Be Aware of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the number 1 cancer killer in the United States. And it is also the number 1 deadly cancer of women worldwide.
The exact cause of breast cancer is unknown. But there is a supporting factor, namely estrogen, that stimulates the transformation of breast tissue cells until they grow abnormally and the body cannot control that abnormal growth. This causes those cells to become cancer cells and grow rapidly which may spread to other organs.
The Warning Signs of Breast Cancer
There are different types of breast cancer. But the most common is the type that arises from the milk ducts. When cancer cells divide until they penetrate the tissues of the milk ducts and reach the lymphatic vessels or blood vessels, they will spread to other parts of the body such as bones, liver, lungs, or brain. The lump can be touched but not felt. Many people, therefore, neglect it until the following symptoms occur, such as abnormal swelling of the breast, cracking, rotting, wounding, and then decide to see a doctor. Which by then could not be cured.
Breast Cancer Risk Group
The average age of patients diagnosed with breast cancer is 40 years or older, in fact, cancer cells may have formed earlier. but recently discovered at that age. Breast cancer is growing slowly; it takes about 90-180 days to grow from 1 centimeter to 2 centimeters. Groups at high risk of developing breast cancer are people who have had two or more close relatives with breast cancer, such as a mother, or sister, who have ten times the risk of developing cancer earlier than others.
According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, when breast cancer is detected early and hasn’t spread anywhere else in the body, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%. Therefore, early detection of abnormalities must be done by oneself. Including examination with digital mammogram and ultrasound.
Symptom Stages of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a cancer cell that originates in external organs, and can be fumbled by hand. More than 85% of women with breast cancer often come to the doctor after the palpation of a lump in the breast. The stages of breast cancer are divided as follows:
Stage 0 is the initial stage of cancer cells. It has not spread to the breast tissue and can be cured.
Stage 1: The cancer is less than 2 centimeters in size and has not spread to the lymph nodes.
Stage 2: The cancer is between 2-5 centimeters in size and has spread to the lymph nodes in the armpit but has not spread to other organs.
Stage 3: The cancer is larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to the lymph nodes in the armpit but has not spread to other organs.
Stage 4 cancer has spread to other organs!
If detected at stage 0 without cancer, it can be cured. But if a tumor that is less than 1 centimeter in size is found, the percentage of cure is reduced to 98 percent, and if it enters Stage 1 where the cancer is 1-2 centimeters in size, then the chance of recovery is only 80 percent. The larger the tumor, the greater the chance that cancer cells will spread to other organs. Therefore, the sooner it is detected, the more likely it is to be cured.
Risk Factors of Breast Cancer
In addition to having a close relative with breast cancer, the presence of a gene mutation inherited in the family is also a risk factor. BRCA gene is the name of a gene that controls cell growth (tumor suppressor gene). There are 2 types: BRCA1 and BRCA 2.
If both genes are mutations, they can be passed on from parent to child directly. This results in women’s increased chances of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
If a woman has a mutation in the BRCA 1 gene, her chances of developing breast cancer before age 50 are 50-70% and about 5 – 10 % can be breast cancer and 10 – 15 % can be ovarian cancer. By inheriting the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene mutations, first-degree relatives (a person’s parent, sibling, or child) are more likely to inherit the gene. and increase the risk of developing both types of cancer than ordinary people.
Detection of heritable gene mutations in breast cancer, therefore, is a test for abnormalities in the BRCA gene that can be performed by a blood test by a cancer geneticist. If the results are found to be abnormal in these genes, then a management plan can be developed to reduce the risk of breast cancer in the future or increase the chances of curing it even more.
Credit the information: Prof. Dr. Supakorn Rojanin, Director of the Breast Center Wattanosoth Hospital, MD. Satit Srimanthayamas, breast cancer surgeon Wattanosoth Hospital
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