What is breast cancer?

In the Philippines, breast cancer is the most common cancer specific to women. In which an estimated 14,000 new breast cancer cases are diagnosed each year and nearly 6,300 deaths are expected from the disease annually.

That is why it is a must that one should possess adequate knowledge of this disease.

Basics

Breast are primarily composed of fatty and connective tissue called stroma. The muscles covering your ribs underneath the breast and the breast is suspended fron the chest wall ligaments. Within each breast is a network of 15 to 20 lobules. Each small lobule has a bulb. These bulbs produce milk. Thin tubes, or ducts, connect the lobes to the nipple.

There are two main kinds of breast cancer. They are:

• Ductal-meaning it starts in the tubes, or milk ducts.
• Lobular-meaning it starts in the milk-producing glands.

There's an early form of cancer called in situ. These cancers aren't yet invasive and are contained in the milk ducts. However, if left alone, in situ cancers can develop into invasive cancers,which have the capability of spreading outside the breast. With noninvasive cancer(stage 0) and early-stage (stage I and II) invasive varieties, the cancer is confirmed to just the breast. A surgical option for early-stage breast cancer is a lumpectomy, followed by radiation treatment.

TYPES OF BREAST CANCER

Breast cancer is categorized by the appearance of the cancer cells and their cellular origin. The most common types of breast cancer are:

• Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). This type starts in a duct and then invades connective or fatty tissue that surrounds the duct. It can travel to the lymph nodes or enter the blood stream and spread to other parts of the body. It is common type of breast cancer, making up 75 percent of all invasive cancers.

• Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). This type starts in a milk-producing glans(lobule), and then invades the surrounding connective or fatty tissue. Like ductal carcinoma, ot can spread to other parts of the body. It accounts fr 15 percent of invasive breast cancers. This tumor maybe more difficult to diagnose, as it can first show up as breats thickening rather than a firm mass.

• Other invasive ductal-type cancers. These less common invasive cancers include medullary, mucinous, tubular, and papillary. Combined, these account for about 10 percent of invasive cancers.

• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). This non-invasive cancer is made up of abnormal cells in ducts that haven't spread to the connective or fatty tissue. It's the most common noninvasive cancer. Unchecked, it could turn into invasive cancer

• Paget's disease. This cancer is associated with the nipple changes such as eczema, itching, and thickening of the dark circle of skin (areola) around the nipple, and can be invasive or noninvasive. About 50 percent of those with the disease have an associated cancerous lump. paget's disease accounts for less than 5 percent of all breast cancers.

• Inflammatory breast cancer. This is an aggressive cancer in which the affected breast looks inflamed, red, and feels warm. The skin can have the appearance of an orange peel, with an engorged look.. It is often in younger women. It accounts for about two percent of all cancers.