Different Types Of Breast Cancer That You Need To Be Aware Of

Breast cancer initiates in the glands present in the breast. It is the most common cancers among women in the world and claims many lives every year. There are many types of breast cancer that can steal your peace of mind. Most breast cancers are invasive, meaning they have the tendency to spread from the breast to other areas, like nearby breast tissue, lymph nodes, or other body parts. Here, Dr Tanveer Abdul Majeed, a Surgical Oncologist, Zen Multispecialty Hospital, Chembur, explains about different types of breast cancer that we need to be aware of.

Invasive breast cancer

Breast Cancer is classified as invasive and non-invasive. Invasive types of breast cancer are:

• Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC): This is one of the most common types of breast cancer seen in most female patients. This type of cancer begins in a milk duct (the tubes in the breast that carry milk to the nipple) and tends to grow to the other parts of the breast. With time, it may spread further, or metastasize, to other body organs.
• Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC): This is also a common type of cancer and begins in the lobules (where breast milk is made) and then spreads into the nearby breast tissue and can metastasize. It is more difficult to detect this cancer on mammograms and other exams than IDC.
• Inflammatory breast cancer: It can be seen in the ducts or lobules and tends to spread faster than other types of breast cancer. This type of breast cancer is aggressive and is known as inflammatory owing to the redness and swelling on the surface of the breast. Women often confuse it with a breast infection and neglect it. This type of cancer causes higher mortality and morbidity rates.
• Paget's disease of the breast: It is a not so common type of cancer and tends to develop in the skin of the nipple and the areola, causing tumour cells known as Paget cells.
• Angiosarcoma of the breast: It is a rare, aggressive tumour seen in older women, and occurs in the lining of lymph or blood vessels. It grows quickly and often isn't diagnosed until it's already spread to other areas of the body.
• Triple negative breast cancer: It is a type of invasive breast cancer that is seen in premenopausal women and is very responsive to chemotherapy.

Non-invasive breast cancer

Non-invasive breast cancer (in situ) does not spread to surrounding tissue, lobules, or ducts. Below are the types of non-invasive breast cancer

• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): It is first seen as a mass that grows in a milk duct carrying milk from the lobules, or glands, to the nipple. Slowly, the mass becomes bigger and breaks through the ductal walls into the surrounding tissue and fat of the breast.
• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS): It is not technically considered a cancer, but rather a change in the breast. Also, it typically does not spread beyond the lobule. But LCIS can further raise the risk of invasive breast cancer.

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC)

It's stage 4 advanced breast cancer that has spread to other part parts of the body like the liver, lungs, brain, or bones, as well as to lymph nodes. It is life-threatening.

With development in the field of molecular oncology and introduction of newer treatment modalities the survival rate of breast cancer patients has significantly improved. But remember early detection is the key to cure. So, breast self-examination and early referral to clinician is very important.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Frequently asked questions about breast cancer in men - risk factors, symptoms, self-diagnosis and more

October is observed as the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, all around the world. Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women and is also the most common type of cancer that affects women. However, we often associate breast cancer only with women. In fact, some people are not even aware that breast cancer can also affect men. The fact is that men do have a small amount of breast tissue in their body. 

It is important to know and be aware of breast cancer in men. A medical expert answers some frequently asked questions about breast cancer in men.

How is breast cancer in men different from that in women? What causes breast cancer in men? 

 

Breast cancer in men is a rare type of cancer that forms inside the breast tissue. While every individual is born with a small amount of breast tissue, women begin developing more breast tissue during puberty as compared to men. Therefore, the occurrence of breast cancer is higher in women. According to a study titled ‘Male Breast Cancer in India: Series from a Cancer Research Centre’ out of 1,752 cases of breast cancer in the country, between 2005 to 2014, only 18 cases were identified to be among men. 

Types of breast cancer in men include: 1) Ductal carcinoma: This cancer begins in the milk ducts. Majority of all male breast cancer is ductal carcinoma.  2) Lobular carcinoma: This type of cancer is rare because men have few lobules (a gland in the breast that makes milk) in their breast tissue.

