Disease of the mammary glands accounts for most of the identified oncological pathology. Every tenth woman between the ages of 20 and 90 is affected. The question of how to recognize breast cancer at an early stage is relevant all over the world. After all, the earlier therapy is started, the more optimistic the prognosis.

The uncontrolled proliferation of altered cells in the breast that can penetrate and affect other organs is called breast cancer (BC). The five-year survival rate for a treated oncological process is 85%. About a million deaths from breast disease are recorded each year. Breast cancer causes:

• hereditary predisposition;
• trauma to the breast;
• violation of hormonal balance in the body;
• lack of breastfeeding;
• smoking;
• the influence of the radiation background of the environment.

It is impossible to find out the exact reason. Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley have conducted a number of studies. They proved that the disease occurs much more often in people infected with the leukemia virus.

Symptoms

In most cases, there are no signs of early breast cancer. At this stage, the size of the formation is less than 2 cm in diameter, there is no germination into the glandular tissue, and there are no metastases. A woman is worried about only general symptoms: swelling, pulling pains in the armpits, increased sensitivity of the diseased organ.

The first symptoms of breast cancer appear when the lump grows. They disguise themselves as a clinic of inflammation. Complaints are associated with changes in the structure of healthy cells to pathological ones, entrapment of nerve endings, as well as metastasis. There are sensations:

• pain;
• burning sensation;
• bursting;
• swelling;
• peeling of the nipple.

The process is one-sided. A woman can indicate a specific place that worries her.

When you press on the area of ​​the areola of the nipple, a white, cloudy or bloody discharge appears. To the touch, the formation is shapeless, dense, inactive. The asymmetry of the nipples is noticeable. Notice the wrinkling of one breast, retraction of the nipple. This distinguishes benign growth from cancerous growth. Benign formations contain a capsule, do not grow deep into tissues. As they grow, they simply push the tissue apart. In the early stages, metastasis to other organs and lymph nodes is absent. With systematic observation, tumor growth is noted.

In the future, ulceration of the nipple appears. This is a sign of the transition of the cancer process to the second stage. Metastases appear. The axillary lymph nodes are the first to be affected.

Diagnostic methods

Self-examination of the breast is the first link in the examination. If, when palpating before menstruation, a seal is determined that does not disappear after the end of menstruation, you should immediately consult a doctor. Diagnostics should be comprehensive.

A scheduled examination by a mammologist is carried out once a year. You need to visit a doctor from 5 to 9 days of the menstrual cycle. This period is characterized by the absence of hormonal effects on the breast. With a regular visit to a mammologist, you can identify changes in the early stages. Breast cancer diagnostics include:

A pea-sized tumor that cannot be detected with manual control alone. But in a year, she can go into an advanced stage of cancer.

What is mammography

Every year, starting at the age of 40, mammography is the "gold standard" for examining a woman. It will not harm the body. This is a screening method for detecting pathology. The information content of the method is more than 90%.

Mammography is an x-ray of the breast. In cancer of the initial stage, a shadow of compaction is revealed. A one-year survey periodicity is sufficient to catch changes at an early stage.

X-ray resolution detects the neoplasm before clinical signs appear. It is not recommended during pregnancy and lactation.

What is ultrasound performed for?

When complaints of discomfort in the mammary gland appear before the age of 40, ultrasound diagnostics are performed. A young age is characterized by a high sensitivity to ultrasound radiation.

If abnormalities are found on the X-ray, an ultrasound examination is performed. A cyst can be mistaken for a tumor. Ultrasound determines the structure of the seal, the presence inside the cavity, the state of the regional lymph nodes. Modern devices make it possible to accurately establish the nature of the changes.

Sometimes intravenous administration of contrast agents is used. Contrasting establishes the nature of blood circulation in the affected area.

An ultrasound scan is performed lying down. Hands are placed behind the head. In the reproductive age, it is best to do it immediately after the end of your period. But if you suspect oncology, the procedure is performed immediately. It is unacceptable to wait a whole month. Lost time can cost the patient's life.

What tumor markers are being investigated

The main marker of pathological activity, which is detected at the initial stage of breast cancer, is the cancer antigen 15-3. In 20% of cases, at the initial stages of the disease, its increase is noted. It is a specific marker for primary malignant neoplasm. The normal value in the blood is up to 27 U / ml.

The sensitivity of the CA 27-29 cancer antigen is not high enough. It also increases with other pathologies (ovarian cysts, endometriosis, lung disease). Its rate is considered to be up to 40 U / ml. Has diagnostic value only with CA 15-3.

Cancer-embryonic antigen (CEA) after birth is practically not detected in the blood. Its norm does not exceed 5 ng / ml. In the presence of oncology, the indicators increase to 10 ng / ml and above.

Tumor markers have no independent diagnostic value and are not used for screening purposes. They are assigned only for a comprehensive examination. Without visual detection, tumors are not an absolute indicator of the presence of oncology.

I would like to note that during the treatment of the oncological process at first, the indicators of tumor markers increase. This is due to the death of altered cells. This means that the ongoing therapy has a positive result. Oncological activity markers are used to monitor treatment.

What is tomography for?

Computed tomography of the chest is prescribed when changes are detected to confirm or refute the diagnosis - cancer. It shows the formation in a volumetric image, to determine the adhesion with the surrounding tissues and the degree of penetration into other organs. Tomography is only an auxiliary examination method necessary to determine the treatment plan.

