Breast cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells in the ducts or lobules of the breast, resulting in a malignant tumor. It is the most common type of cancer in women, especially those over the age of 40.
There are risk factors, among which age, genetic factors (BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene), hormonal, racial, obesity, fat consumption, thoracic radiotherapy, etc. stand out.
In the early stages, there are usually no symptoms. It first manifests as a palpable lump, hard, immobile and with irregular borders. It may cause an increase in the size of the axillary nodes, changes in the skin of the breast, nipple discharge, nipple retraction, breast pain, bone pain, swelling of an arm and weight loss.
Diagnosis is made by clinical history and physical examination. It is confirmed with imaging tests such as mammography and a biopsy of the tumor.
Treatment for breast cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. In many cases, treatment is combined, depending on the type of cancer and how far it has spread.
- Laura J Esserman, Bonnie N Joe. Clinical features, diagnosis, and staging of newly diagnosed breast cancer. UpToDate, Jun 23, 2016.
- World Health Organization (WHO). Breast cancer: prevention and control. www.who.int/cancer/detection/breastcancer/en/index1.html (Accessed on December 12, 2013).
- Ravdin PM, Cronin KA, Howlader N, et al. The decrease in breast-cancer incidence in 2003 in the United States. N Engl J Med 2007; 356:1670.
- Holland R, Hendriks JH, Vebeek AL, et al. Extent, distribution, and mammographic/histological correlations of breast ductal carcinoma in situ. Lancet 1990; 335:519.
- Anastasiadi Z, et al. Breast cancer in young women: an overview .Updates Surg. 2017 Sep;69(3):313-317.
- Coughling.S, Social determinants of breast cancer risk, stage, and survival.Breast Cancer Res Treat . 2019 Oct;177(3):537-548.
- Tosello G, Torloni M.R, Mota B, Neeman T. Breast surgery for metastatic breast cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 Mar 15;3(3)
