Hello folks.
I am a15 years old female and I have recently discovered a small lump in my left breast ( about the size and shape of a M&M). I’m especially concerned about it because my grandmother lost her breast to cancer, which means it is in my genes. Is is possible for someone so young like me to develop breast cancer ? Is there certain symptoms (occasional pain in the location, drowsey… etc)…
I have DD’s and most the women in my family do as well. But none of them to my knowledge have ever been diagnosed with breast cancer. But doses breast size increase your chances of breast cancer or not?
Though far less common than in women, men’s breast cancer is possible. According to the American Cancer Society, over 2000 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, meaning men account for approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases diagnosed nationally. To gain more understanding about this lesser known male disease, take a look below.
Male Breast Cancer Symptoms
Though most lumps or changes in the breast for men are benign (not cancerous) abnormalities, men should still report any major changes, irritations or problems to their doctors as soon as possible.
The most common symptoms of breast cancer in men are actually quite similar to the symptoms for women. These include nipple inversion, detecting a lump, unexplained tissue growth, change in breast size, skin puckering or dimpling, nipple discharge, itchiness or redness.
Men generally have less breast tissue than women, making it much easier to detect lumps. However, this also means the cancer can spread to other parts of the body more quickly than in women. This is why early detection is so critical for men.
Contributing Factors for Men’s Breast Cancer
Elder Age
Most men diagnosed with male breast cancer are between the ages of 60 and 70.
Family History
Approximately 20 percent of men with breast cancer have one or more close family members who have or have had the disease.
Prior Radiation Exposure
Radiation exposure to the chest (for example, past treatment for lung cancer) can be a risk factor for the development of male breast cancer.
History of Liver Diseases
The liver works to regulate hormones, meaning men who have survived liver failure or liver disease often have lower levels of androgens, the male hormones. Those low levels can put them at a higher risk for developing breast cancer or non-cancerous tissue growth.
Estrogen Therapy
Often men who are being treated for prostate cancer are put on estrogen treatments to help control the disease. These men may be at a higher risk for developing breast cancer. That said, the American Cancer Society says those risks are small and worth the benefits of improved health for prostate cancer patients.
Klinefelter’s
Typically, men are born with one Y chromosome and one X chromosome. Klinefelter’s Syndrome is when a man is born with two or more X chromosomes (female chromosomes). Approximately 1 in 850 men were born with Klinefelter’s.
Men with this syndrome generally have lower levels of androgens and higher levels of estrogen and are therefore at a greater risk for developing male breast cancer.
How Breast Cancer in Men is Treated
Methods for treating men’s breast cancer include surgical removal of the tumor and any cancerous cells, chemo, radiation therapy, hormone therapy or a combination of all these treatments.
The survival rates for men with breast cancer often depend on the stage of the disease but range from 96% for stage I diagnosis to 24% for a stage IV diagnosis.
Men experiencing symptoms of breast cancer may be inhibited through embarrassment from requesting the assessment of a qualified physician. But given the severity of any type of cancer, the potential risk merits an extra effort to swallow one’s pride and make sure.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women affecting one in eight women during their lives. It may develop at any time but the risk of developing it increases as women get older. It is far more common in post-menopausal women and the risk continues to increase with rising age.
CAUSE
The cause of breast cancer is not known and while it can also occur in men, the much higher occurrence in women implicates estrogen.
Today, breast cancer, like other forms of cancer, is considered to be the final outcome of multiple environmental and hereditary factors.
Breathing secondhand smoke increases breast cancer risk by 70% in younger, primarily pre-menopausal women.
A newly released study indicates a correlation between the drop in breast cancer and the drop in women taking HRT.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Breast cancer elicits so many fears, including those relating to surgery, death, loss of body image and loss of sexuality, however it is more easily treated and often curable if it is found early, therefore regular self examination and screening is essential. Breast cancer usually shows as a lump or thickening in the breast tissue, although most breast lumps are not cancerous.
Certain predisposing factors are clear.
Women at high risk are those who:
Have a family history of breast cancer.
Have long menstrual cycles, began menses early or menopause late.
Have never been pregnant
Were first pregnant after age 31.
Have had unilateral breast cancer.
Have endometrial or Ovarian cancer.
Were exposed to low level ionizing radiation.
Many other possible factors are still under investigation including, obesity, alcohol and environmental factors.