Biopsy of the neoplasm

Any neoplasm detected requires a biopsy to determine malignancy. Fine-needle biopsy is performed in a hospital under the control of an ultrasound machine using a sterile fine needle. It is a procedure for collecting cells from a seal for microscopic examination. The most accurate method for recognizing a malignant process. Allows you to identify the type of tumor and determine the scope of treatment.

Immunohistochemical study of cancer cells makes it possible to establish the dependence of the process on the hormonal background, the perceiving ability to drugs. Solves the question of the appointment of hormone therapy during the recovery period.

Treatment

A malignant process at an early stage is treated with surgery. Most often, the tumor is excised within healthy tissues - sectoral resection. This is an organ-preserving operation.

In some cases, when the process affects the thickness of the breast, it is necessary to remove one breast - a radical mastectomy.

The mammary gland is a hormone-dependent organ. The main influence is exerted by the hormone estrogen. It brings the glandular tissue into activity. In order to suppress hormones, a course of antiestrogen drugs (fareston, tamoxifen) is carried out according to the scheme prescribed by the doctor. The choice of drugs is carried out individually.

At an early stage of malignant neoplasm, there are no metastases. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often not given. But the type of tumor is of great importance. Depending on the histological definition of the structure of cancer cells, the doctor prescribes additional treatment.

Timely started therapy is the key to a favorable prognosis. In 80% of cases, patients recover completely.

Prophylaxis

Self-examination of the breast plays an important role. It is necessary to feel the thickness of the gland every month in front of the mirror, centimeter by centimeter. There should be no bumps or hardened areas.

In the reproductive age, the procedure is carried out after the end of menstruation, in the period of menopause - you can choose any day. If you find seals, you should immediately consult a doctor. For delay, you can pay with health. A timely recognized malignant growth increases the chances of recovery.

The recovery period after the treatment of the malignant process is long. A woman should realize that cancer is not a death sentence. The first priority is to follow the doctor's recommendations. The chances of recovery are high. Reconstructive surgery will solve the problem of the appearance of the breast.

A malignant tumor of the mammary glands is a disease that consists in the formation of malignant tumors, the growth of which is rather rapid. This ailment is one of the most common and dangerous, because fatalities are common. Women over 45 years of age are at greatest risk.

How to define breast cancer is a question that interests many women. At the moment, certain signs are known by which it is possible to independently identify cancers in the breast. When in doubt, it is very important to seek urgent medical attention. A specialist mammologist deals with cancer in women.

The reasons for the development of the disease

Cancer that affects the mammary gland of women can develop as a result of the following factors and causes:

Each factor poses a particular danger, however, more attention is paid to the age of women. The older she is, the more likely it is that cancer will declare itself.

What you need to pay attention to

How to recognize breast cancer at home? A question that doctors hear almost every day. Having an idea of ​​the first signs of the disease, it will not be at all difficult to detect a cancer formation while being at home in the gland. You need to pay attention to the following symptoms:

In order to determine that a tumor has formed, an examination at home must be carried out in a bright room in front of a mirror. Only in a standing position will it be possible to carefully examine the chest and notice any nonspecific changes in its structure.

In order to find out about the presence of education, you will also need to take into account the following information: the tumor can be located anywhere in the gland, and the lesion can spread to both breasts at the same time. If a tumor is located in one mammary gland, then in the second the chance of metastasis is significantly increased. On a home examination, you may feel a compaction, the consistency of which will strongly resemble dough.

Cancer in most cases has a round shape, although its structure may be heterogeneous.

There are cases when education reached incredibly large sizes, which greatly aggravated the treatment process.

In a medical setting, it is possible to diagnose cancer in women due to the following procedures:

On the basis of the studies carried out, specialists establish the causes and type of tumor, after which measures are taken regarding further treatment of the disease.

How does the disease develop

In order to diagnose such a pathology in time, it is important to understand how the disease manifests itself and develops. Experts point out that cancer in women can develop in 5 stages, which are characterized by their own characteristics:

Stage 0. The tumor is localized in one place and does not grow into adjacent tissues. It is believed that at this stage the disease can be effectively treated.

Stage 1. In this segment, the formation is converted from benign to malignant. But the damage to the lymph nodes and neighboring tissues has not yet occurred.

Stage 2. The tumor begins to increase in diameter and begins to affect the lymph nodes.

Stage 3. At this stage, not only breast tissue is affected, but also the lymph nodes of the chest. Very often manifested symptoms of stage 3 resemble the development of mastitis. However, in no case should these diseases be confused.

Stage 4. The spread of metastases in the internal organs. First of all, damage to the liver, lymph nodes and bones occurs. This stage is characterized by pronounced symptoms, which are manifested in a sharp deterioration in health and the presence of severe pain. Treatment at this stage is the most difficult and does not always allow achieving the desired effect.

This data will help a woman know how to identify breast cancer. It is necessary to pay attention not only to the warning signs of the disease, but also to the signals that your body sends. If you experience unusual symptoms and a sharp deterioration in health, you will need to seek help from a specialist.

prozhelezu.ru

Breast cancer - symptoms

Descriptions of breast cancer symptoms have been found in ancient treatises. For thousands of years, up to 1700, there was no information about the causes and methods of treatment of this terrible disease. In recent years, medicine has achieved very good results in the treatment of breast cancer, the main factors influencing the development of the disease have been established, and equipment for the diagnosis of breast cancer has been improved, thanks to which the most effective course of treatment is prescribed. When symptoms of breast cancer appear, women have an increasing chance of curing the disease at different stages.