Other rare types of breast cancer that can occur in men include Paget's disease (a type of cancer with skin changes involving the nipple of the breast) and inflammatory breast cancer (a rare and very aggressive disease in which cancer cells block lymph vessels in the skin of the breast)

What are the early warning signs of breast cancer in men that one should look out for? 
Breast cancer does not produce symptoms when the tumour is small and most treatable, making it difficult to detect.
The warning signs include a painless lump or thickening in the breast tissue, changes to the skin covering the breast such as dimpling, puckering, redness or scaling. It can also be identified through changes to the nipple such as redness, scaling, nipple discharge or a nipple that begins to turn inward.

How can you do a self-examination of breasts?

To perform a self-examination, stand in front of a mirror, placing your arms on your hips. Look closely at your chest area for noting any changes to your nipples such as swelling or inversion. Then, raise your arms above your head and inspect the areas around your chest and armpits. The next step is to feel your chest for any potential lumps, which can be done by moving your fingertips in a circular motion around the breast area. Additionally, the nipple area needs to be checked for any discharge.

Who is at risk of breast cancer?

The most common risk factor for male breast cancer is old age. It is most often diagnosed in men who are in their 60s. Other risk factors include:

• Family history: Some men inherit abnormal genes from their parents that increase the risk of breast cancer
• Liver disease: Certain conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver (late stage of scarring of the liver caused by many forms of liver diseases such as hepatitis and chronic alcoholism), can reduce male hormones and increase female hormones which can lead to increased risk of breast cancer
• Exposure to estrogen: The risk tends to increase if one takes estrogen-related drugs such as those used for hormone replacement therapy for prostate cancer. High estrogen level can be a result of excess alcohol and tobacco consumption, inadequate physical activity and obesity.

How can breast cancer be diagnosed?

Apart from self-examination, mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy require identifying cancer cells in tissue specimens.
A mammogram is a process of using low-energy X-rays to examine the human breast for diagnosis and screening. Ultrasound is most often done to confirm if a lump found by a mammogram or physical exam is a cyst filled with fluid or a solid tumour. A biopsy is a test in which tissue or fluid from the suspicious area is extracted and examined under a microscope and further tested to check for the presence of breast cancer. 

What are the treatment options available?
Treatment depends on the stage of cancer, overall health and individual treatment preferences. It can be a combination of surgery, radiation and medical therapy. 

The aim of the surgery is to remove the tumour and surrounding breast tissue. Common surgical procedures include:

Mastectomy: This involves the removal of entire breast tissue, including the nipple and areola.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy: This involves identification of the lymph nodes where the cancer cells are likely to start spreading from. If cancer is found, additional lymph nodes are removed for testing. If no cancer cells are found here, then there is a good chance that breast cancer hasn't spread beyond the breast tissue. 

Apart from the surgical procedure, one can opt for radiation or systemic therapy. Radiation therapy is used to destroy cancer cells remaining in the breast, chest wall, or underarm area after surgery, or to reduce the size of a tumour before surgery. In systemic therapy, anti-cancer drugs are injected into a vein or given by mouth. It includes biologic therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement            

Ways To Prevent Osteoporosis (Bone Loss)

Though bone loss or osteoporosis is seen mostly among the elderly above 50 years of age, you should start taking precautions when you are young. Your age, genes, gender, body weight, medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or nutrient malabsorption, lifestyle habits like excessive consumption of alcohol, tobacco and caffeine, and lack of calcium and vitamin D are all causes of bone loss. For example, postmenopausal women are often more at risk of osteoporosis due to low estrogen levels than men or women in their 20s or early 30s when the bones are at their sturdiest. This, however, does not mean men or younger women don’t experience bone loss. If you have any of these health conditions or lifestyle factors apply to you, take precautions now.

1. Add More Calcium In Diet

Calcium is a mineral essential to building bones and keeping them healthy. Women experience increased bone loss in the years that immediately follow menopause though bone loss continues to old age.