Those with lower risk include women who:
Were pregnant before age 20.
Have had multiple pregnancies.
Are native American or Asian.
Breast cancer occurs more often in the left breast and in the upper quadrant.
Indications of breast cancer other than a lump may include changes in breast size or shape, skin dimpling, nipple inversion, or spontaneous single-nipple discharge.
TYPES
When breast cancer cells invade the dermal lymphatics, small lymph vessels in the skin of the breast, its presentation can resemble skin inflammation and thus is known as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include pain, swelling, warmth and redness throughout the breast, as well as an orange peel texture to the skin referred to as peau d’orange.
The most common pathologic types of breast cancer are invasive ductal carcinoma, malignant cancer in the breast’s ducts, and invasive lobular carcinoma, malignant cancer in the breast’s lobules.
Occasionally, breast cancer presents as metastatic disease, that is, cancer that has spread beyond the original organ. Bone or joint pains can sometimes be manifestations of metastatic breast cancer, as can jaundice or neurological symptoms.
TREATMENT
Much controversy still exists over treatment of breast cancer, options include; Surgery , chemotherapy, Radiotherapy,Hormonal therapies,Herceptin and complementary treatments.
The mainstay of breast cancer treatment is surgery when the tumor is localized, with possible adjuvant hormonal therapy (with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor), chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy.
In February 2007, the MammaPrint test became the first breast cancer predictor to win formal approval from the Food and Drug Administration. This is a new gene test to help predict whether women with early-stage breast cancer will relapse in 5 or 10 years, this could help influence how aggressively the initial tumor is treated.
Interstitial laser thermotherapy (ILT) is an innovative method of treating breast cancer in a minimally invasive manner and without the need for surgical removal, and with the absence of any adverse effect on the health and survival of the patient during intermediate follow up.
PREVENTION
Routine (annual) mammography of women older than age 40 or 50 is recommended by numerous organizations as a screening method to diagnose early breast cancer and has demonstrated a protective effect in multiple clinical trials.
Women with one or more first-degree relatives (mother, sister, daughter) with premenopausal breast cancer should begin screening at an earlier age.
PROGNOSIS
There are many prognostic factors associated with breast cancer: staging, tumour size and location, grade, whether disease is systemic (has metastasized, or traveled to other parts of the body), recurrence of the disease, and age of patient.
With advances in screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the death rate for breast cancer has declined by about 20% over the past decade, and research is ongoing to develop even more effective screening and treatment programs.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women affecting one in eight women during their lives. It may develop at any time but the risk of developing it increases as women get older. It is far more common in post-menopausal women and the risk continues to increase with rising age.
CAUSE
The cause of breast cancer is not known and while it can also occur in men, the much higher occurrence in women implicates estrogen.
Today, breast cancer, like other forms of cancer, is considered to be the final outcome of multiple environmental and hereditary factors. Breathing secondhand smoke increases breast cancer risk by 70% in younger, primarily pre-menopausal women.
A newly released study indicates a correlation between the drop in breast cancer and the drop in women taking HRT.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Breast cancer elicits so many fears, including those relating to surgery, death, loss of body image and loss of sexuality, however it is more easily treated and often curable if it is found early, therefore regular self examination and screening is essential. Breast cancer usually shows as a lump or thickening in the breast tissue, although most breast lumps are not cancerous.
Certain predisposing factors are clear.
Women at high risk are those who:
Have a family history of breast cancer.
Have long menstrual cycles, began menses early or menopause late.
Have never been pregnant
Were first pregnant after age 31.
Have had unilateral breast cancer.
Have endometrial or Ovarian cancer.
Were exposed to low level ionizing radiation.
Many other possible factors are still under investigation including, obesity, alcohol and environmental factors.
Those with lower risk include women who:
Were pregnant before age 20.
Have had multiple pregnancies.
Are native American or Asian.
Breast cancer occurs more often in the left breast and in the upper quadrant.
Indications of breast cancer other than a lump may include changes in breast size or shape, skin dimpling, nipple inversion, or spontaneous single-nipple discharge.
TYPES
When breast cancer cells invade the dermal lymphatics, small lymph vessels in the skin of the breast, its presentation can resemble skin inflammation and thus is known as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include pain, swelling, warmth and redness throughout the breast, as well as an orange peel texture to the skin referred to as peau d’orange.
