Breast cancer: symptoms, causes, and prevention

What is essential to know about breast cancer?

• Risk factors
• Symptoms of breast cancer
• Breast cancer and mastopathy
• Prevention of breast cancer
• Breast self-examination

Structure of mammary glands

Mammary glands consist of:

• glandular tissue;
• fatty tissue;
• connective tissue.

The glandular tissue consists of 15-20 conical lobules. Fat and connective tissues lie between them. The highest point of the breast is the nipple, around it is the areola. Mammary ducts are located between the nipple and the glandular lobules. There are 8-15 mammary ducts. The diameter of each one is up to 2 mm. When a woman is pregnant, the mammary glands produce milk, which goes to the nipple through mammary ducts.

Mammary glands in men have a similar structure, but they are smaller in size. With normal functioning of the body, the man’s glands do not develop.

Breast cancer is a malignant formation that affects the glandular tissue of the breast.

It develops from:

• cells of the mammary duct - ductal carcinoma (ductal breast cancer);
• cells of lobules - lobular carcinoma;
• cells of the nipple or areola - Paget's cancer.

Breast cancer is the leader among women oncological diseases. It takes the 2nd place among the most widespread types of cancer.

The exact causes of breast cancer are unknown, but the factors are increasing the risks of breast cancer development.

Risk factors

• absence of children;
• late delivery (after 35 years);
• early menstruation (under 12 years of age);
• late menopause (after 55 years);
• disruption of the hormonal balance;
• elderly age;
• breast cancer in the family (in the grandmother, mother, sister);
• bad habits;
• stress;
• overweight;
• frequent adnexal affection;
• use of hormonal drugs;
• incorrectly selected underwear.

Despite the fact that it is impossible to influence the genetic predisposition to breast cancer, many other factors can be reduced.

Symptoms of breast cancer

The signs of breast cancer:

• breast lumps

The first sign of a tumor is lumps and nodules. In 70% of cases, women detect during dressing, hygienic procedures and self-diagnostics.

• nipple swelling

If the tumor spreads through the mammary ducts, the nipple retracts and does not rise above the areola.

• discharge from the nipple

You should worry about this symptom if you are not pregnant and do not breastfeed. The discharge can be transparent, white or yellow. If nipples are bleeding or pus, immediately consult a doctor!

• uneven skin

The skin looks like a lemon rind. The dimples, indentations, wrinkled areas appear on the breast skin. Also, the surface can be shelled.

• wounds and ulcers

Cancers on the nipples, areolas or skin of the breast can form wounds. They are the signs of the malignant formation development in the skin.

• inflammation of the axillary lymph nodes

With the development of a malignant tumor, lymph nodes increase.

Breast Cancer and Mastopathy

Mastopathy is a pathological condition of the mammary glands when small lumps are formed in the breast.

The signs of mastopathy are:

• pain in the breast before the menstruation;
• swelling, engorgement, and hypersensitivity of the breast;
• discharge from the nipples with pressure;
• the formation of nodules in the breast.

30 years ago, mastopathy was considered as the precancerous condition of the body and even the initial stage of malignant breast tumor.

Modern medicine denies this point of view and emphasizes that mastopathy and breast cancer have common risk factors and symptoms. Mastopathy requires examination of a doctor and comprehensive treatment.

Prevention of breast cancer

Like any other tumors, breast cancer is more efficient to cure at early stages. Women should undergo a regular diagnostics to prevent breast cancer.

Depending on a woman’s age, the experts recommend:

Age	20-35 years old	35-50 years old	Over 50 years
Prevention	to examine the breast every month after the end of menstruation; at least once a year to visit a gynecologist and mammalogist.	to carry out self-diagnosis of the breast every month after the end of menstruation; at least once a year to visit a gynecologist and mammalogist; to undergo mammography every 6 months.	to carry out self-diagnosis of the breast every month after the end of menstruation; to undergo a complete examination with a gynecologist and mammalogist every 6 months; to undergo mammography every 6 months.

Breast self-examination?

1. Examine your breast every month 2-3 days after the end of menstruation.

2. It is convenient to examine the mammary glands during dressing or after hygiene procedures. Do it carefully and slowly.

3. Start the examination with the inside of the breast.

Normal condition: no spots and discharge;

Reason for visiting a doctor: discharge (if you are not pregnant and do not breastfeed).

4. Examine your nipples: make sure that they do not flake or blush, there are no signs of swelling.

Normal condition: no symptoms;

Reasons for visiting a doctor: redness, peeling, wounds and the nipple swelling.

5. Inspect the areoles.

Normal condition: no symptoms;

Reason for visiting a doctor: redness, peeling, wounds, swelling, rashes.

6. Put your hands up and look over the shape of your breast.

Normal condition: no changes;

Reason for visiting a doctor: changing the shape of the breast, increasing or reducing the breast size.

7. In the same position, check over the skin of the breast.

Normal condition: smooth, even skin tone;

Reason for visiting a doctor: skin looks like a lemon rind, discoloration, peeling.

8. Lie on your back, put a pillow under your chest. With the fingers of the right hand, slowly probe the left mammary gland; the right breast with the fingers of the left hand.

Normal condition: absence of lumps, sensitive areas, and pain;

The reason for visiting a doctor: pain, lumps or nodules in the mammary gland.

9. Note the changes in the details.

10. Visit a gynecologist and mammalogist for complete diagnostics!