In September 2004, my doctor discovered a lump. After several ultrasounds and mammograms, the problems outweighed my age enough to require a biopsy. At 26, I was not a likely candidate for a mammogram, not to mention an open surgical biopsy.
The lump turned out to be many, but, to my relief, they were mostly simple fluid cysts. However, because of these cysts, something more than interest was found. The radiologist saw several micro-calcifications, which manifested themselves in the form of small white spots during my shows.
In February 2005, a small wire localization biopsy was performed, and a section on the size of a stack of 6 tones was removed (toni is a Canadian two-dollar coin). He was examined by a pathologist at Nanaimo, and the diagnosis was unclear, so the slides were sent to a specialist at the National Cancer Agency in Vancouver for consultation. According to his review, it was a “difficult case.” A month after the procedure, although I did not see the report, I was told that it was “not cancer”, but we must continue screening every 6 months to make sure that nothing has changed.
My experience with the Cancer Agency; The center of Vancouver Island did not develop until the year when I lived in Victoria. I had a routine check, and my new doctor asked for my medical card from a previous clinic in Nanaimo. I gave him my version of the past two years. events, so he was a little surprised to read my pathology report a year before he stated that, among other things, I was diagnosed with lobular carcinoma at Cita (LCIS). He called on my behalf, and a few hours later I was tied up by someone from the Cancer Agency here in Victoria.
A few days later I met with a specialist, and we went to my report on surgical pathology to try to decipher exactly what he had in mind. He spent 3 hours with me, going over the diagnosis, translating and even creating diagrams to help me understand. He was very thorough and helped me cope with the diagnosis.
Depending on who you ask, or what reports you read, LCIS is not considered cancer, as its name suggests. It was explained to me that “in situ” means that abnormal cancer cells are present, but do not spread beyond the tissues where they initially develop. LCIS is considered a red flag that allows the doctor and patient to keep track of things.
In fact, invasive cancer was not detected, although several “traces” were found. Markers indicate an increased risk of invasive breast cancer in the future. There are several risk factors associated with the disease, which include; age, hormonal risk factors, personal or family history, lifestyle habits and antecedent intraframe hyperplasia. Although neither my age nor lifestyle present an increased risk, my family history and the diagnosis of intraductal hyperplasia and LCIS significantly increase my risk.
The significance of the diagnosis of cancer is somewhat overwhelming, but it is important that thanks to the indications available through funding, I know about the risks, and I control my options for medical care.
Early-stage cancer is difficult to detect without the use of screening tests. Thanks to the care of my doctors and a little diligence on my part, I can stay on top of my health problems.
The BC Cancer Fund raises funds so that people can get the help they need from any BC cancer agency throughout the province. Their mandate includes research, prevention and education, early detection and diagnosis, and treatment and care. Visit their bccancerfoundation site.
The basics
First of all, let's try to understand what cancer is. In the cells of our body there are genes that regulate the growth of these cells. A normal healthy cell grows at a reasonable rate, and it often dies and is replaced by a new one. A cancer cell has the ability to divide rapidly and produces many cells that form a tumor. A benign tumor is simply one that consists of cells that are usually normal and are considered harmless for the most part. Those belonging to doctors are malignant tumors that are malignant and can continue to multiply through the body.
Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that develops in the breast, usually in the lobules (mammary glands) or channels (tubes that carry milk to the nipple). I usually speak because it can also develop in the connective tissues of the breast; which is the fat part that surrounds the ducts and lobules.
Understanding the lymphatic system is an important part of understanding how breast cancer can spread. Lymph nodes are an assembly of cells of the immune system that are connected by lymphatic vessels (small veins that carry the lymph away from the chest). Lymph is a clear fluid that contains tissue fluid, waste and cells of the immune system. may begin to grow in the lymph nodes. If this happens, there is a good chance that they also entered the bloodstream, and therefore spread to other parts of the body.
What for?
Only 5-10% of cancers are hereditary (transmitted from the mother or father). Cancer itself is not inherited, but a gene that increases the risk factor for cancer is inherited. The other 90 to 95% of cancers are sporadic.
So what does this mean? Well, our genes have a lot of jobs and are responsible for telling our cells what to do and when to do it. If there is a mutation in these genes, it causes the cells to do strange things. In the case of cancer, the mutated gene says that cells divide when they should not be the cause of the tumors (as described in the Basics). For the most part, gene mutations usually occur later in life and are the result of natural aging or the effects of things like smoke, hormones, certain viruses or chemicals and dietary effects. Damage to our cells does not always lead to cancer, because our cells are also equipped to repair damage, and, as you remember, from the 9th grade of Science, we have 2 copies of each regenerating gene (one from each parent). But if a mutation occurs in both copies of a gene, it can mean uncontrolled growth and can lead to cancer.
