Mammary cancer

The word “cancer” was coined by the father of medicine, Hippocrates, who was also the first to describe breast cancer. According to legend, it happened like this. One day, a noble lady came to Hippocrates for help, whose terrible malignant tumor from the breast had spread to the skin and formed a hard crust, similar to the shell of cancer. The puzzled doctor was unable to help the patient, but he described the strange disease and gave it an appropriate name.

What's happened? Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs when normal breast cells become cancerous. Today, at least every tenth woman in the world suffers from this disease. Men are luckier; breast cancer is 100 times less common among them. In the United States alone, about 50 thousand women die from breast cancer.

Causes
The exact cause of breast cancer has not yet been established. However, scientists have identified a whole group of risk factors that are highly likely to trigger the disease. For example, working with sources of radioactive radiation, increased levels of female sex hormones estrogen, poor heredity (breast cancer in close relatives), disruption of the thyroid gland or adrenal glands, etc.

What's happening?
The mutated cell begins to multiply rapidly, and the cancerous tumor, accordingly, begins to grow. Without treatment, it quickly increases in size and grows into the skin, muscles and/or chest wall. Through lymphatic vessels, cancer cells enter the nearest lymph nodes. With the bloodstream, they spread throughout the body, giving rise to new tumors - metastases. Most often, breast cancer metastasizes to the lungs, liver, bones, and brain. Damage to these organs, as well as tumor decay, leads to death.

How to suspect?
Breast cancer, like all other cancers, should be detected as early as possible, while there is still a chance for a complete cure. A woman who cares about her health should regularly engage in self-examination of her mammary glands: examine and palpate them.

During self-examination you should pay attention to:

1. lumps in the mammary gland
2. changes in breast shape and size
3. nipple retraction
4. skin changes (redness, swelling, ulcers)
5. enlarged axillary lymph nodes

At the slightest suspicion of illness, immediately contact a mammologist.

Treatment
Breast cancer is treated comprehensively. First of all, this is surgical intervention, the use of chemotherapy, hormone therapy and radiation therapy.

The success of treatment depends on timely consultation with a doctor. After recovery, breast prosthetics is possible.

Regular examination, especially after 40 years, allows cancer to be detected in the early stages and successfully treated. Take care of yourself!