Breast Cancer

Breast cancer develops when the breast’s genetic material (DNA) changes. The precise etiology of these genetic alterations is often unclear.

However, these genetic modifications may occasionally be inherited, which means you are born with them. Hereditary breast cancer is a kind of breast cancer induced by inherited genetic abnormalities.

Specific genetic abnormalities, such as the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, may also increase your chance of breast cancer. These two changes also increase your chances of developing ovarian cancer and other malignancies.

Your way of living and the environment, besides genetics, might influence your breast cancer risk.

The signs and symptoms of breast cancer differ from person to person. Breast cancer may show up in a variety of ways, including:

• A change in your breast’s size, shape, or color
• A little lump or tumor that feels like a pea
• A lump or thickening in or around your breast or underarm that lasts for the duration of your menstrual cycle
• A change in your breast or nipple skin (dimpled, puckered, scaly, or inflamed)
• Your breast or nipple has a reddened appearance
• A region on each breast is unique from the rest of the breast
• A firm marble-like region under your skin
• A clear or blood-stained liquid discharge from the nipple

If you notice any of these symptoms, please consult a breast cancer specialist or breast cancer surgeon in Mumbai.

We know that mutations in the DNA lead to cancer formation. However, there are some risk factors for breast cancer like:

• Age
• Breast cancer or benign (non-cancerous) breast disease history
• Breast cancer risk is inherited, including BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations
• Dense breast tissue
• A reproductive history that leads to increased estrogen exposure
• Menstruating at a young age 
• Being older when you first had a child or never having had a child
• Begin menopause at a younger age
• Using hormone therapy to ease the signs of menopause
• Use of radiation therapy in the breast or chest
• Overweight
• Consuming alcoholic drinks

We diagnose breast cancer using the following tests and procedures:

• Breast Exam :
  Your doctor will feel for lumps or other irregularities in your breasts and the lymph nodes in your armpit.

• Mammogram :
  A mammogram is a kind of X-ray used to examine the breast. We often do breast cancer screening via mammograms. If screening mammography reveals an anomaly, your doctor may prescribe a diagnostic mammogram to investigate further.

• Ultrasound of the Breasts :
  Ultrasound imaging creates pictures of structures deep inside the body using sound waves. A new breast lump may be diagnosed by ultrasound to see whether it’s a solid mass or a fluid-filled cyst.

• Biopsy (removal of a sample of breast cells for testing) :
  Breast cancer can only be diagnosed definitively by a biopsy. A biopsy is a procedure in which your doctor extracts a core of tissue from a questionable location using a specialized needle instrument guided by an X-ray or other imaging test. A small metal marker is often left at the spot inside your breast so that subsequent imaging tests may readily identify the region.

Biopsy samples are submitted to a facility for testing, and specialists evaluate if the cells are malignant.

A biopsy sample is also examined to establish the cells involved in breast cancer, the tumor’s grade, and whether the cancer cells contain hormone receptors or other receptors that might affect your treatment choices.

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast :
  An MRI machine creates images of the inside of your breast using a magnet and radio waves. You will be given a dye injection before your breast MRI. An MRI does not employ radiation to produce pictures, unlike other forms of imaging procedures.

The treatment of breast cancer depends upon your age, stage of cancer, location, size, and overall health. Following are the breast cancer treatments:

• Surgical procedures such as
• A Mastectomy (Breast Removal) is a surgical procedure that removes the whole breast
• Cancer and some normal tissue surrounding it are removed during a lumpectomy, but the breast is not removed

Other treatments include:

• Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to kill cancer cells. 
• Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer.
• Hormone treatment prevents cancer cells from receiving the hormones they need to develop.
• Targeted therapy is a kind of treatment that employs medications or other substances to target particular cancer cells while causing minor damage to healthy cells.
• The immunotherapy process takes the help of your immune system to fight back against cancer. 

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Being told you have breast cancer may be frightening, upsetting, and even despairing. If you or your close one is suffering from this illness, do not lose hope.

Discuss your treatment choices with your healthcare practitioner and fight the disease bravely. 

You can also book an appointment with our experts to talk about breast cancer. Dr. Jay Anam Breast Cancer Center provides customized, leading-edge cancer care through diagnosis, treatment, and support. He is one of the best breast cancer surgeon in Mumbai