What is breast cancer

BREAST CANCER

Introduction to breast cancer,signs and symptoms, risk factors, drugs,pathology,prevention, etc...

Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue.

Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a red or scaly patch of skin. 

In those with distant spread of the disease, there may be bone pain, swollen lymph nodes, shortness of breath or yellow skin.

RISK FACTORS of BREAST CANCER

= Risk factors for developing breast cancer include being female,

* Obesity lack of physical exercise.

* Drinking alcohol.

* Hormone replacement therapy during menopause.

* Ionizing radiation, early age at first menstuation, having children late or not at all.

* Older age, prior history of breast cancer, and family history.

* About 5–10% of cases are due to genes inherited from a person's parents,including BRCA1 BRCA2.

* Others.Breast cancer most commonly develops in cells from the lining of milk ducts and the lobules that supply the ducts with milk.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BREAST CANCER

* The first noticeable symptom of breast cancer is typically a lump that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue.

* Lumps found in lymph nodes located in the armpits can also indicate breast cancer.

* Indications of breast cancer other than a lump may include thickening different from the other breast tissue.

* One breast becoming larger or lower.

* A nipple changing position or shape or becoming inverted.

* Skin puckering or dimpling.

* A rash on or around a nipple, discharge from nipple, constant pain in part of the breast or armpit.

* And swelling beneath the armpit or around the collarbone Pain ("mastodynia") is an unreliable tool in determining the presence or absence of breast cancer, but may be indicative of other breast health issues.

INFLAMMATORY BREAST CANCER SYMPTOMS

* Inflammatory breast cancer is a particular type of breast cancer which can pose a substantial diagnostic challenge.

# Symptoms may resemble a breast inflammation.
And may include itching.
*Pain.
*Swelling.
*Nipple inversion.
*Warmth and redness throughout the breast as well as an orange-peel texture to the skin referred to as peau d'orange.

# As inflammatory breast cancer does not present as a lump there can sometimes be a delay in diagnosis.

Paget's disease Symptoms

This syndrome presents as skin changes resembling eczema, such as redness, discoloration, or mild flaking of the nipple skin.

Symptoms may include tingling, itching, increased sensitivity, burning, and pain. There may also be discharge from the nipple. 

Approximately half of women diagnosed with Paget's disease of the breast also have a lump in the breast.

Occasionally, breast cancer presents as metastatic disease(Symptoms)

* Unexplained weight loss can occasionally signal breast cancer, as can symptoms of fevers or chills. Bone or joint pains can sometimes be manifestations of metastatic breast cancer, as can jaundice or neurological symptoms.

* Most symptoms of breast disorders, including most lumps, do not turn out to represent underlying breast cancer.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

# Mutations that can lead to breast cancer have been experimentally linked to estrogen exposure.

* Abnormal growth factor signaling in the interaction between stromal cells and epithelial cells can facilitate malignant cell growth.

* In breast adipose tissue, overexpression of leptin leads to increased cell proliferation and cancer.

RISK FACTORS

 * Drinking alcoholic beverages even at relatively low (one to three drinks per week) and moderate levels.

* Dietary factors which may increase risk include a high-fat diet and obesity-related high cholesterol levels

* Dietary iodine deficiency may also play a role

* Evidence for fiber is unclear

* Other risk factors include radiation and shift-work 

* Chemicals - polychlorinated biphenyls,polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organic solvents 

Genetic susceptibility

* Genetics is believed to be the primary cause of 5–10% of all cases.

* Women whose mother was diagnosed before 50 have an increased risk of 1.7%

* whose mother was diagnosed at age 50 or after has an increased risk of 1.4. In those with zero, one or two affected relatives, the risk of breast cancer before the age of 80 is 7.8%

PREVENTION

* Women can reduce their risk of breast cancer by 

maintaining a healthy weight

* Reducing alcohol use

* Increasing physical activity, and breast-feeding. These modifications might prevent 38% of breast cancer

* Removal of both breasts before any cancer has been diagnosed or any suspicious lump or other lesion has appeared

DRUG USED

* The selective estrogen receptor modulators(such as tamoxifen) reduce the risk of breast cancer but increase the risk of thromboembolism and endometrial cancer.

