Breast Cancer: Causes, Symptoms and Risk Factors

Table of Content

• What is cancer?

• What is breast cancer?

• Types of breast cancer

• What are breast cancer causes?

• What is the BRCA gene?

• Breast cancer causes: Are you aware of risk factors?

• Symptoms of Breast Cancer

• Diagnosis and assessment of breast cancer

• Do men have breast cancer?

• Myth Of Breast Cancer: Be Aware And Ward Off Such Misleading Facts

• Early detection of breast cancer is the key to survival: Learn how?

• Take-Home Points

What is cancer?

Cancer means the growth of abnormal cells which invade the body's healthy cells. These are called abnormal because our body does not require them, and these cells don’t die as they should. When these cells don’t die, they accumulate, and a mass of tissue is formed, which is called a lump.

What is breast cancer?

 Breast cancer starts in the breast and then invades the surrounding tissues and other parts of the body. This is called metastasis.

Types of breast cancer

• Ductal carcinoma in situ.

• Lobular carcinoma in situ

• Invasive ductal carcinoma

• Invasive lobular carcinoma

• Triple-negative breast cancer

• Inflammatory breast cancer

• Paget disease of the nipple

• Phyllodes tumour

• Angiosarcoma

• Breast cancer during pregnancy

What are breast cancer causes?

Genetic mutation.

Risk factors: Genetic and environmental

What is the BRCA gene?

BRCA stands for breast cancer gene. They are of two types: BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes prevent breast cancer and aid in repairing the damaged DNA. These are tumor suppressors but genetic mutation leads to improper functioning of these genes.

The gene contains DNA. When a gene is mutated, it loses its ability to repair DNA, and this aids in developing breast cancer.

Breast cancer causes: Are you aware of risk factors?

The literature mentions many causes of breast cancer, but the most important fact we must know is that breast cancer is always caused by DNA damage of a cell. There are risk factors associated with breast cancer. Some of them are habits that can be improved, controlled and avoided, but other risk factors cannot be avoided.

There are two types of risk factors associated with breast cancer. They are genetic factors that cannot be changed and environmental factors that can be changed.

Genetic risk factors of breast cancer

• Sex: Breast cancer occurs more frequently in females than males. The breast cancer is more dangerous in men than women.

• Age: Females are usually diagnosed with breast cancer after 55 years of age.

• Family history: A positive family history increases the chances of breast cancer.

• Personal health history: When one of the breasts is detected with cancer, then there are more chances that cancer will be detected in another breast in future.

• Reproductive history: This is related to the history of menstruation and pregnancy. Those women who have menstruation at an early age (before 12 years), get late menopause after 55 years of age, have their first baby after 35 years of age, do improper breastfeeding, or never give birth to a child are at higher risk of breast cancer.

• Defective gene: BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are related to breast cancer. These defective genetic mutations may be passed on to the children.

• Quality of breast tissue: Dense breasts have a higher chance of breast cancer, and it is difficult to detect the lumps.

Environmental or avoidable risk factors of breast cancer:

• Exercise: Exercise has many benefits as it can save us from many diseases, including breast cancer. A life without exercise is unhealthy.

• Diet: It is often said, “EAT HEALTHY TO STAY HEALTHY”. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, limited fat and sugar, unsaturated oil is the most healthy and can save us from many health problems. A Mediterranean diet is considered as the most healthy diet. Olive oil is also included in the Mediterranean diet.

• Weight: It is very important to keep an eye on weight. Obesity is the root cause of many health problems. Those who are undergoing breast cancer treatment are advised to maintain a healthy weight after treatment to improve the treatment outcomes. Every woman after menopause must maintain a healthy weight.

• Smoking and alcohol: Such habits increase the risk of breast cancer. It is always good to limit or avoid such habits.

• Chest radiation before age 30 years.

• Combined hormonal replacement therapy: Such therapy after menopause increases the risk for breast cancer and the chances are the cancer detection at a more advanced stage.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

• Lumps in the breast.

• Lumps in underarms.

• Alteration in size and shape of the breast.

• Changes in skin texture like redness and roughness.

• Bloody discharge from the nipple.

• Turning of nipple inward into the breast.

• Dimple in the skin.

• Swelling

Diagnosis and assessment of breast cancer

• Importance of family history:

1. BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations are related to breast cancer. Genes are inherited. So, the important points related to family history should be known. They are:

2. when breast cancer is detected before the age of 50 years.

3. History of male breast cancer in the family.

4. Positive history of mother, sister and family relatives

5. History of ovarian cancer

6. History of male family member diagnosed with prostate cancer, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, etc.

7. The diagnostic age is very important.

• Self-screening

•  Mammogram

Do men have breast cancer?

Yes. Men do develop breast cancer, but it is rare. The mortality rate is high in men as they are not aware of breast cancer and may assume that it only occurs in women. They may assume the lump to be non-cancerous, delay an appointment with a doctor, and seek late treatment.

The risk factors causing breast cancer in men are radiation exposure, presence of estrogen hormone in higher amounts and positive family history.

Myth Of Breast Cancer: Be Aware And Ward Off Such Misleading Facts

• Breast cancer is contagious.

• Only women get breast cancer.

• Mammograms are not safe.

• Deodorants cause breast cancer.

These myths are totally wrong.

• Breast cancer is not transmitted from one person to another.

• Both men and women get breast cancer.

• Mammogram is safe. They involve very low-dose radiation.

• Deodorants do not cause breast cancer.

Early detection of breast cancer is the key to survival: Learn how?

when breast cancer is detected early, there are more chances of overcoming the disease. Early breast cancer detection can increase the quality of life and life span. The most important information here is when the cancer is detected earlier; it has less chance of spreading to other parts of the body.

The concept of self-screening is the best. A woman must pledge to self-screen her breast every month.

Every lump on the breast is not cancerous:

There are lumps or tumours which are benign. Benign means they are not dangerous, and they do not spread to other parts of the body. They may compress other tissues and cause pain when they grow in size. In such conditions, they are removed, and pain subsides.

Take-Home Points

• You must speak to your doctor immediately if you notice anything unusual about your breast, whether man or woman. Make it a habit to notice your breasts while taking a shower and observe the area breast area, nipple and underarms.

• The awareness of breast cancer is important. Every woman should know about her breast health. This is because when we are aware of normal health, we can easily identify the problem and look out for a solution. The same goes for breast cancer also. When a woman is aware of the risk factors related to breast cancer, she takes necessary steps like eating healthy, doing regular exercise and avoiding all unhealthy habits to prevent breast cancer. When a woman knows the signs of breast cancer, she can easily identify it on self-screening and have a conversation with the doctor.