Eat plenty of calcium-rich foods like yogurt, sardines, kale, broccoli, and bok choy to keep the bone mineral density or BMD at its optimum. Calcium supplementation has also been suggested as a way to keep bones healthy.

2. Get More Vitamin D/Estrogen

Many studies have shown that taking calcium alone does not help. Especially if your body doesn’t have enough vitamin D to absorb calcium from the intestine. Evidence suggests calcium supplementation along with vitamin D supplementation can prevent osteoporosis in women above the age of 50.
Considering it is the depletion of estrogen that accounts for bone loss in most postmenopausal women, calcium supplementation with low-dosage estrogen therapy help reduce bone loss. Needless to say, this method is applicable only to postmenopausal women.

3. Have More Iron, Zinc, And Magnesium

Calcium is not the only mineral responsible for bone mineral density or bone strength. Studies have shown minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium are equally essential for bone health.⁷

• Seafood, red meat, beans, and dark green vegetables are rich in iron.
• Spinach, beef, shrimp, and various beans and seeds are zinc-rich foods.
• Magnesium is available through foods like whole grains, dry fruits, and chocolate.

After 35 years of age, make sure you add these foods regularly in your diet just so bones stay healthy and strong even after you grow old.

4. Try Ipriflavone Isoflavone, A Soy Product

Touted as a magic remedy for preventing bone loss, ipriflavone isoflavone, a crystalline compound synthesized from soy is found to hold great promise in preventing osteoporosis caused by a variety of factors like chronic steroid use to immobility and ovariectomy (removal of ovary/ies). Not just that, it is found to be useful in treating other bone complications from conditions like Paget’s disease of the bone, hyperparathyroidism, and tinnitus caused by the abnormal growth of bone near the middle ear (otosclerosis).
Many studies have shown a daily intake of 600 mg ipriflavone is effective.

5. Have Soy Foods

Numerous studies have been done on the effect of soy products, soy foods, and its derivatives on preventing bone loss with each one confirming that there is nothing like soy products when it comes to bone health. This is especially true in the case of women because studies have shown that the fracture risk in women who take soy food is much lesser than in those who don’t. There is a positive effect of soy food on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, too. Adding soy foods to the daily diet, therefore, is a must especially if you are a woman.

6. Do Weight-Bearing Exercise

While diet is important in preventing bone loss, the effect of regular exercise cannot be emphasized enough. Not just any exercise but weight-bearing exercises particularly work on bone health and bone mineral density. High-impact weight-bearing exercises like dancing, jogging, running, tennis, aerobics, and climbing are very effective in building bone health.
Having said that, in case you have osteoporosis already or have a history of fracture from it, you can do weight-bearing exercises but of low impact. These include walking on a treadmill, using elliptical training machines, and low-impact aerobics. Additionally, you should also do muscle-building exercises like lifting weights and using elastic exercise bands.

7. Stop Drinking Cola And Coffee

Drinking cola and coffee is said to be harmful to bone health and can lead to osteoporosis. While it is still unclear why these drinks reduce bone density while others don’t, caffeine in both cola and coffee could be the culprit. That also explains why while cola is bad for bone density, other soft drinks are not. Another possible reason is the phosphoric acid in cola that can leach calcium out of bones.

8. Quit Smoking

Cigarette smoking affects estrogen circulation in the body, a reason women smokers hit menopause earlier than nonsmokers. The depletion of estrogen is also why smoking is considered a cause of bone loss.

9. Cut Down On Alcohol

Heavy, chronic alcohol consumption is bad for bone health and can increase bone loss among postmenopausal women. Interestingly, however, moderate drinking among postmenopausal women can benefit bone density and health. One large study found that women aged 65 and over who consumed alcohol on more than 5 days per week had a significantly reduced risk of vertebral deformity compared with those who consumed alcohol less than once per week.
Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the quality of life. Avoid it as long as possible so you can live a long, fulfilling life.

Black sesame seeds have 400 % more calcium than the white ones, so regularly add the black and white sesame seeds in many ways in your daily diet, as they can be roasted and sprinkled over salads, veges, can be added to spice powders, can be mixed with gur / molasses and eaten, as then you get both calcium and iron !