Causes of the disease

The causes of breast cancer can be genetic. That is, if the disease occurs in a family in different generations, then the risk of getting sick increases.

Age also affects the occurrence of breast cancer, but only in case of neglect of one's health for a long time (advanced chronic diseases, unhealthy diet for many years). So you need to take care of yourself, your beloved, all the time, and not only with the onset of symptoms of breast cancer, or another disease.

Research shows that abortion, late first birth, and refusal to breastfeed can also cause breast cancer.

If you have identified symptoms of breast cancer, do not rush to diagnose yourself. Talk to your doctor, get tested. Perhaps the terrible diagnosis will not be confirmed, since some diseases may be identical with the first signs of breast cancer.

How to self-identify breast cancer?

Perform regular self-examinations to help identify early signs of breast cancer or disorders that can lead to disease. Every month, 6-10 days after menstruation, examine the condition of the chest, first with down, then with hands up behind the head. Next, lie on your back, placing a roller under your shoulder blades, gradually feel your chest and armpit in a circular motion. Repeat the examination while standing. Symptoms of breast cancer can include lumps, nipple discharge, redness or changes in the skin (inflammation, flaking, shape changes - drooping, sinking). The mammary glands should be at the same level. The nipples should be free of rashes, changes in color and shape. Timely diagnosis will help to avoid many complications in the treatment of breast cancer.

How is breast cancer diagnosed in a clinical setting?

There are the following examination methods: palpation, X-ray, morphological and ultrasound methods. Together, they provide complete information that will help to correctly prescribe a course of treatment for breast cancer. If the diagnosis is not confirmed, be sure to establish the cause of the symptoms that worried you.

Breast cancer treatment

There are several methods of treatment for breast cancer, which are prescribed depending on the stage, type of tumor, metastasis.

Lumpectomy - removal of abnormal cells and areas of tissue in small tumors.

Mastectomy - removal of the breast.

Hormone therapy - prevents the formation of cancer cells after surgery.

Radiation therapy - radiation therapy is also given after surgery to destroy the remaining cancer cells.

Most often, in order to achieve the best effect and prevent damage to other organs, combined treatment of breast cancer is prescribed.

Disease prevention

Statistics show that breast cancer is most common in industrialized countries. The reason lies not only in the environment, but also in the change in lifestyle. Therefore, for all women from 13 to 90 years old, prevention of breast cancer plays an important role.

1. First of all, you need to carefully consider your diet - there must be fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet. Avoid carcinogenic foods - fatty foods, fried foods, food containing dyes and other chemical additives.
2. Avoid wearing underwear that puts too much pressure on your chest and interferes with blood circulation.
3. Don't overuse alcohol.
4. If you are often stressed, then do not neglect relaxing exercises. Normalized loads should be combined with good rest, both for the body and the psyche.
5. Do not postpone treatment for diseases related to female genital organs.

Any disease is easier to prevent than to cure. Be attentive to your health, take care of yourself, and never lose hope. Progress does not stand still, technologies are being improved every year. In the same way, medicine is developing, offering more and more new methods of treatment and saving more and more lives.

Related articles:

womanadvice.ru

How to identify breast cancer

There is not a single woman on the planet who would not worry to one degree or another about the condition of her breasts. Breast cancer is a fairly common oncological disease, dangerous but curable. Timely diagnosis of the breast can help to avoid severe forms of cancer, which is not always possible to do. Well, when the main alarming symptoms "you know by sight", then there is a chance to have time to see a doctor faster than the disease begins to progress.

There is pain in the mammary gland or discomfort that is not associated with pregnancy - this should alert the female half first of all.

The breast has changed its usual shape, swelling, decreased, became asymmetric - these symptoms may indicate the presence of a tumor in the breast.

The delicate skin of the mammary gland has acquired a certain wrinkle and began to resemble an orange peel - this symptomatology is a good reason for taking diagnostic measures for the condition of the breast.

Pronounced redness of the mammary gland, especially in the form of convex or lingual irregularities, hyperemia plus high body temperature are dangerous signs of a malignant breast tumor in an especially acute form.

Bloody discharge from the papilla appeared, its shape changed, it was drawn in, swollen or thickened, crusts, scales, erosion formed on it - a signal for decisive action towards a medical facility.

The lymph nodes in the armpit have greatly enlarged, infectious lymphadenitis was previously diagnosed - these can be bells for a latent (neat) form of breast cancer.

The skin above the mammary gland has acquired an uneven surface resembling a shell, the breast has decreased in size - important symptoms that may indicate the presence of oncology.

If you find at least one of the above symptoms, be adequate and urgently go for examination to a mammologist. Modern medicine is quite successful in combating such a serious cancer as breast cancer.

sovetclub.ru

Breast cancer: symptoms and signs in women. How to define and how does breast cancer manifest?

Breast cancer is a disease characterized by the development of malignant tumors in the glandular tissues of the female (or, in extremely rare cases, male) mammary glands.

What symptoms, signs, or manifestations should alarm women when they say it's time to sound the alarm?

How to detect a disease in its early stages? We will talk about this and many other things regarding breast cancer and its connection with mastopathy in today's publication.

I must say that all over the world it is breast cancer in young or older women that is considered the most common form of cancer.

