When cancer starts from the tissues of the breasts, known as breast cancer. It starts when cells start growing abnormally and out of control.
Usually, cancer grows in the form of a tumour and that can be screened on an x-ray and felt as a lump. Breast cancer can grow in both men and women, but extremely rare in men.
A woman must go to see a doctor when she notices a lump or mass in the breast area. It is a bit painless, a little hard, and round in the case of breast cancer. Only earlier detection can help you get the best possible treatment for breast cancer.
Possible symptoms of breast cancer:
- Breast or nipple pain
- Swelling in a particular part of the breast or nipple
- A lump or swelling under the arms
- Inverted nipple
- Bleeding nipple
- Nipple discharge (Not in the form of breast milk)
- Swollen lymph nodes
Types of breast cancer:
- Inflammatory breast cancer
- IBC is little common in breast cancer patients and it almost effects 1-5 per cent of breast cancer patients.
- Triple-negative breast cancer
- The rare type of breast cancer that tests negative for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and excess HER2 protein.
- Metastatic breast cancer
- This category is defined for the stage-4 breast cancer patients that already started affecting other organs and parts of the body.
- Male breast cancer
- Very rare, but men breast cancer exists as men’s nipples and the surrounding area has the same tissue as women.
How to diagnose breast cancer:
- Physical Review of the breast
The doctor checks both the breasts and lymph nodes under your armpit, trying to find any abnormality.
- Mammogram
A mammogram is an x-ray test run on your breast to find further abnormalities in your breast.
- Breast Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a bit deeper and detailed test that is based on sound waves. It helps understand the condition of solid mass or damaged tissues in the breast.
- Taking a sample of breast tissues & cells for testing (Biopsy)
A biopsy is the only way to ensure if breast cancer exists or not. In a biopsy, a doctor uses a specialized needle device guided by x-ray to extract the core of the affected tissues.
- Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
An MRI machine uses the combination of two magnets and radio waves to get detailed pictures of the inner area of the breast. Like other imaging tests, MRI does not use radioactive waves.
Manipal HealthMap’s diagnostic centres are highly reliable and preferred by the doctors for different tests, scans, and autopsies.