What Is Breast Cancer: Introduction

In the United States, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women (except skin cancer). Men can also develop breast cancer. However, breast cancer is rare in men, accounting for less than 1% of all breast cancers.

About breast
The breast is made up of discrete tissue, ranging from very fatty tissue to very dense tissue. There is a network of lobes within this tissue. Each lobe is made up of small, tube-like structures called lobules that contain milk glands. The small ducts connect the glands, lobule and lobe, carrying milk from the lobe to the nipple. The nipple is located in the middle of the isola, which is the deep area surrounding the nipple. Blood and lymph vessels also run throughout the breast. Nourishes blood cells. The lymph system makes the drains useless. The lymph vessels connect to the lymph nodes, small, bean-shaped organs that help fight infection.

About breast cancer
Cancer begins when healthy cells in the breast turn and grow out of control, forming a cell or mass, called a tumor. A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning that it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. best cancer specialist doctor in delhi A benign tumor means that the tumor can grow, but will not spread.

Breast cancer spreads when the cancer has progressed to other parts of the body or when breast cancer cells have migrated to other parts of the body via blood vessels and / or lymphatic vessels. This is called metastasis.

This guide covers early stage and locally advanced breast cancer, including stages I, II and III. The stage of breast cancer indicates where the cancer is located, how much the cancer has grown, and if or where it has spread.

Although breast cancer most commonly spreads to nearby lymph nodes, it can also spread through the body to areas such as bones, lungs, liver, and brain. This is called metastatic or stage IV breast cancer. Learn more about metastatic breast cancer in a separate section on this website.

If breast cancer returns after initial treatment, it can regenerate locally, meaning breast and / or regional lymph nodes. The regional lymph nodes are nearby breasts, such as the lymph nodes under the arm. It can also recur elsewhere in the body, known as distant recurrence or metastatic recurrence oncologist in Delhi NCR.

Types of breast cancer
Breast cancer can be aggressive or lifeless. Invasive breast cancer is cancer that spreads to the surrounding tissue. Noninvasive breast cancer does not go beyond the milk ducts or lobules in the breast. Most breast cancers begin in the tubules or lobes and are called ductal carcinoma or lobular carcinoma:

Ductal carcinoma. These cancers begin in the cells lining the milk ducts and make up the majority of breast cancer.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). It is a cancer that is located only in the duct.

Invasive or infiltrative ductal carcinoma. It is a cancer that has spread outside the duct.

Invasive lobular carcinoma. It is cancer that starts in the lobules.

Less common types of breast cancer include:

Mind

mucinous

Tubular

Metaplastic

Papillary

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rapidly growing cancer, comprising about 1% to 5% of all breast cancers.

Paget's disease is a type of cancer that starts in the nipple ducts. Although it usually occurs in situ, it can also be an aggressive cancer.

Breast cancer subtype
There are 3 main subtypes of breast cancer that are determined by performing specific tests on a tumor sample. These tests will help your doctor learn more about your cancer and suggest the most effective treatment plan.

Tumor sample examination may reveal that the cancer is:

Hormone receptor-positive. Breast cancer expressing estrogen receptors (ER) and / or progesterone receptors (PR) are called "hormone receptor positive". These receptors are proteins found in cells. Tumors with estrogen receptors are called "ER-positive". Tumors with progesterone receptors are called "PR positive". Only 1 of these receptors must be positive for a cancer called hormone receptor positive. This type of cancer may depend on the hormones estrogen and / or progesterone to grow. Hormone receptor positive can occur at any age, but is more common in women who have gone through menopause. About 60% to 75% of breast cancers contain estrogen and / or progesterone receptors. Cancer without these receptors is called "hormone receptor negative".

HER2 positive. About 10% to 20% of breast cancers depend on a gene called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). These cancers are called "HER2 positive" and contain many copies of high levels of the HER2 gene or HER2 protein. These proteins are also called "receptors".