This form of cancer affects one in thirteen to one in nine women, in the age group from thirteen to ninety years.

Moreover, breast cancer, which affects even very young women, is considered the second most common ailment after lung cancer.

And since the structure of the mammary gland of women and men is absolutely identical, a malignant tumor of the breast, in some cases, can develop in a man.

Although, the cases of this particular type of cancer affecting men today account for slightly less than one percent of the total number of cancer patients.

A rather sharp increase in the total number of cases of malignant breast tumors in women is associated with the lifestyle of the entire population that has changed over the past decades.

In particular, we are talking about the fact that in modern families it has become customary to give birth to significantly fewer children than it was before, about the fact that today the time for full breastfeeding has been significantly reduced, and so on.

As a result, many of women are faced with such primary diseases as lactostasis, mastitis, fibrocystic disease (mastopathy), etc. But it is these ailments that are considered responsible for the fact that after a certain period of time in 7-10% of cases, cancer can develop. breast disease.

To a large extent, noticeable in recent years in most developed countries of the world, the increase in the number of cancer patients (including women with malignant breast tumors) is associated with an increase in the population of the elderly.

But the risk of developing such a pathology directly depends on the age of the patients. This dependence is shown in the table below.

And lastly, it should be noted that breast cancer is considered a multifactorial disease, the emergence and development of which is directly associated with modifications of the cellular genome, which usually can occur under the influence of both purely external causes and under the influence of hormones (or other internal factors).

The insidiousness of oncological diseases and, in particular, such an ailment as breast cancer lies in the fact that at the earliest stages this disease, most often, is completely asymptomatic.

At the same time, both breasts of women remain symmetrical, the affected area looks quite natural, the disease does not cause the slightest pain or discomfort at these pores. It is incredibly difficult to detect a disease at this stage, especially if you do not pay due attention to your body (its health).

Nevertheless, many patients can identify (or rather suspect) the development of a malignant neoplasm in the breast before the most dangerous signs and painful symptoms of the problem appear.

Often, women can reveal the disease on self-examination of the breast, finding a small lump or lump in the thickness of its tissues. Sometimes the ailment is found during routine examinations by a gynecologist, during mammography or ultrasound examination of the mammary gland.

Often, the first signs or symptoms of a formidable disease can be represented by the appearance that does not disappear during the menstrual cycle, seals directly in the armpit, above the collarbone, etc. Any woman should also be alerted to the following symptoms:

• The appearance of transparent or bloody discharge from the breast, not in any way associated with pregnancy, breastfeeding.
• Sudden retraction of the nipple.
• Any change in the color or texture of the skin on a woman's breasts. It is very important to periodically examine, assessing how your breasts look, in a timely manner to pay attention to any changes in it (in shape, color, density).

What do doctors refer to as the most obvious alarms?

In order to recognize the problem in a timely manner, it is necessary to know exactly how, most often, the disease manifests itself, what are its most often noticed signs.

Malignant cells can form in all organs of the human body. The most common cancer in women is breast cancer. That is why ultrasound diagnostics and mammography were included in the list of mandatory examinations during a preventive examination. If a neoplasm is suspected, taking into account the patient's complaints, the doctor prescribes appropriate tests to make an accurate diagnosis. Breast cancer occurs in both women and men.

Causes

• Hormonal changes:
  • early onset of the menstrual cycle,
  • late menopause,
  • late birth of the first child,
  • nulliparous women
  • multiple miscarriages or abortions,
  • long-term use of hormonal drugs (hormone replacement therapy or contraceptives).
• Heredity (malignant tumor of the mammary glands or ovaries in the next of kin).
• At risk are women suffering from the following diseases:
  • mastitis,
  • fibroadenoma,
  • mastopathy.

Forms

Depending on its location and the way it spreads, breast cancer is divided into:

• diffuse form (there are several types: edematous, erysipelas, carapace and mastitis);
• Paget's cancer.

The most common cancer is nodular. A lump or induration is palpable under the skin. This dense formation has no clear boundaries and does not separate from the surrounding tissues. As the seal develops, disintegration can occur with the appearance of an ulcer and opening it to the surface of the skin. The ulcer looks like a common inflammation, but it does not heal for a long time, it does not respond well to local treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs. An infection can join the wound site, while the body temperature rises, signs of intoxication appear. A breast tumor can grow deeper, reaching the ribs and sternum.

With a diffuse tumor, the focus is large, often occupying a segment of the mammary gland or the entire breast. In this case, a large lump is palpated in the chest. The seals have no clear boundaries, they are soldered to the surrounding tissue. Outwardly, changes appear on the chest, similar to erysipelas - the chest becomes edematous, reddens, the body temperature rises. For a malignant tumor with an edematous variant, a change in the skin like a lemon peel is characteristic. With a decrease in breast size and retraction of the nipple, one speaks of an armored type of cancer. Such cancers quickly metastasize.

The third type of tumor is Paget's cancer. In this type of cancer, a neoplasm appears near the nipple of the breast. This type of tumor grows slowly and is less common than other types of cancer. At the onset of the disease, small scales form near the nipple. Then the nipple is pulled in, inflammation can occur around it. The lump grows deep into the gland with the development of regional or distant metastases.

Classification

Modern oncology provides for the division of cancer into 4 stages depending on the size of the tumor:

• at stage T1, the tumor size does not exceed 2 cm, the tumor does not go beyond the tissue;
• stage T2 is characterized by a lesion size of up to 5 cm;
• at stage 3, the size of the tumor exceeds 5 cm;
• at the T4 stage, the formation spreads beyond the boundaries of the mammary gland, grows into other tissues.

