Breast Cancer - symptoms, Stages, Risk factors, Diagnosis, Treatment and more in Biology Extrema

Abstract: Breast cancer or breast carcinoma is the uncontrolled growth of epithelial cells lining ducts and lobules of breast.

A Study says that it is the second most common cancer in women. You cannot feel the pain or discomfort until they have spread to  nearby tissues.

So the diagnosis of the breast cancer is needed first.

Each time cells divide there is a chance for genetic mutation which cause of tumor formation.

There are some risk which are increased in a  number of menstrual cycles....

The first menstrual bleeding and late menopause also increase the risk of breast cancer.

early pregnancy and longer time breastfeeding increased the risk of breast cancer.

Breast cancers linked to mutation in tumor suppressor genes.

Breast Cancer gene are - BRCA1 and BRCA 2 and TP 53
The expression of the gene control the cell division slow down the division and make the cell die if they divide in uncontrolled manner.

Mutation in BRCA1 AND BRCA2 can cause familial breast cancer and also cause of ovarian cancer.

The mutation in ERBB2 gene cause increase of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2.( HER2)

After activation of HER 2 then it promotes growth of cells.

some affected cells specially epithelial cells begins to grow and replicate out of control. Which type of tumor also called in situ carcinoma which is localised into basement membrane of alveoli of the cell of breast.

In situ carcinoma further  divided into two categories
1. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
2. Lobular carcinoma in situ ( LCIS)

The tumor cells for ductal carcinoma grow from the Wall of duct into lumen .

It become very harmful if it left untreated.
This tumor is invasive in nature.

Lobular carcinoma - cluster of the tumor cells grow within the lobules .
It doesn't invade ducts and does not form invasive lobular carcinoma.

In case of ductal carcinoma , the cancer affected cells can migrate  lactiferous duct through pore into skin , disease of nipple , called PAGET .

According to the hormone receptors we  can divide breast cancer into three major types.....

1. ER ( Estrogen Receptor) positive and HER2 Negative carcinoma ( most common).

2.HER 2 positive and ER positive carcinoma.

3. ER negative and HER 2 Negative carcinoma.

Symptoms of breast cancer : # hard painless lump or  swelling.
# swelling under Armpit to auxilary lymph nodes.
# PAGET disease
#Dimple due to involvement of skin.
# itching, redness
# inflammation if cancer cells spread into pectoral muscles.
# fibrosis of lactiferous duct and suspensory ligaments cause restriction.

Diagnosis : # there are effective treatment if the lump is detected early.
Regular screening with mammography is done with high risk patient suffering from breast cancer.

# biopsy of swelling ( fluid from swelling is taken )

TNM system (0-4)

TNM ranking system is range from 0 to 4.

If it ranks it is in 4 then the case is very severe.

Treatment : treatment of breast cancer based on type of the cancer and the stage of the cancer.

#1. Surgery - there are two types of surgery are found
1.1. Partial mastectomy - the effective parts of the cancer is removed from the breast.
1.2 Total mastectomy - the entire of the tumor made of  tissue which is large are totally removed.

 #2. Chemotherapy
#3. Radiation therapy
#4. Hormone therapy
It is used in tumor cells when have  hormone receptor and and sometime used include medications which block the formation or effect of Estrogen .