What Is Cancer, Exactly?
Cancer affects one out of every three people in the United States. Cancer has most likely affected you or someone you know. Here is some information to help you understand cancer better.
You are made up of trillions of cells that divide and multiply as needed during your life. When cells become aberrant or aged, they usually die.
Cancer develops when something goes wrong in this process and your cells continue to produce new cells while discarding the old or defective ones. Cancer cells may push out normal cells as they multiply. This makes it difficult for your body to function correctly.
Cancer can be successfully treated in many cases. In reality, more people than ever before are living full lives following cancer treatment.
Cancer is an illness with a number of facts.
Cancer appears in a variety of forms. Cancer can appear everywhere in the body and is named after the initial location where it appears. Even if breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is still referred to be breast cancer (metastasizes).
Cancer is classified into two types:
Hematologic (blood) cancers, which include leukaemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, are the most common type of blood cancer.
Solid tumor malignancies include tumors of any other organ or tissue in the body. Breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancer are the most frequent solid tumors.
These tumors are similar in some ways, but they may differ in terms of how they develop, spread, and respond to treatment. Some tumors spread quickly. Others develop more slowly. Some are more likely to spread to other sections of the body than others. Others tend to remain where they began.
Surgery works well for laryngeal cancer, although chemotherapy works better for other types of cancer. To achieve the optimum results, two or more treatments are usually required.
What is a tumor, exactly?
Tumors are growths or bumps on the body. Although some bumps are carcinogenic, the great majority are not.
- Benign lumps are not cancerous, whereas malignant masses are.
Cancer differs from benign tumors in that it can spread to other parts of the body, whereas benign tumors do not. Cancer cells have the ability to spread from the spot where they first appeared. These cells can spread throughout the body, eventually settling in lymph nodes or other organs and interrupting regular processes.
What causes cancer, exactly?
Multiple DNA mutations cause cancer cells to develop. These alterations could be caused by a variety of factors. Lifestyle choices, genes inherited from parents, and exposure to cancer-causing substances in the environment can all play a role. There is frequently no evident cause.
What is the stage of cancer?
When a cancer is discovered, tests are performed to determine its size and whether it has spread from its original location. This is referred to as the 4 stages of cancer.
A lower stage of cancer (stage 1 or 2) indicates that it has not spread widely. A higher number (e.g., stage 3 or 4) indicates that it has spread further. The final and most advanced stage is the fourth.
The stage of cancer is critical in determining the optimal treatment for an individual. Inquire with your doctor about the stage of your cancer and what it means for you.
What causes cancer to spread?
Cancer can spread to different places of the body from where it began (the original site).
Cancer cells that escape from a tumor may travel to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymph system. Cancer cells in the bloodstream can spread to distant organs. Cancer cells may end up in lymph nodes if they migrate through the lymph system.
In either case, the great majority of escaping cancer cells die or are removed before spreading. However, one or two may settle in a new location, begin to grow, and form new tumors. Metastasis is the spread of cancer to a new region of the body.
A metastasis is made up of the same cells as the primary cancer. They aren’t a new kind of cancer. Breast cancer cells that move to the lungs, for example, are still breast cancer and NOT lung cancer. Furthermore, colon cancer cells that have spread to the liver are still considered cancerous.
Cancer cells must go through numerous alterations before they may move to other parts of the body. They must first be able to separate from the primary tumor and connect to the exterior wall of a lymph vessel or blood vessel. They must then move through the vessel wall with the blood or lymph to reach a new organ or lymph node.
What Factors Contribute to Breast Cancer?
We have no idea what causes each individual occurrence of breast cancer. We do, however, have a decent grasp of the variables that contribute to the development of these tumors. Lifestyle risk factors, such as what you eat and how much you exercise, can raise your risk of developing breast cancer, but it’s unclear how some of these risk factors induce normal cells to become malignant. Although the exact mechanism is unknown, hormones appear to be involved in many occurrences of breast cancer.
Normal breast cells can become cancerous due to changes or anomalies in genes. However, only roughly one in every ten breast tumors (10%) is connected to known faulty genes inherited from parents (inherited).
Because many genes have yet to be discovered, women with a family history of breast cancer may have inherited a malfunctioning gene that is undetectable by a genetic test. The majority of breast cancers (about 90%) are caused by unknown acquired (rather than hereditary) gene changes.
Genetic alterations cause breast cancer
Genes govern how our cells work. They are composed of a molecule known as DNA, which is inherited from both of our parents. DNA has an impact on more than just our physical appearance; it can also influence our likelihood of getting certain diseases, including cancer.
Proto-oncogenes are genes found in normal cells that help regulate when cells split to generate new cells, grow, or die. When a proto-oncogene is mutated, it becomes an oncogene (changed). These mutant oncogenes have the potential to cause cell cancer.
Tumor suppressor genes are found in normal cells and help to regulate how frequently normal cells split in two, repair DNA mistakes, or push cells to die when necessary. Cancer can develop when the tumor suppressor gene of a cell is altered.
Gene alterations that activate oncogenes or repress tumor suppressor genes can cause cancer. Breast cancer is typically caused by abnormalities in several genes.
Inherited genetic changes
Some gene variants (mutations) are passed down from parents to children. This means that when you were born, the mutations were present in all of your cells.
Many cancers that run in families have been linked to inherited gene changes. BRCA genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2), for example, are tumor suppressor genes. When one of these genes changes, it no longer controls aberrant cell proliferation, which increases the risk of cancer. A mutation in one of these genes can be handed down across generations.