The letter N in the classification means the presence of metastases in the lymph nodes.

• N0 - there are no metastases in the lymph nodes.
• N1 - metastases are detected in the axillary region, they are not welded together, one or two lymph nodes are affected.
• At stage N2, lymph nodes in the axillary region are found welded together.
• Stage N3 is established when enlarged internal lymph nodes of the mammary gland are detected. The appearance of metastases in the lymph nodes is detected at 3 stages of the disease.

Stage 3 cancer can manifest as distant metastases, which are designated by the letter M. M0 - there are no distant metastases. M1 - there are distant metastases.

Cancer symptoms

In the early stages, the tumor does not manifest itself in any way. The first signs of cancer are discovered by chance during a physical examination. You can detect seals on your own by palpation or routine physical examination by a gynecologist, ultrasound or mammography. A lump found in a woman's breasts should always be on the alert for cancer.

Breast cancer often shows its first symptoms at an advanced stage.

• On examination, you can see the retraction of the nipple, discoloration of the skin, unevenness and tuberosity of the mammary gland, the appearance of redness and ulcers, discharge from the nipple.
• In the presence of regional metastases in 3 stages, the axillary lymph nodes increase.
• Sometimes, on examination, you can see a dense path leading from the mammary gland to the axillary fossa.
• As the tumor spreads, general signs of intoxication appear - weakness, fatigue, weight loss.

Does breast cancer hurt? In the later stages, the glands begin to hurt. This is due to the fact that the process affects the nerves that innervate the mammary gland. The pain occurs pulling, can be given to the arm or axillary region.

Palpation is performed while lying and standing. To determine whether a tumor is benign or malignant, surgeons use a palm symptom. If you put your hand on the breast area, then the malignant tumor will bulge out and be felt under the fingers, then they talk about a positive symptom of the palm. A benign tumor is not felt when touched, then they talk about a negative symptom.

During an ultrasound examination, seals are determined. The lump has an uneven fuzzy outline and increased blood flow. The lesion can be identified by mammography. Doctors often prescribe both research methods to clarify the diagnosis. In the general analysis of blood, the level of ESR rises, anemia occurs. To clarify the tumor process, a blood test is prescribed for a specific tumor marker CA 15-3. CEA and CA 27,29 markers are considered less specific. Some oncologists believe that these tumor markers need to be assessed collectively. A biopsy of a suspicious area of ​​tissue will help determine cancer.

How to conduct a self-examination

In the early diagnosis of the disease, self-examination helps. Early detection of the tumor improves the prognosis for the patient.

Before starting the palpation, it is necessary to examine the chest. They must be of the same size and free from skin defects or nipples. The same must be done when raising your arms up above your head. If no changes are found, palpation is started. To examine the right chest, the right hand is raised behind the head, and the gland is felt with the left hand. The palm is placed flat on the mammary gland and gradually begins to move in a spiral, feeling each area and determining if there are lumps in the breast. Then you need to examine the area of ​​the nipple and areola, make sure that there is no discharge. Then the same examination is carried out in the supine position. The examination is completed by palpation of the axillary lymph nodes.

Treatment

The tactics of managing a patient with a tumor depends on the stage of the disease. In the absence of metastases, surgical treatment is performed. Modern oncology involves a radical operation, which consists in the complete removal of the mammary gland with adipose tissue and axillary lymph nodes. With a large tumor size and germination into adjacent tissues, a radical mastectomy is performed in conjunction with the removal of the pectoral muscles and, sometimes, ribs. With early detection of cancer at the initial stage, a sparing operation is possible - sectoral removal of the tumor site and axillary lymph nodes.

After any operation, radiation therapy is required. Chemotherapy can be given before surgery to shrink the tumor in size or after - to prevent metastasis. Usually several courses of such treatment are carried out. If distant metastases are detected, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are performed, which are supplemented with hormonal therapy. Supportive treatment and periodic examination of a woman with breast cancer is carried out for 5 years after surgery. The question of the methods of treatment for a particular patient is decided individually by the oncoconsilium.

The prognosis depends on the identified stage of the disease. In cancer of the initial stage without detected metastases, the prognosis is favorable. Timely surgery and radiation or chemotherapy can prolong the patient's life and avoid relapse. The prognosis for metastatic breast cancer is uncertain. Only conservative therapy is possible, aimed at relieving intoxication.

Metastasis

Pathological cells enter other organs through the bodice and blood. This is usually common in stage 3 and 4 cancers. The axillary lymph nodes are the first to be affected. Then the tumor spreads to the periosternal, subclavian, cervical and subscapular nodes. They become painful, increase in size, and fuse with the surrounding tissue. Distant metastases usually form in the liver, lungs, bones and brain. When metastases appear, the prognosis is poor.

Prophylaxis

It has long been known that an increase in estrogen in the blood increases the risk of a tumor. Their lowest activity is observed during pregnancy and lactation.

Independent or uncontrolled use of hormonal contraceptives also leads to a shift in the level of hormones in the blood and can contribute to the development of tumors. In the period before menopause and during the menopausal period, it is necessary to monitor the level of hormones in the blood to prevent the risk of disease.

Having a baby and breastfeeding is the best prevention of breast cancer!

