Breast Cancer : Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Is it breast cancer, what causes it and how it treated? Here we will explain everything.

What is cancer of the breast?

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts in the cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that can grow into surrounding tissues or spread to distant areas of the body. The disease occurs almost entirely in women, but men can get it, too.

When was the first breast cancer discovered?

The first mention of cancer of any kind was a case of breast cancer documented in Egypt around 1600 BC. The Edwin Smith Papyrus, an ancient text found in 1860 in an Egyptian tomb, described eight cases of tumors or ulcers of the breast.

How do you get breast cancer?

The causes of breast cancer are unknown, but risk factors include:
•    increasing age.
•    family history.
•    inheritance of mutations in the genes BRCA2, BRCA1 and CHEK2.
•    exposure to female hormones (natural and administered)
•    obesity (poor diet and inadequate exercise) and.
•    excess alcohol consumption.

What are the symptoms and causes of breast cancer?

Some of the possible early signs of breast cancer
A symptom is only felt by the patient, and is described to the doctor or nurse, such as a headache or pain. A sign is something the patient and others can detect, for example, a rash or swelling.
The first symptoms of breast cancer are usually an area of thickened tissue in the woman's breast, or a lump. The majority of lumps are not cancerous; however, women should get them checked by a health care professional.
Women who detect any of the following signs or symptoms should tell their doctor (NHS, UK):

A lump in a breast
A pain in the armpits or breast that does not seem to be related to the woman's menstrual period
Pitting or redness of the skin of the breast; like the skin of an orange
A rash around (or on) one of the nipples
A swelling (lump) in one of the armpits
An area of thickened tissue in a breast
One of the nipples has a discharge; sometimes it may contain blood
The nipple changes in appearance; it may become sunken or inverted
The size or the shape of the breast changes
The nipple-skin or breast-skin may have started to peel, scale or flake.
thickening of the breast tissue.
nipple discharge.
redness or scaling of the nipple.
a nipple that retracts or turns inward.
unexplained redness, swelling, skin irritation, itchiness, or rash on the breast.

The anatomy of a female breast

Breast anatomy normal scheme

1. Chest wall.
2. Pectoralis muscles.
3. Lobules (glands that make milk).
4. Nipple surface.
5. Areola.
6. Lactiferous duct tube that carries milk to the nipple.
7. Fatty tissue.
8. Skin.
A mature human female's breast consists of fat, connective tissue and thousands of lobules - tiny glands which produce milk. The milk of a breastfeeding mother goes through tiny ducts (tubes) and is delivered through the nipple.
The breast, like any other part of the body, consists of billions of microscopic cells. These cells multiply in an orderly fashion - new cells are made to replace the ones that died.
In cancer, the cells multiply uncontrollably, and there are too many cells, progressively more and more than there should be.

Source : http://www.medicalnewstoday.com