The most common pathologic types of breast cancer are invasive ductal carcinoma, malignant cancer in the breast’s ducts, and invasive lobular carcinoma, malignant cancer in the breast’s lobules.
Occasionally, breast cancer presents as metastatic disease, that is, cancer that has spread beyond the original organ. Bone or joint pains can sometimes be manifestations of metastatic breast cancer, as can jaundice or neurological symptoms.
TREATMENT
Much controversy still exists over treatment of breast cancer, options include; Surgery , chemotherapy, Radiotherapy,Hormonal therapies,Herceptin and complementary treatments.
The mainstay of breast cancer treatment is surgery when the tumor is localized, with possible adjuvant hormonal therapy (with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor), chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy.
In February 2007, the MammaPrint test became the first breast cancer predictor to win formal approval from the Food and Drug Administration. This is a new gene test to help predict whether women with early-stage breast cancer will relapse in 5 or 10 years, this could help influence how aggressively the initial tumor is treated.
Interstitial laser thermotherapy (ILT) is an innovative method of treating breast cancer in a minimally invasive manner and without the need for surgical removal, and with the absence of any adverse effect on the health and survival of the patient during intermediate followup.
PREVENTION
Routine (annual) mammography of women older than age 40 or 50 is recommended by numerous organizations as a screening method to diagnose early breast cancer and has demonstrated a protective effect in multiple clinical trials.
Women with one or more first-degree relatives (mother, sister, daughter) with premenopausal breast cancer should begin screening at an earlier age.
PROGNOSIS
There are many prognostic factors associated with breast cancer: staging, tumour size and location, grade, whether disease is systemic (has metastasized, or traveled to other parts of the body), recurrence of the disease, and age of patient.
With advances in screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the death rate for breast cancer has declined by about 20% over the past decade, and research is ongoing to develop even more effective screening and treatment programs.
Recognizing the signs of breast cancer is very important and can save your life. If the illness is discovered early, there is a high chance it is successfully treated and even cured.
The main sign of breast cancer for both men and women is a lump. However, most lumps are not malignant. Often, these lumps are not painful. Other symptoms of breast cancer include:
?Unexpected bloody or clear nipple discharge
?Inverted nipple
?A change in breast size or shape
?Indentation or flattening of the breast skin
?Reddened or pitted skin, similar to an orange peel
Non-cancerous Breast Conditions
There are several factors that can cause these symptoms other than breast cancer. In addition to the normal changes that take place during a menstrual cycle or pregnancy, there are also other frequent non-cancerous breast conditions, such as:
FIBROCYSTIC CHANGES
Fibrocystic changes can make your breast feel granular or ropy. This breast condition is extremely frequent, affecting at least half of all women. Fibrocystic changes are not usually a sign of breast cancer and don’t increase the risk of developing breast cancer either. When the breast feels very lumpy, self-examining them can be quite difficult. However, being familiar with what is normal and what is a reason of concern can help you detect new lumps easier.
CYSTS
Cysts filled with fluid are also frequent in women between the ages of 35 and 50. Their size varies from tiny ones to the size of an egg. These cysts are usually not a sign of breast cancer either. Their size sometimes increases until the menstruation and they disappear completely afterwards. They are less common in women who no longer have a menstrual cycle.
FIBROADENOMAS
Fibroadenomas are benign tumors that are frequent in women during reproductive years. They are smooth and rubbery lumps with a clear shape and move under the skin when touched. Fibroadenomas are generally painless. They can change their size over time, becoming smaller or larger and sometimes disappearing completely. Though a physician can usually detect fibroadenomas through a clinical exam, a tissue sample may be necessary as well.
INFECTIONS
Mastitis or breast infections are also frequent in women who have just stopped breast-feeding, but can also develop in women who have not been breast-feeding. The breast skins can be reddened, lumpy and warm and the underarm lymph nodes may also swell. Some women also feel ill and get fever. Mastitis is not a sign of breast cancer either, but it does require treatment.
TRAUMa
Sometimes a blow or bruise to your breast can also cause a lump. However, this is not a sign of breast cancer and doesn’t increase the risk of getting the disease either.
CALCIUM DEPOSITS
Calcium deposits can develop anywhere in your breast and appear on a mammogram also. Most women have several calcium deposits of different sizes. These microcalcifications are often caused by cellular debris, secretion from cells, inflammation, prior radiation or trauma. They are not caused by calcium supplements. Most calcium deposits are not a sign of breast cancer. However, some of them are precancerous or even cancer. Your physician will probably recommend further testing if any of them appears suspicious.
