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Comprehensive Care & Treatment For Breast cancer in Salem
What is Breast cancer?
Breast cancer most commonly occur in women that develops in breast cells. They can form either in the lobules or the ducts of the breast. 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.
Symptoms
- A breast lump or tissue thickening
- Breast pain
- Red, pitted skin over your entire breast
- Swelling in all or part of your breast
- A nipple discharge other than breast milk
- Peeling, scaling, or flaking of skin on your nipple or breast
- A sudden, unexplained change in the shape or size of your breast
- Changes in appearance of the skin on your breasts
- A lump or swelling under your arm.
Risks
- Family history of breast cancer
- Overweight
- Previous radiation therapy treatment
Types
HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
- In about 20% of breast cancers, the cells make too much of a protein known as HER2. These cancers tend to be aggressive and fast-growing
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- Some breast cancers are known as “triple negative” because they don’t have estrogen and progesterone receptors. Many breast cancers associated with the gene BRCA1 are triple negative. They are often treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation
Stages
Stage 0
The cancer has started in the breast ducts or milk glands
Stage I
The cancer is invasive.
IA: The cancer has spread into the fatty breast tissue.
IB: Some tiny amount of cancer cells have been found in a few lymph nodes.
Stage II
The cancer has grown, spread, or both.
IIA: The tumor in the breast is small. There may be no cancer in the lymph nodes.
IIB: Breast tumor is bigger than the size of a walnut . It may or may not be in any lymph nodes.
Stage III
The cancer has not spread to bones or organs.
IIIA: The cancer is found in nine of the lymph nodes that or enlarged the lymph nodes deep in your breast. In some cases there is a large tumor in the breast.
IIIB: The tumor has grown into the chest wall or skin around your breast.
IIIC: The cancer is found in 10 or more lymph nodes.
Stage IV
Breast cancer cells have spread far away from the breast and lymph nodes right around the bones, lungs, liver, and brain.
DIAGNOSIS
- Mammogram: It is the most common imaging done for the breast. Women aged 40 yrs and above should get annual mammograms to check for breast cancer
- Ultrasound: A breast ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture of the tissues deep in your breast. An ultrasound can help your doctor distinguish between a solid mass, such as a tumor, and a benign cyst
- Breast Biopsy: This is done when it is suspected as breast cancer. During this test, a sample of the tissue is removed from the suspicious area and tested
Treatment
Surgery
- Lumpectomy: Removes the tumor and some surrounding tissue, leaving the rest of the breast intact.
- Mastectomy : Entire breast is removed.
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a drug treatment used to destroy cancer cells.
Radiation therapy: Radiation Therapy uses high-powered beams of radiation to kill cancer cells.
Hormone therapy: Hormone therapy works by blocking by blocking the hormone receptors on the cancer cells. This action can help slow and possibly stop the growth of your cancer.