ABOUT 2.5 million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer every year; one in 12 Filipinas suffers from the illness. Staggering and dreadful statistics! Together with the lungs, liver, cervix and colon, breast cancer is in the top five of the list of deadly malignancies. This column has had many articles on this bane of women, however, for those who missed it, after all October is breast cancer awareness month, Sunstar Baguio is more than happy to oblige.
Breast cancer is classified by the kind of tissue or cell in which the mass starts and also by the extent of its spread or metastasis... Source could be in the milk glands, milk ducts, fatty tissue or the connective tissues. Also, at this juncture, it must be emphasized that breast cancers progress in various ways. Some grow slowly and spread to other organs only after they become exceptionally large. Other types could be more aggressive; they could grow rapidly and spread immediately.
Some terms or words would greatly help our readers understand the basic nature of breast cancer. In situ carcinoma means that the mass is an early tumor, still in its original location- in situ- and has not invaded or spread beyond its point of origin- which comprises about 10 to 15 percent diagnosed in women.
About 85 to 90 percent arise from the milk glands and its ducts, which can develop before or even after menopause- stoppage of ovulation-. On mammograms, there are microcalcifications- specks of calcium deposits) on the lump. Ductal carcinoma is detected by mammography, even before the mass is big enough to be felt, thus, this is a warning for ladies whose families have a strong genetic predisposition towards cancer, not only of the breast.
Lobular carcinoma in situ, starts in the milk glands, common among pre-menopausal women- usually before 45 years of age- in which about 30 percent of victims will eventually develop invasive breast cancer during later part of their lives; in the same breast or opposite breast or worse, on both breast. Eighty percent of invasive breast cancers are ductal- ductal carcinoma- which has the same morbid prognosis as lobular carcinoma.
Signs and symptoms of breast cancer differ among women; pain without a lump is not a sign of breast cancer, which for the most part, may just be the result of trauma or injury like bumping your chest against the door which led to mastitis- inflammation of the breast. Scattered lumpy changes in the breast especially the upper outer quadrant- draw a vertical and horizontal line across the nipple to get the quadrants- are for the most part, not cancerous. However, there are exceptions.
In its early stage, the lump may move freely beneath the skin when pushed with the palpating hand or fingers. In advanced stages, the lump now adheres to the skin and even to the chest wall, thus cannot be moved at all. In some cases, swollen bumps and festering sores may even develop on the skin. The skin over the lump is dimples and leathery and looks like the skin of a ripe orange-peau de orange.
Next week: Screening and Diagnosis of Breast Cancer