Another important source calcium and iron is finger millet/ ragi. One can make porridge, pancakes, dosa, in cakes, cookies, flat breads.

By eating these calcium rich foods from young age, getting enough sunshine each day and walking can keep your bones healthy. Good luck to all for healthy bones.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                                             https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                       FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

 

Paget's Disease: A New Kind of Breast cancer

New kind of Breast Cancer - DO NOT DELETE Please forward to all of the women in your lives mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, friends etc.   In November, a rare kind of breast cancer was found.  A lady developed a rash on her breast,  similar to that of young mothers who are nursing..   Because her mammogram had been clear, the doctor treated her with antibiotics for infections.  After 2 rounds, it continued to get worse, so her doctor sent her for another mammogram. This time it showed a  mass. A biopsy found a fast growing malignancy.  Chemo was started in order to shrink the  growth; then a mastectomy was performed;  then a full round of Chemo; then radiation.  After about 9 months of intense treatment, she was given a clean bill of health.  She had one year of living each day to its fullest. Then the cancer returned to the liver area. She  took 4 treatments and decided that she wanted quality of life, not the after effects of Chemo.  She had 5 great months and she planned each detail of the final days.   After a few days of needing  morphine, she died.  She left this message to be delivered to women  everywhere:    Women,   PLEASE be alert to anything that is not normal, and be persistent in getting help as soon as  possible.     Paget's Disease: This is a rare form of breast cancer, and is on the outside of the breast, on the nipple and aureole.  It appeared as a rash, which later became a  lesion with a crusty outer edge.  I would not  have ever suspected it to be  breast cancer but it was. My nipple never seemed any different to me, but the rash bothered me, so I went to the doctor for that. Sometimes, it itched and was  sore,  but other than that it didn't bother me.   It was just ugly and a nuisance, and could  not be cleared up with all the creams  prescribed by  my doctor and dermatologist for the dermatitis on my eyes just prior to this outbreak.  They seemed a little concerned but did not warn me it could be cancerous.   Now, I suspect not many women out there know a lesion or rash on the nipple or aureole can be breast cancer.   (Mine started out as a single red pimple on the  aureole. One of the biggest  problems with  Paget's disease of the  nipple is that the symptoms appear to be  harmless. It is frequently  thought to be a  skin inflammation or infection,  leading to unfortunate delays in detection and  care.)    What   are the symptoms?  1.   A persistent redness, oozing, and crusting  of  your nipple causing it to itch and burn  (As I  stated, mine did not itch or burn  much, and had no oozing I was aware of,  but it did have a  crust along the outer  edge on one side.) 2.  A sore  on your nipple that will not heal. (Mine was on the aureole area with a whitish thick looking area in center of  nipple). 3  Usually only one nipple is affected. How is it  diagnosed? Your  doctor will do a physical exam  and should  suggest having a mammogram of both breasts, done immediately.  Even though the redness, oozing and crusting closely resemble dermatitis (inflammation of the  skin), your  doctor should suspect cancer  if the sore is only  on one breast. Your  doctor should order a biopsy  of your sore  to confirm what is going  on.  This   message should be taken seriously and  passed on  to as many of your relatives and  friends as  possible; it could save someone's life. My breast cancer has spread and metastasized to my bones after receiving mega doses of   chemotherapy, 28 treatments of radiation and  taking Tamaxofin.  If this had been diagnosed as  breast cancer in the  beginning, perhaps it would not have spread.... TO  ALL  READERS: This is sad as women are not aware of Paget's disease.  If, by  passing  this around on the e-mail, we can  make others aware of it and its potential danger, we are helping women everywhere. Please,  if you can, take a moment to forward this  message to as many people as possible,  especially  to your family and friends. It only takes a moment, yet the results could save a life.           Ps- best wishes to all for the coming festive season, take care, enjoy yourselves. for those interested in recipes, you may kindly view my blog http://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/

I'll be away for a month, so more posts after my return, take care.