How To Identify Breast Cancer?

Breast Cancer is a major type of cancer that causes death in women worldwide and although rare, men can develop breast cancer too. As per WHO, 2.3 million women were diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2020, and it had caused over 685,000 deaths worldwide. About, 7.8 million women had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer over the past five years as of the end of 2020, making it the most common cancer in the world. It is also responsible for more disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost by women than any other type of cancer worldwide. Breast cancer affects women at any age after puberty in every country around the world, with rates increasing with age.

However, despite its fatality to women, Breast Cancer is also one of the easiest types of cancer to cure or one with the highest survival rates if detected in the early stages. Breast Cancer cells usually grow in the form of a tumor in the cell linings of lobules of glandular tissue and ducts of the breast. During the early stages, the cancer growth is confined to these parts, having the minimum potential to spread and causes no recognizable symptoms. However, cancer later spreads to lymph nodes, and organs nearby, which is when signs and symptoms become more apparent and treatment becomes more complicated. Most women who die from breast cancer have been observed to have appeared for diagnosis at a later stage when treatment options don’t guarantee survival. Therefore, it is essential and recommended for women to take a breast cancer screening test at least once a year every year.

Symptoms & Signs of Breast Cancer

Understanding how the breasts usually look and feel is an essential aspect of breast health care. Although routine cancer screening tests are crucial, screening tests do not detect all cases of breast cancer. It thus implies that one should be aware of any changes in their breasts and be familiar with the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

The most common breast cancer symptom is mass or a bulge. Breast cancer is more likely to be a painless, hard mass with irregular corners. As such, any new breast lump, mass, or abnormality should be evaluated by a qualified health care provider.

A few of the other possible symptoms of Breast Cancer include:

• Inflammation or swelling of the breast or a part of the breast.
• Orange Peel like skin or dimpling skin on the breast.
• Pain in breast or nipple.
• Retraction of the nipple.
• Dryness, redness, thickening, or flaking caused on nipple or breast skin.
• Fluid discharge from the nipple.
• Swollen lymph nodes. 

Although these could be caused by some other medical condition it is better to stay safe by consulting with a healthcare professional.

Tests to Identify Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer is usually hard to detect or identify unless the symptoms become very apparent, however, even in such cases there are chances to assume the ailment is caused due to another medical condition. Multiple tests are necessary to conclude the possibility of Breast cancer or its Stage of progress before and after diagnosis. These can be divided into:

Screening Tests

This applies to people who appear to be in good health and is usually done as part of a routine health check. The people taking screening tests are generally those who are not suspected to have breast cancer or are trying to detect it during an early stage before symptoms start appearing. Early stages of breast cancer found during the screening test are easier to deliver treatment. The following are a few of the screening tests executed to identify breast cancer:

• Mammography 
• Breast MRI
• Breast Physical Exam

Diagnostic Tests

These procedures are used to either verify the results of the screening test or provided when one or more symptoms of breast cancer are displayed by the patient. People suspected of breast cancer are given diagnostic tests. The result of the diagnostic test determines whether the patient has cancer and if so, to what stage the disease has made progress. The outcome of diagnostic tests helps in planning the treatment strategy.

• Biopsy 
• Diagnostic Mammography
• Ultrasound
• Diagnostic MRI
• Blood Marker Tests

Treatment of every cancer including breast cancer is prescribed based on the result of tests at different stages of cancer. Since there is no one-way to treat this disease most of the treatment is provided based on the condition of the patient and the how they respond to the therapy provided. Continuous monitoring and treatment through multiple follow-up visits is the only way to increase survival rate and avoid recurrence of breast cancer.