I personally feel that people are pretty aware of breast cancer, but since it's a women's health issue I still want to do a feature on it. We all see the pink ribbon everywhere in the month of Oct, reminding us that this month is dedicated to 5K's and other means to raise money for breast cancer research. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts to put our time and energy into research, this particular type of cancer still affects 1 in every 8 women. However, the death rate has significantly decreased over time as we've learned how to identify it faster and more ways to treat it. If you are diagnosed before it has spread to another part of the body your odds of survival are 99%. That's some pretty good odds.
What is breast cancer and what causes it? Well, it's simply a disease where malignant cancer cells form inside your breast tissue. It is important to note that while it is far less common, men can get breast cancer, too, and a small fraction of those men will die from it. Breast cancer is genetic, so if a blood related family member has it, such as your mother or grandmother, you are at a higher risk, but environmental factors play a part as well. A few instances that put you at a higher risk of contracting this cancer are: starting your period before age 12, having fatty tissue in the breasts, and a family history, however, some people will all of the risks never get it while plenty of others with no risks do. Unfortunately, it isn't something you can truly predict, so it's best to maintain a healthy diet and amount of physical activity to keep yourself in an all around healthier state.
How do you test for breast cancer? You can start by doing a self examination monthly at home. You'll want to feel around your breast either in large circles going inward, up and down the breast, or towards the nipple for any lumps, pain, or irregular feeling tissue. If you find something, schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible because the goal is early detection. Once you turn 40, you'll need to get a mammogram every year where a machine crushes each breast and takes a picture of the tissue to locate any abnormalities. If a lump is found that doesn't automatically mean it's a tumor; it could simply be a cyst, but if it look suspicious the doctor will take a biopsy to test it for cancer.
What types of breast cancer are there? Ductal Carcinoma In Situ is the most common type and occurs when abnormal cells are found in the lining of the breast milk duct and haven't spread beyond the milk ducts. "Carcinoma" means "cancer" and "in situ" means "in the original place", so as long as the cancer stays there it is non-invasive. Once it spreads to the breast tissue, it becomes Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Lobular Carcinoma In Situ is a condition where abnormal cells are found in the lobules of the breast. When the cells spread beyond these lobules it becomes Invasive Lobular Carcinoma. A diagnosis of Triple Negative Breast Cancer means that the three most common types of receptors responsible for most breast cancer growth–estrogen, progesterone, and the HER-2/neu gene–aren't in the cancer tumor. Inflammatory Breast Cancer is aggressive and fast growing. Cancer cells infiltrate the skin and lymph vessels of the breast, often producing no true lump that can be felt within the breast. Metastatic, or Stage 4 Cancer, occurs when the cells spread to nearby healthy cells, the capillaries, or the lymphatic or circulatory system. It can also occur if new tumors have grown.
How do you treat breast cancer? Of course it depends on the type, like Triple Negative Breast Cancer responds best to chemotherapy to destroy or slow down the growth of cells, since hormone therapy won't work for it. You can also try radiation therapy, which uses high-energy rays to kill the cancer. More recently, we can now use targeted therapy to go after the specific affected areas. Surgery is used in most cases to remove the tumor and surrounding areas, known as a Lumpectomy. In the past, Masectomies were more common, but nowadays we don't always need to remove the whole breast (or both) and chest wall. Once this procedure is done, there are a few different options on how to go about a breast reconstruction, which will depend on your specific situation. You may want to consider doing a clinical trial over a standard treatment, if you're comfortable with a less widely used option. Ultimately, the decision is between you and your doctor.
If you are looking for more information on the stages, preventative measures, life expectancy, or any other specifics on breast cancer, you can go to www.nationalbreastcancer.org where I have pulled all of this content from. For a deeper dive into the emotions and personal experience battling this disease, I recommend a book I just read about a woman who recovered from Metastatic Breast Cancer called The Undying: Pain, Vulnerability, Mortality, Medicine, Art, Dreams, Data, Exhaustion, Cancer, and Care by Anne Boyer. Yes, all of that is the actual title of the book. Remember it's important to spread knowledge about breast cancer to everyone, not just because it can happen to a friend, a mother, a daughter, or a sister, but because it can happen to you.