Advances in understanding the genetic underpinnings of breast cancer are already aiding women. If a woman has inherited mutations in the tumor suppressor genes BRCA1 or BRCA2, as well as other less common genes such PALB2, ATM, or CHEK2, she can be detected through genetic testing.
These women can then take steps to reduce their risk of breast cancer by increasing breast cancer awareness and adhering to prescribed screening protocols in order to detect disease at an earlier, more treatable stage. Because these mutations are usually connected with malignancies other than breast cancer, women who have them should seek early screening and prophylactic treatments for other cancers.
Mutations in tumor suppressor genes, such as the BRCA genes, are referred to as “high penetrance” mutations because they are frequently associated with cancer. Despite the fact that many women with high penetrance mutations develop cancer, this type of mutation does not account for the great majority of cancer cases (including breast cancer).
Low-penetrance mutations or gene variants are more commonly responsible for cancer. Each of them may have just a minor impact on cancer in a single person, but the cumulative impact on the population might be tremendous due to the ubiquity of the mutations and the fact that most people have more than one at the same time.
The genes involved have the potential to influence hormone levels, metabolism, and other breast cancer risk factors. These genes may also contribute significantly to the familial risk of breast cancer.
Gene mutations acquired
The vast majority of gene changes linked to breast cancer are acquired. This demonstrates that the mutation occurs in breast cells throughout time rather than being inherited or inherited at birth. Acquired DNA mutations are exclusively found in breast cancer cells and happen over time.
Other factors, such as radiation or cancer-causing chemicals, may trigger these acquired mutations of oncogenes and/or tumor suppressor genes. Certain gene changes, on the other hand, may be random events that occur within a cell with no external influence. The vast majority of acquired mutations that may cause breast cancer are yet unknown. The majority of breast tumors contain multiple acquired gene alterations.
Breast Cancer Symptoms and Signs
Understanding how your breasts seem and feel is critical for maintaining your breast health. Although mammograms can help detect breast cancer early, they do not catch all cases. This means that you should be aware of any changes in your breasts by paying attention to how they look and feel on a daily basis.
Breast cancer, leukaemia, lung cancer, melanoma, and thyroid cancer studies have found no link or contradictory results when it comes to allergy.
A new lump or tumor is the most prevalent symptom of breast cancer (although most breast lumps are not cancer). Breast cancer is typically described as a painless, hard lump with irregular edges; however, it can also be soft, round, tender, or even painful.
Breast cancer symptoms may also include:
- Breast edoema, which affects the entire breast or a part of it (even if no lump is felt)
- Dimpling of the skin
- Breast or nipple discomfort
- Retraction of the nipple (turning inward)
- Nipple or breast skin that is red, dry, flaky, or thickened (other than breast milk)
Lymph nodes swollen under the arm or around the collarbone (This can sometimes be an indication of breast cancer spread before the primary tumor in the breast becomes large enough to be felt.)
Many of these symptoms are caused by non-cancerous (benign) breast disorders. Nonetheless, any new breast mass, lump, or other change should be evaluated by a qualified health care professional so that the underlying cause can be identified and, if necessary, treated.
It is critical to note that knowing what to look for does not substitute for routine breast cancer screening. Mammography screening is routinely used to detect breast cancer early, before symptoms occur. Early detection of breast cancer boosts your chances of a successful treatment.
Breast Cancer Treatment Stages
The stage of your breast cancer is essential when deciding on treatment options. The more advanced your breast cancer, the more treatment you will require. Other aspects, however, can be important, such as:
- If the cancer cells include hormone receptors;
- If the cancer cells have a high quantity of the HER2 protein (that is, if the cancer is HER2-positive); and
- If the cancer cells have a specific gene mutation (change)
- Your overall health and personal tastes
Whether or not you have gone through menopause
The rate at which the cancer is progressing (as determined by grade or other criteria), as well as if it is impacting key organs such as the lungs or liver.
Consult your doctor for further information on how these factors may affect your treatment options.
Stage 0
Tumors at stage 0 are non-invasive and solely affect the inside of the milk duct (does not invade nearby tissues).
DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) is an early-stage form of breast cancer.
LCIS (lobular carcinoma in situ) was initially classified as stage 0, however this has been modified because it is not cancer. Nonetheless, it indicates an increased risk of breast cancer. For more information, see Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS).
Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) Treatment Stages I-III Surgery and radiation therapy are routinely used to treat stage I to III breast cancer, with chemo or other drug therapies administered either before (neoadjuvant) or after (adjuvant) surgery.
Stage I: These breast tumors are still in their early stages and have either not migrated to the lymph nodes or just have a small area of cancer spread in the sentinel lymph node.
Stage II breast cancers are larger than stage I and/or have spread to a few nearby lymph nodes.
Stage III: These tumors have spread to a substantial number of neighbouring lymph nodes or have expanded into nearby tissues (the skin over the breast or the muscle beneath).
Stages I-III Breast Cancer Treatment Stage IV Tumors have spread from the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body.
Breast Cancer Treatment in Stage IV (Metastatic)
Breast Cancer Recurrence
Cancer recurs when it reappears after initial treatment. Local recurrence (in the same breast or scar from surgery), regional recurrence (in neighbouring lymph nodes), and distant recurrence are all possible. Treatment for recurrent breast cancer is influenced by the location of the tumor’s return and previous treatments.