If you discover a lump through breast self-examination and your haven’t gone through menopause yet, there is no need to panic. You can wait until the menstrual cycle ends to consult a doctor, as most lumps will disappear until then. However, if breast changes persist for longer than a month, go to a doctor and have a breast exam as soon as possible.
Breast cancer is one of the top ten cancers plaguing women all over the world. The risk of getting this disease is higher as one becomes older. Unlike other cancers, however, detecting early symptoms of breast cancer is easier.It’s always important to arm yourself with the proper knowledge. To help protect yourself, be aware if you’re experiencing any of these early symptoms of breast cancer: 1) Tenderness in the BreastWhile most women experience tenderness in the breast during their monthly cycle, it’s not natural at all during the rest of her regular days. If you find yourself having to deal with this, perhaps it’s time for a mammogram.2) Unusual Lump in the BreastOne of the most common early symptoms of breast cancer is the presence of an unusual lump in the breast. Women have been taught to give themselves a self-breast exam, to feel for any bump inside the breast or even the armpit. This lump might be benign or malignant. However, it’s not a good idea to take chances. Have it checked immediately. 3) Discharge from the NippleDuring the first few stages of breast cancer, you might notice a strange discharge from your nipple. This could either be bloody, yellow or greenish. Whatever color it might be, it is imperative that you go see a doctor at once. Breast cancer can progress very quickly; so the earlier you see a doctor, the better. 4) Swelling of the BreastSimilar to tenderness of the breast, this sort of thing might naturally occur in women during the days of her cycle. This is another reason why doctors encourage the practice of a monthly self-breast exam. This way, you will be able to see just how much of a difference there is in your breast size, and get a check-up immediately if you notice any of the early symptoms of breast cancer. 5) Change in TextureDoing monthly self exams also help you determine any change in your breast’s texture. Be on the lookout for skin that has redness or skin that is dimpling. Be very sensitive to retraction of the nipple or the occurrence of a peau ‘d orange. A peau ‘d orange refers to a breast that resembles the skin of an orange. When there is something wrong, your body will tell you in the form of symptoms. So don’t take these early symptoms of breast cancer for granted. Remember, your health is at stake here. Prevention is better than cure.
Warning Signs of Breast Cancer and Reoccurence of breast cancer signs
There are different signs and symptoms of breast cancer. One of the first signs or symptoms is feeling a lump in the breast. This lump will feel different then the other breast tissue around it. It is known that more then eighty percent of women discover lumps by checking themselves. A physician can detect breast cancer by giving you a mammogram.
Lumps that are found in lymph nodes located in areas such as the armpits or collarbone can also prove to be breast cancer. Other signs and symptoms of breast cancer may be changes in breast size and changes in the shape of the breast, skin dimpling, nipple discharge and nipple inversion.
Inflammatory breast cancer is also known as IBC. Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer may include pain, swelling, an orange peel texture to the skin, a warm feeling to the breast and redness of the breast. When cancer cells invade the small lymph vessels in the skin of the breast this presentation resembles skin inflammation known as inflammatory breast cancer.
Another symptom of breast cancer is Paget’s disease of the breast. It is a syndrome that presents skin changes like redness and flaking skin of the nipple. As this advances symptoms may include itching, tingling, sensitivity, pain and burning and on occasion discharge from the nipple. About half of women that are diagnosed with Paget’s will also have a lump in the breast.
Occasionally breast cancer can spread beyond the area where it was detected becoming a metastatic disease. Depending on the location of this metastasis, metastatic breast cancer can cause symptoms.
Common sites of metastasis may include the liver, lung, bone, and brain. Breast cancer can cause unexplained weight loss, fever and chills. Pain in the joints and bones, jaundice and neurological symptoms can sometimes be manifestations of metastatic breast cancer.
These certain symptoms can also be manifestations of other types of illnesses. In many cases most breast disorder symptoms do not turn out to be breast cancer. But the appearance of any signs or symptoms should be taken very seriously, because of breast cancer being able to strike at any age.