What is cancer

What is cancer

Introduction to cancer

Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of our body.

These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread to other parts of our body.

And the other type is called malignant tumors which donot spread.

 Possible sign and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bleeding, prolonged cough, unexplained weight loss and a change in bowel movements.

While these symptoms may indicate cancer, they may have other causes. Over 100 types of cancers affect humans.

CAUSES OF CANCER

* TOBACCO USE

Tobacco use is the cause of about 22% of cancer deaths.Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and a major public health concern.

There are 1.1 billion tobacco users in our world. One person dies every six seconds from a tobacco related disease.

* OBESITY

Another10% are due to obesity.

Range 25–30 kg/m^2 as defined as overweight.

Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases and conditions.

Particularly cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, ostioarthritis and depression.

 Poor diet, lack of physical activitys or execive drinking of alcool.

Other factors include certain infections, exposure to ionising radiation and environmental pollutants.

In the developing world, 15% of cancers are due to infections such as Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, human  papilloma infection, and human immunodeficiency virus(HIV).

Approximately 5–10% of cancers are due to inherited genetic defects from a person's parents.

Cancer can be detected by certain signs and symptoms or screening tests It is then typically further investigated by medical imaging and confirmed by biopsy.

DEFINITION OF CANCER CANBE AS FOIIOWS

Cancers are a large family of diseases that involve abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body.

 They form a subset of neoplasms. A neoplasm or tumor is a group of cells that have undergone unregulated growth and will often form a mass or lump.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CANCER

When cancer begins, it produces no symptoms. Signs and symptoms appear as the mass grows or ulcerates.

The findings that result depend on the cancer's type and location.

Cancer is a "great imitator". Thus, it is common for people diagnosed with cancer to have been treated for other diseases, which were hypothesized to be causing their symptoms.

Local symptoms

* mass effects from lung cancer can block the brochus resulting in cough or pneumonia.

* Esophagal cancer can cause narrowing of the esophagus making it difficult or painful to swallow; 

* And colorectal cancer may lead to narrowing or blockages in the bowel.

* Masses in breasts or testicles may produce observable lumps. Ulseration can cause bleeding that.

*  if it occurs in the lung, will lead to coughing up blood.

*  In the bowels to anemia or rectal bleeding.

* In the bladder to blood in the urine.

*  And in the uterus to vaginal bleeding. 

*  Although localized pain may occur.

*  In advanced cancer, the initial swelling is usually painless.

*  Some cancers can cause a buildup of fluid within the chest or abdomen

Metastasis.

* Unintentional weight loss.

* Fever.

* Excessive fatigue.

* Changes to the skin.

* Hodkin disease.

*  leukemias.

* Cancers of the liver or kidney can cause a persistent fever.

* Enlarged lymph nodes(which can be felt or sometimes seen under the skin and are typically hard).

* Enlarged liver or enlarged spleen, which can be felt in the abdomen.

* Pain or fracture of affected bones and neurological symptoms.

CAUSES OF CANCER

* 90–95% of cases, are due to genetic mutations from ENVIRONMENTAL The remaining 5–10% are due to inherited genetics.

* Common environmental factors that contribute to cancer death include tobacco (25–30%).

* Diet and obesity (30–35%)

* Infections(15–20%).

* Radiation (both ionizing and non-ionizing, up to 10%).

* Stress, lack of physical activitys and pollution.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF CANCER

CONLUSION

Cancer is one of the most painful and dangerous disease.

I'm just trying to give some information about this so that you may be get an escape.

Moreover reading and writing increases our ability of brain to solve things and memories.

You can easily understand WHAT IS CANCER from these simple discription.

THANKS FOR ALL READERS...