What Age Does Breast Cancer Usually Start?

Abnormal and uncontrolled growth of the cells starting in the breast tissue is called breastcancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, one in every eight females in the United States will eventually develop breast cancer.

A breast is made up of three parts:

1. Lobules:Milk-producing glands.
2. Ducts:Tubes to carry milk to thenipple.
3. Connective tissue (fibrous and fatty tissues):Supporting tissue that maintains the structure of the breast.

Most often, breast cancer begins in the lobules or ducts and maymetastasize(spreads to other organs) through blood and lymph vessels.

Two common types of breast cancer

1. Invasive ductalcarcinoma:Cancer begins in the ducts and spreads to other breast tissues and parts of the body.
2. Invasive lobular carcinoma:Cancer begins in the lobules and spreads to other breast tissues and parts of the body.

Ductal carcinoma in situ is a condition preceding breast cancer, wherein the cancer cells are present only in the duct lining and have not spread to the other tissues.

5 less common types of breast cancer

1. Triple-negative breast cancer:An aggressive type, cancer cells lack estrogen,progesteronereceptors, and HER2 protein.
2. Inflammatory breast cancer:Cancer cells block lymph vessels in the skin of the breast making it red, tender, and swollen.
3. Paget’s disease:一种罕见的类型,启动导管和传播the skin of the nipple andareola.
4. Angiosarcoma:A rare type that starts in cells that line blood vessels or lymph vessels.
5. Phyllodes tumor:Cancer develops in the connective tissue (stroma) of the breast.

Some warning signs of breast cancer include:

1. A lump in the breast or armpit
2. Swelling in the breast
3. Dimpling or flaking of the skin of the nipple
4. Redness and irritation of the skin
5. Painin the nipple area or the entire breast
6. Change in the size or shape of the breast
7. 水或从乳头血腥放电
8. Orange peel appearance of the breast skin

The look and feel of a normal breast are affected by menses,pregnancy, andchildbirth,weight lossor gain,breastfeeding, and certain medications. If one is concerned about the changes in their breasts, they should consult a doctor.

Other conditions that may cause a lumpy or uneven breast:

• Fibrocystic breast (benign growths in the breast)
• Cysts(tiny fluid-filled sacs)

Risk factors for breast cancer are either modifiable or unmodifiable, and may include the following:

Unmodifiable

• Age:The risk of breast cancer increases with old age.
• Family history:Higher risk for women who have a mother, sister, or a first-degree relative diagnosed with breast cancer.
• Genes:Inheritedmutations toBRCA1andBRCA2genes make a woman more vulnerable.
• Previous medical history:Women who have had breast cancer removed or treated previously are more prone to develop it the second time.
• Reproductive history:Early menarche (before 12 years) and latemenopause(after 55 years) raises the risk of breast cancer due to longer hormonal exposure.
• Dense breasts:Women with dense breasts have a higher risk.
• History ofradiation therapy:Radiationexposure before age of 30 years raises the risk of breast cancer in later life.

Modifiable

• Overweightorobesity:Women with a higher body mass index are at a greater risk.
• Physically inactive:A sedentary lifestyle makes a woman more vulnerable.
• Obstetric history:Firstpregnancyafter the age of 30 years and no breastfeeding raises the risk.
• Alcohol:Alcohol consumption can increase the risk of breast cancer.
• Hormonal therapy:Certain oralcontraceptivepills andhormone replacement therapyformenopauseraises the risk, especially when taken for more than five years.
• Smoking:Smokershave a higher risk than nonsmokers.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends women aged 50 to 74 years and who are at risk of breast cancer should go for amammogramevery two years.

Women aged between 40 and 49 years must discuss with their doctor when to start going for a mammogram and how often.

• Self-awareness:Being aware of the feel of a normal breast, a regular self-examination to look for any change in the size or shape or presence of a new lump are all part of self-awareness.
• Clinical breast examination:An examination done by a doctor to feel for any changes or lumps in the breast.
• Mammogram:An X-ray of the breast is used to diagnose changes in breast tissues and early signs of breast cancer. Mammograms can detect a lump or an abnormal growth suspicious of cancer about two years before it can be palpated.
  • Screening mammogram:A routine screening procedure in females without any symptoms.
  • Diagnostic mammogram:More detailed images of the breast are taken of females presenting with symptoms.
• Breastmagnetic resonance imaging:Magnetic fields andX-raysare used to take images of the breast tissue.
• Breastultrasound:Breast tissue images are taken by using special sound waves.
• Biopsy:A tissue sample is taken and examined under a microscope.

After breast cancer diagnosis, other tests are done to evaluate the extent of spread by a process called “staging.”

1. Stage 0:Cancer cells are localized to milk ducts.
2. Stage I:Tumor is smaller than 2 cm, with no other structure involvement.
3. Stage II:
   • Stage IIA:Tumor less than 2 cm, spread tolymph nodesof the armpit or
     • tumor ranges from 2 to 5 cm, with or without spread to lymph nodes.
   • Stage IIB:Tumor is larger than 5 cm withlymph nodeinvolvement.
4. Stage III:
   • Stage 3A:Cancerous lymph nodes adheres to the surrounding tissues.
   • Stage 3B:Tumor has spread to near structures, such as chest wall.
5. Stage IV:Tumor has spread to distant structures, such as thelungs,liver, or brain.

According to the American Cancer Society, early-stage (localized) breast cancer has a five-year survival rate of about 99 percent.

1. Surgery:The cancerous tissues are surgically removed.
2. Chemotherapy:Medications to kill or restrict the growth of the cancerous cells.
3. Biological therapy:Immune system of the body is encouraged to fight cancerous tissues.
4. Hormonal therapy:Works by blocking the hormones necessary for the growth of cancer cells.
5. Radiation therapy:High energy rays are used to kill cancer cells.