Breast Cancer Awareness Month

What is Breast Cancer?

Cancer is a broad term used to describe a terminal illness characterized by abnormal cells that grow and invade healthy cells within the body. Cells are the basic building blocks of the human body. Groups of cells work together to form our body’s tissues. Tissues within the body group together to form our body’s organs.

Abnormal cells appear when an error occurs in the growth process, such as the body producing cells that are not needed or old, damaged cells do not die. In breast cancer, abnormal cells originating in the breast tissue, begin to grow out of control, often invading surrounding tissue or other parts of the body. This is known as metastasis. Breast cancer cells often form a lump commonly referred to as a tumor. This lump can be seen on a chest x ray or felt during a self-breast examination. It is important to note that not all tumors found in the breast are cancerous. In fact, most lumps found in the breast are benign, meaning non-cancerous. Benign tumors are also abnormal growths, but they are not life threatening and they do not metastasize or spread. They do, however, increase an individual’s risk of getting breast cancer and should be monitored. All breast lumps should be assessed by a health care professional, to determine the risk of cancer.

Breast cancer occurs when malignant or cancerous tumors develop in the breast. These cells can spread by breaking away from the original tumor and entering blood vessels or lymph vessels, which branch into tissues throughout the body. Once the cancer cells enter the blood or lymph system, they are carried to other parts of the body causing damage to other tissues and organs.

How do I screen for Breast Cancer? 

Although breast cancer is commonly found in women, it is important to note that men can also develop breast cancer. Individuals that are at high risk for developing breast cancer should routinely screen for breast cancer. Breast Cancer screening involves checking an individual’s breasts for cancer before there are signs or symptoms of the disease. 

Breast cancer screening will not prevent breast cancer, but it can help to discover the cancer early. Early detection, increase chances of survival and treatment options because cancer is easier to treat when identified in earlier stages. All women, and at-risk men should discuss with a healthcare provider about which breast cancer screening is right for them, and when these screenings should be done.

The United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) is a nationwide organization made up of disease experts and doctors that makes evidence-based recommendations about preventing, and screening diseases. Women who are 50-74 years old are at average risk for developing breast cancer. The USPSTF recommends that women between these ages 50-74 get a mammogram every two years and women who are 40-49 years old should discuss with their healthcare provider about when and how often to get a mammogram. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. 

All women should perform routine self-breast exams by assessing for lumps or any unexplained changes in breasts, such as skin dimpling, orange peel textured skin, unexplained swelling, shrinkage, or asymmetry. The nipples should also be assessed for tenderness, lumps, inverted nipples, redness, swelling or discharge. A healthcare provider may recommend a breast MRI. MRIs are used along with mammograms for individuals who are high risk.  Breast MRIs use magnets and radio waves to take pictures of the breast. 

Can I prevent Breast Cancer?

Unfortunately, there are some non-modifiable risk factors that place individuals at higher risk for developing cancer. Advancing age increases your risk of having breast cancer. Most breast cancers are diagnosed after age 50. 

Breast cancer runs in the family. Inherited mutations to certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 increases your risk of developing breast cancer. Mutations to these genes places you not only at risk for breast but ovarian cancer as well. In addition, an individual’s risk factor is higher if a first degree relative has breast cancer such as a mother, sister, or daughter. Multiple family members on either side of the family, (maternal and/or paternal) who have been diagnosed with either breast or ovarian cancer can also increase your risk.

Specific reproductive and personal history may place individuals at a higher risk factor. Menstrual periods that begin prior to age 12 and menopause following age 55 causes increased exposure to hormones. These hormones raise the risk level of developing breast cancer. If you have dense breasts, previous radiation therapy or have been exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES), you may also be at a higher risk for developing breast cancer. Dense breasts have more connective tissue than fatty tissue, this makes it more difficult to identify a tumor on a mammogram. Individuals with medical histories such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma, may have been exposed to radiation to the chest or breast for treatment. Radiation to the breast area, increases the risk for developing abnormal breast cells that lead to cancer later in life. In the years 1940-1970, pregnant women were often prescribed a drug called DES to prevent miscarriages. This drug has been linked to women whose mothers took DES while pregnant, with a high risk for breast cancer. Despite these non-modifiable risk factors, there are some ways that you decrease your chances of developing breast cancer. These are called modifiable risk factors. Regular exercise helps to reduce sex hormones, insulin and builds your immune system, thereby decreasing your risk for developing cancer. Regular exercise also helps to your control your weight. Research by the American Cancer Society shows that obesity increases your risk for several cancers including breast. Therefore, lowering your body weight can reduce your risk. 

Avoiding alcohol and avoiding hormone replacements can lower your risk for breast cancer. Studies show that woman’s risk for breast cancer increases with increased alcohol intake. In addition, some forms of hormone replacement, such as estrogen and progesterone, that are taken for more than five years can increase your risk. Oral contraceptives, often contain these hormones. You should consult with a healthcare provider if you have any non-modifiable risk factors before starting any hormone replacement therapies.  Breastfeeding can lower your risk of breast cancer. Individuals that do not have a full-term pregnancy or have their first pregnancy after age 30 without breastfeeding can raise breast cancer risk. 

How is it treated?

Treatment for breast cancer depends on the type of breast cancer and metastasis. Each case is unique and individuals with breast cancer often are prescribed different treatment therapies depending on the case. Physicians with different specialties will work together to treat breast cancer. Specialists include surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists. Surgeons treat the cancer by removing the tumors or cancerous tissue during surgery. Medical oncologists are trained to treat the cancer with medications, such as Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is used to shrink or kill the cancerous cell. Chemotherapy can be oral medication or IV therapy. Breast cancer individuals may be prescribed hormonal therapy. This therapy blocks cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow. Biological therapy works with the body’s immune system to help fight the cancer and control side effects of other cancer treatments. Radiation oncologists treat cancer with radiation. Like an x-ray, radiation therapy uses high energy rays that kill the cancer cells.

References:

American Cancer Society (2021). About Breast Cancer. Retrieved from  https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/about/what-is-breast-cancer.html on October 10, 2021

National Breast Cancer Foundation (2021). About Breast Cancer.  Retrieved from https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/what-is-cancer/ on October 10, 2021.

US Department of Health and Services (2021). Breast Cancer. CDC. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/what-is-breast-cancer.htm  

Inecia Stewart, MSN, CCRN, RN-BC

On October 10, 2021