Male breast melanoma is a very uncommon occurrence, and only one percent of breast plague cases are those of chap breast increase, men should be alert of the risks to check such an episode.When a man has peril factors for gentleman breast menace, the breast tissues may flinch developing canker cells, and he may get breast scourge. There is no age necessary for chap breast tumor to strike, however, men between 60 time to 70 existence of age are most vulnerable. Exposure to radiation is an ordinary gentleman breast disease menace reason. Also, the stake goes high if there is a family annals of breast pest. Men with Klinefelter’s disease and cirrhosis have high risks too. Klinefelter’s is when a man abnormally has two X chromosomes instead of one. Cirrhosis comes with high levels of estrogen, which is a big gentleman breast pest risk issue. Also, men with heaviness and alcohol harms are more flat to developing breast plague.Men have an upper risk of developing breast pest if an appendage of their family has had it, compared to females, where only 5 females out of 100 mature pest due to genetics. Also, a mutation in the breast plague genes – BRCA1 and BRCA2 – can start development of breast sarcoma. This mutation is very seldom because of heredity and is commonly acquired during the duration.Men show analogous symptoms as women when it comes to breast sarcoma, like a lump in the breast, the peau d’carroty syndrome, where the skin of the breast appears cavernous, like that of an orange, fluid discharge from nipples, thickness of breasts, change in breast size and skin around the nipples, and the breast skin appearing red.Getting accepted breast examinations is as important is men as it is for females. For diagnosis, biopsy is recommended, even though mammography and ultrasounds work great because men don’t have as dense tissues as females do, which makes detection of lumps easier. If the diagnosis is confirmed, getting the breast bandanna veteran for traces of estrogen and progesterone hormones is a good idea, since these hormones are known to promote evil growth, and can be medically exterminated.Men can have non-insidious or in situ cancers, which have not paste exterior the breast vicinity, or invasive tumors that can hang out. Removal of lump in non invasive cancers – which is mostly the first step of sarcoma – is recommended. Invasive cancers adjust from Stage I to Stage IV, depending principal how vanguard the melanoma is. Stage I cancers almost always get treated. Mortality priced keeps vacant complex, depending leading the podium. By Stage IV, the plague becomes metastatic and spreads to body organs.Treatment for men with breast bane is very analogous to handling females undergo. The customary therapies are adopted. For very advanced male breast cancer, as is the lawsuit with Stage IV invasive cancer, a combination of Systemic therapies like chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormonal therapy is worn.Abstain from alcohol intake and head a healthy life; this is all that is essential for better survival odds. Get the help you neediness from family and friends, and you can get back to leading a normal life, again.
Inflammatory breast cancer is the most violent type of breast cancer. It is not a new type of breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer is blocking the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) causes changes in the nipple and the surrounding areas. This type of breast cancer is called “inflammatory” because the breast frequently looks swollen and red, or “inflamed.” IBC accounts for 1 to 5 percent of all breast cancer cases in the United States. This type of breast cancer that can arise in women of any age. 1% to 5% of Inflammatory breast cancer cases in the United States are inflammatory breast cancer.
Inflammatory breast cancer is typically categorized as stage IIIB breast cancer because of the possible concern of the skin, chest wall, or lymph nodes along the breast bone in the chest wall. It also grows more rapidly and aggressively than the more common types of breast cancer. It tends to occur at younger ages. African-American women appear to be at higher risk of IBC than Caucasian women. Symptoms of Inflammatory breast cancer may comprise redness, swelling, and warmth in the breast, frequently without a distinct lump in the breast. The redness and warmth are caused by cancer cells blocking the lymph vessels in the skin.
The skin of the breast may also show pink, ruddy purple, or bruised. The skin may also have ridges or seem pitted, like the skin of an orange, which is caused by a buildup of fluid and edema in the breast. Other symptoms comprise heaviness, burning, aching; augment in breast size, tenderness, or a nipple that is inverted. These symptoms usually grow rapidly over a period of weeks or months. Swollen lymph nodes may also be present under the arm, beyond the collarbone, or in both places. The usual treatment for IBC starts with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is systemic treatment, which means that it affects cells throughout the body.
The use of chemotherapy is to manage or destroy cancer cells, including those that may have spread to other parts of the body. Aggressive chemotherapy is frequently followed by local regional treatment. Radiation is used in most cases, whether or not surgery is done, to more deliberate the disease. Anti-estrogen and Herceptin therapy may also have a role. Other forms of targeted therapy, such as Avastin, may be used. Supportive care is treatment given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease, such as cancer. It prevents or treats as early as possible the symptoms of the disease.
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