation therapies.
• Hormone therapy — You can begin hormonal therapy if your breast cancer is hormone-sensitive. Endocrine therapy can be used in this case to block the oestrogen and progesterone receptors if it is determined that the malignancy is hormone receptor-positive.6

Takeaway

Breast cancer has uncertain causes. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial. Early-stage breast cancer is frequently treatable and curable if found early. Breast cancer treatment may become more challenging the longer it is allowed to progress. If you have already received a breast cancer diagnosis, remember that cancer therapies and prognoses are getting better. So, stick to your treatment plan and don’t lose hope!