Breast cancer often appears in nulliparous women over 30 years old, especially with an unfavorable heredity for cancer. This is the main risk group. During this period, an annual examination by a gynecologist with additional instrumental studies is necessary.

The main prevention of cancer is early detection. An annual visit to a gynecologist and mammologist, an ultrasound of the mammary glands or mammography, self-examination is necessary.

Breast cancer is an uncontrolled proliferation of cells in the mammary glands. The affected areas enlarge and can spread to other organs. Many people die from malignant neoplasms, so women just need to know how to recognize breast cancer at the very beginning of the disease. It is on the list of the most dangerous because of the high mortality rate.

When do you need to start examinations?

Cancer develops due to mutations in genes that are responsible for curbing uncontrolled cell proliferation. There are many factors related to the oncological risk group. In order to know how to recognize breast cancer, you first need to know when to start getting tested.

It must be done periodically (even though there are no symptoms) to women if the parents had (or have) cancer. In this case, the risk of hereditary transmission of the disease increases to 25 percent. Women also need to control their health:

• still nulliparous;
• over 50 years old;
• if the first birth took place after the 30-year mark;
• after abortion;
• those who refuse breastfeeding;
• who have taken hormonal contraceptives for a long time;
• have had mastopathy, chest injuries, her bruises;
• after hypothermia of the glands;
• with early puberty;
• having endocrine diseases;
• undergoing radiation therapy;
• alcohol abuse;
• smokers;
• living in a radioactive area;
• often exposed to stressful conditions.

The first long-term symptoms of cancer

How to recognize breast cancer in women? The first signs are difficult to detect at an early stage. On palpation, a small solid swelling is felt. Lymph nodes are enlarged. Chest pains appear. The woman feels general weakness.

Early detection of cancer

How to recognize early breast cancer? At the first stage of the disease, there are practically no symptoms, since the tumor is less than 2 centimeters in diameter. At this stage, there is still no metastasis and germination of cells in the tissue. But the "first signs" of cancer can be pulling pains in the armpits. Puffiness appears in their cavities. The sore chest becomes more sensitive.

One of the earliest symptoms of cancer is breast lumps. After the tumor is diagnosed. Discharge from the nipples begins. This process is independent of the menstrual cycle. The escaping liquid can be clear, bloody, yellow-green. It often appears as pus.

With the progression of cancer, the intensity of the discharge increases. Special gaskets required. Pains in the mammary glands appear. Small wounds begin to form on the chest, turning into large ulcers. This process can be observed not only on the nipples, but also throughout the bust.

It changes outwardly. In the place of compaction, the skin may acquire a different shade - from yellow to dark red. The affected area begins to peel off. Cancer symptoms include small dimples and wrinkled orange peel skin.

The shape of the chest begins to change. It can become swollen, elongated, etc. Cancer is characterized by retraction of the nipple. If he drowns more and more, it means that the neoplasm is increasing.

Mammography

How to recognize breast cancer in women (there is a photo of the method in this article) using mammography? This method detects neoplasms well. The method is one of the main ones for determining the disease in the early stages. Routine inspections should be carried out once a year. The examination is carried out in the period from 5 to 9 days of menstruation. At this time, the hormonal effect on the breast is manifested to the least extent.

Mammology is an X-ray scan of the breast. At the initial stage of cancer, a shadow of compaction appears in the tissues. The picture reveals the tumor before its first signs appear. Mammography is not done only during pregnancy and lactation.

Ultrasonography

How to recognize breast cancer in women? At the first pains, seals or discomfort, you should consult a doctor. He can prescribe an ultrasound diagnosis. It is carried out after any abnormalities are detected on the X-ray. But it may be a cyst, not a neoplasm.

Its structure, the presence of a cavity, growth are just determined using ultrasound diagnostics. At the same time, the state of the lymph nodes is seen. The result is an accurate picture of the changes that have taken place. The ideal time for an ultrasound scan is right after your period ends.

Tumor markers

How do you diagnose breast cancer with blood tests? To determine a malignant tumor, tumor markers are taken. The initial stage of the disease is detected by the CA 15-3 antigen. In 20 percent of the early stages of cancer, this mark rises.

This marker is used for the primary detection of a malignant neoplasm. The normal value should correspond to 27 U / ml. Cancer antigen CA 27-29 has little sensitivity and can increase with pneumonia, cysts, etc.

Therefore, the presence of oncology on it is rarely determined. CEA antigen has a normal value of 5 ng / ml. An increase in this mark to 10 ng / ml indicates the presence of cancer. Tumor markers are prescribed as an addition to a comprehensive examination. If the tumor is not detected visually, the antigen values ​​are not absolute.

Tomography

How to recognize breast cancer in women? Signs of the disease - the appearance of a tumor, seals, pain, etc. To refute or confirm the diagnosis, chest tomography is performed. This method shows the neoplasm in a clear image, in which the penetration of the affected cells into other organs or non-adhesion with them is clearly visible. If the presence of a malignant tumor is confirmed, its degree is determined.

Biopsy

How to recognize breast cancer with a biopsy? The appearance of any neoplasm does not yet indicate the development of cancer. The tumor may be benign. To determine if the neoplasm is malignant, more research is needed, which is done with a biopsy.

During the procedure, cells are taken from the tumor using a special apparatus with a thin needle. Then a microscopic examination is carried out. This method of detecting cancer is the most accurate, helping to determine not only the type of compaction, but also the forthcoming amount of treatment.

