Breast Cancer: Its Symptoms & Treatments

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer and the second main cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. It is basically a chronic illness that occurs when the mammary cell tissues start to change and grow uncontrollably. These cells start forming a conglomerate of cells known as a tumor, which can be benign or malignant depending on the way it develops in the body. If these cells continue to grow and are able to spread to other parts of the body, they cause a malignant tumor.

Symptoms of breast cancer:

• A breast lump or thickening that feels different from the surrounding tissue

• Change in the size, shape or appearance of a breast

• Changes to the skin over the breast, such as dimpling

• A newly inverted nipple

• Peeling, scaling, crusting or flaking of the pigmented area of skin surrounding the nipple or breast skin

• Redness or pitting of the skin over your breast

Treatment for breast cancer

A diagnosis often occurs as the consequence of routine screening, or when a woman approaches her doctor after detecting symptoms. Treatment depends on the type of breast cancer, and on the stage of cancer, sensitivity to hormones, the patient's age and overall health. Some other treatments include the breast exam, the imaging test, biopsy, ultrasounds etc. Chemotherapy is also the best suitable treatment for this type of cancer.

With this treatment, a woman who receives a diagnosis of stage 0 or stage 1 breast cancer has  strong chances of surviving for at least 5 years. If the diagnosis is made at stage 4, the chance of surviving another 5 years is around 22%. There is no way to prevent breast cancer, but some lifestyle changes can reduce the risk.