Thanks to the dependence of tumor growth on hormonal levels is established. At the same time, the ability of malignant cells to respond to certain drugs is determined.

Self-examination

How to diagnose breast cancer yourself? During menopause, the breast is examined for 7-10 days from the onset of discharge, but during a period when swelling or soreness is not observed. In case of irregular menstrual cycles or their absence at all, an examination of the mammary glands should be carried out monthly.

Self-determination of cancer begins with an examination of the bra at the point of contact with the nipples. There should not be any discharge or stains indicating them. Next, the areola is examined for redness, peeling, or wounds. All these manifestations should not be.

Then the nipple is examined. It should not be pulled into the chest. The latter is examined separately for visual changes. To do this, a woman stands in front of a mirror and stretches her arms up. The underarms and breast shape are examined for bulges, dimples, or asymmetries. Skin color should not contain unusual shades or crusty areas.

The first signs of cancer are determined in the supine position. The woman lies on her back and places a roller under one shoulder blade. Feels the mammary glands on the same side in a circular motion with the pads of two fingers for any seals. Then the roller is transferred to the other side and the procedure is repeated.

The easiest way to detect swelling is by standing in the shower. When feeling with soap fingers, they quickly find seals, which should not be there in principle. If any of the above signs are found, you must urgently consult a doctor for a full examination.

Identifying neoplasms, nipple discharge or lumps is not a sentence. Without a complete examination, ultrasound, biopsy, etc., even a doctor will not make an accurate diagnosis, despite the presence of seals or neoplasms. They may turn out to be benign.

When cancer symptoms are detected on time, treatment is prescribed, which in most cases is successful. Modern medicine is able to prevent the proliferation of infected cells, to stop oncology at the very beginning, thereby preventing amputation of the breast.

Cancer - this word has become synonymous with death, and some perceive the first signs of breast cancer in women as a death sentence. But is it? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

The first symptoms of breast cancer are very different and often resemble other, less dangerous diseases, so it is extremely important for a patient to contact a specialist.

Breast cancer as a global problem

A woman often herself, when examining and feeling the mammary gland, reveals alarming signs. Sometimes she is worried about soreness or swelling, which can act as the first symptoms of breast cancer.

Breast cancer in women is a global problem. Over a million new cases are recorded every year. But at the same time, breast cancer is the most studied form of cancer. If the diagnosis is carried out in a timely manner and the therapy is selected correctly, the patients recover and live a full life.

Older women are most susceptible to damage. But there are quite a few regions in the post-Soviet space where tumors are diagnosed in women of childbearing age. The consequences of the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 are considered a provoking factor for this phenomenon.

How to recognize symptoms

The mammary glands are located on the chest in the region from 3 to 7 ribs. They include lobes, ducts, adipose and connective tissue, vessels for the flow of vital fluids. Blood and lymph are in charge of nutrition and cleaning from tissue decay products. The task of the lobules is to produce milk, which flows through the tubes into the milk ducts and then into the nipple. Consider how breast cancer manifests itself.

The lymph vessels drain into the lymph nodes under the armpit. When single cancer cells reach the lymph nodes, they settle there and form a cancerous node. How is breast cancer diagnosed?

Self-examination should be carried out by every woman constantly in order to recognize the symptoms of breast cancer.

It is carried out as follows:

1. We examine the glands in the mirror to see if there is an increase in one breast relative to the other.
2. With soft movements in a circle, the iron is probed, when nodules, seals, changes of any nature are found, we investigate it in more detail.

If you find a number of serious symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately.

These include:

• we see wounds and various lesions on the nipple;
• there is soreness when pressed;
• we see the release of lymph or ichor;
• shape is disturbed on palpation;
• the skin in some area is unnaturally retracted;
• irritation and peeling of the skin is noted on the nipples;
• the nipple is retracted, which was not previously noticed;
• we see an open wound or sore;
• the mammary gland is swollen and reddened;
• under the arm hurts when pressed or moved.

Similar signs are observed with various lesions of breast tissue, but only a doctor can recognize the first symptoms of cancer and decide how to carry out further diagnostics.

When confirming the presence of a tumor, the doctor prescribes a series of studies to diagnose the type of formation and determine the ways of treatment.

Half of women over the age of 30 have changes and lumps in their breasts. If such a manifestation is noticed, you do not need to panic, but you should visit a gynecologist. The specialist will examine the glands and be able to determine the first signs of breast cancer in women and the type of neoplasm.

Reasons for defeat

One in two women who fall ill die of breast cancer.

Doctors do not know what exactly triggers malignant breast cancer and transforms tissue into a pathological neoplasm. To date, it has only been found out that a certain type of hormones produced in a woman's body provokes the formation of glandular tumors, but how this happens is unknown.

Doctors often ask how some flaws in the hereditary apparatus transform properly functioning cells into aggressive ones. The gene mechanism of DNA transmits information about their purpose and work. Descendants share similarities with ancestors because they inherit their DNA.

There are genes that control cell division and development. As a result of their aging or shortening of telomerase, a pathological process is triggered and cancer occurs.

There are genes that promote cell division. They are called oncogenes. Others are responsible for slowing the development of tumors. Some studies confirm that the appearance of neoplasms can be triggered by damage to genes responsible for the development or suppression of cells. Such genes are known as BRCA. When mutated, they cannot control this pathological process. There is evidence of inherited changes in DNA that can cause tumor growth.

Provoking factors

There are conditions that determine the risk of cancer. But the presence of such factors is not a verdict. The risk of getting sick can decrease over time or change depending on age and living conditions.

Permanent factors include:

• gender;
• age group;
• heredity;
• race;
• irradiation;
• Lifestyle;
• the presence of children.

Belonging to the weaker sex is already considered a risk factor. This gland is larger in women and consists of more tissues than in men. Women's cells are attacked by hormones, so this type of cancer is usually female. There are manifestations of cancer in men, but this is rather an exception.

There is a directly proportional relationship between the risk of developing cancer and the woman's age. The older a woman is, the higher her chances of becoming a patient of an oncologist. Approximate figures look like this: in 20% of cases, the first signs of the disease in women are determined before 50 years, in 80% - in the older age group.

Doctors are quite confident about the mutational cause of breast cancer. About 1 in 10 women who get sick have inherited the disease due to breakage of BRCA1 and BRCA2.

In a healthy organism, these genes should be "soldiers" that prevent uncontrolled cell division. The broken gene is usually passed on from one of the parents. Then the risk of contracting breast cancer multiplies and triples the chances of becoming a patient in an oncology clinic. Such women also inherit the risk of developing cancer of the reproductive organs - the ovaries and uterus.

Recent studies have confirmed the presence of additional gene factors that affect the possibility of developing breast cancer. This is the ATM gene, which is responsible for repairing a broken piece of DNA. The study of biological material in families where symptoms of breast cancer often appear, confirmed the failure of this gene. Another gene, SNEK-2, when mutated, dramatically increases the risk of disease.

The medical literature describes cases of a very frequent incidence of oncology in families where this pathology was repeatedly diagnosed in ancestors. If the mother or grandmother had cancer of the reproductive organs, then the woman has an almost one hundred percent chance of getting this disease. The correlation of these factors is very high, every third patient has a relative with a cancer pathology, this is especially clearly seen in breast cancer.

If cancer has already been, then the risk of re-disease is 75%. Carcinoma affects the same gland or a different, healthy breast.

White women are affected by a tumor of the mammary glands more often than dark-skinned and Asian women. In women of African descent, statistics are distorted due to late detection of cancer and the presence of forms that do not respond to treatment. Perhaps the racial trait contributes to a more acute course of the tumor.

Asian women have the lowest cancer rates on the planet.

The dependence of the risk of developing the disease on the hormonal cycles of the female body has also been proven. The most frequent cases of breast cancer occur in patients who entered childbearing age very early (from 11 years) or left it too late (after 55 years).

An important factor, experts say, is the absence of children or the birth of the first child over the age of 30. Some researchers consider it important whether a woman breastfeed her children.

If the patient was treated for cancer earlier, several years before the onset of a secondary tumor, and the method of treatment was radiation, then the risk of recurrent breast cancer increases several times. This is especially true for young women of childbearing age.

Common complaints

Oncology in women may not always manifest itself as formations in the breast. Very often, especially in Russia, women come to the doctor at the last stages of the disease, ignoring the initial symptom. The most common complaints are pain and discomfort.

There are the following screening methods for detecting breast cancer:

• determination of the properties of education, its size, germination into the muscle or chest;
• monitoring changes in the skin of the mammary glands for the presence of edema, nodes, seals;
• changes in the nipple for retraction, destruction, the presence of leaks, peeling;
• monitoring the shape and condition of the lymph nodes located near the tumor;
• changes in the structure of the skin, its color and appearance, the presence of rashes and ulcers.

If there are signs of ailment, it is necessary to use laboratory methods of examination.

Women who regularly visit a gynecologist are screened for breast cancer. If unfavorable signs are detected, the patient is sent for an additional examination to a mammologist and laboratory tests.

These include:

1. Blood test for oncological markers and general blood counts. Often, an oncological marker is not detected, although the pathology is present, since in some types of cancer it is simply not produced by the body.
2. Breast scan - very often used in the diagnosis of cancer. With a negative mammogram, cancer is excluded, with a positive mammogram, a biopsy is prescribed.
3. Biopsy - taking a piece of tumor tissue for histological examination.
4. Ultrasound examination of the mammary glands - helps to diagnose a benign formation (cyst) and distinguish it from a malignant one.

Biopsy and histological examination are the main procedures for determining a malignant tumor.

In this case, diagnostics is carried out by several methods:

• puncturing the formation with a fine biopsy needle to obtain fluid samples for analysis;
• cutting off part of the formation during surgery;
• puncture biopsy, puncturing the tumor with a thick needle to take a sample, before the procedure, anesthesia is performed at the puncture site;
• excising biopsy, in which the size of the tumor and the structure of its tissues are visible;
• aspiration cytology in case of suspicion of a cyst-like formation - a liquid is extracted from the cyst with a thin needle for analysis of the presence of cancer cells;
• fluoroscopy of the thoracic region - if you need to determine the growth of the tumor into the lung tissue;
• bone scan to identify bone lesions;
• computed and magnetic resonance imaging - involves X-ray photography of the affected area at different angles to identify breast cancer in women.

If breast cancer is detected at the stage of manifestation of primary signs, you should immediately contact the clinic and undergo the necessary examinations. If the first symptoms of cancer are detected in a timely manner, this gives a woman a chance to undergo the necessary treatment and live for many more years.

Video

From our video you will learn by what signs you can independently determine pathological formations in the chest.