If a person is born with a mutation in one of the copies of a pair of damage-repairing genes, this means that their risk of developing cancer is higher, known in the medical community as “genetic susceptibility”. This is due to the fact that they have only one good protective gene, and if it is damaged in the process of aging or due to other environmental influences, this may lead to the fact that the gene that communicates with its cells will divide and multiply with high speed. Therefore, hereditary cancer usually develops earlier in life.
When cancer develops in someone who does not have a family history or “genetic susceptibility,” this is called “sporadic cancer.” Since both copies of the protective gene, which mutate temporarily, begin in good condition, sporadic cancer usually develops later in life, since damage is required for both copies.
Genes associated with breast cancer are called the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Genetic risk assessment and genetic counseling are available to help you detect your risk of developing breast and other cancers. A genetic risk assessment will tell you if you are carrying a BRCA1 or 2 gene mutation, but it will not tell you what your risk of developing breast cancer is. Genetic counseling can help you understand your hereditary cancer risk by analyzing family history, discussing genetic testing, and providing information and advice to specialists. Learn more about genetic counseling.
Symptoms or signs of breast cancer can range from lumps and edema to changes in the skin. Non-cancerous cysts and infections often have the same symptoms. So how can you be sure?
the symptoms
Watch for the following symptoms:
* swelling of all or part of the breast
* skin irritation or dimple
* chest pain
* pain in nipples or nipple turning inward
* redness, pallor or thickening of the nipple of the breast
* loss of nipple, except for breast milk
* lump in the armpits
detection
Self Breast Examination (BSE)
In my humble opinion, the most important way to stay on top of the health of your breasts is because this is what you can do on your own and get to know your body. It becomes a rather controversial subject. In 2008, 400,000 women were surveyed in Russia and China, who reported that the BSE did not reduce mortality and could cause more damage due to the appearance of unnecessary biopsies. My opinion is that it is better to be safe than sorry. According to Breastcancer.org, about 20% of breast cancer cases are detected by physical examinations, rather than mammography.
Breast self-examination can be frustrating at first, because you don’t know what to look for, and if you are like most women, there are a lot of bumps and lumps in your chest that are harmless. That is why you should do it on a regular basis - every month. The best time to conduct BSE is a few days after your period when the recession has dropped. If you feel that the piece does not panic, it is most likely not cancer. But if you check his doctor, and then follow him to see if anything changes. You can leave a journal with notes about where and when you discovered something suspicious. If the change lasts longer than one cycle, consult a doctor to check it.
Mammography
This is one of the most hated words in English for women! But I'm here to tell you that they were given a bad rap, and they are not as terrible as they were made. In the end, they save lives! Doctors have been using mammograms for the past 40 years to find and diagnose breast cancer. Mammograms have been shown to reduce the risk of death from breast cancer by 35% in women over 50 years of age. Cancer grounds around the world are now recommending annual screening for women over 40 to find tumors before they can become invasive breast cancers. Early detection often means that the cancer can be removed without a mastectomy (breast removal).
Of course, nothing is guaranteed, and only a mammogram can miss up to 20% of breast cancer cases, because they are simply not visible. Breast self-examination and other methods, such as ultrasound or MRI, can also help identify problems.
treatment
There are several types of breast cancer, and your treatment may differ depending on your diagnosis. Some of the most common types of breast cancer are described below:
DCIS - Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
This form of cancer is considered non-invasive because it remains inside the milk duct. It can grow inside the duct, but does not extend to the rest of the breast tissue or lymph nodes. If used early enough, DCIS can be removed using lumpectomy, which consists in removing only the area of the breast that contains cancer. However, if the cancer is large or appears in more places through the chest, a mastectomy may be required. In most cases, radiation is followed by lumpectomy, but during a mastectomy only radiation follows, if laboratory tests show cancer near the edge of the tissue removed.
IDC - invasive dense carcinoma
This is the most common type of breast cancer, accounting for about 80% of all cases. It begins in the milk ducts and spreads to the surrounding breast tissue. If left untreated, it can spread to the lymph nodes and other areas of the body. Invasive crayfish is given a stage to describe how far it has spread from its original location. It is based on the size of the tumor, regardless of whether it extends to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body. It can vary from stages 1 to 4, where 1 is the earliest stage and 4 is the most advanced stage.
Your doctor will order different tests to determine at what stage the cancer is and to help determine the best treatment term. Typically, the patient will undergo an operation to remove the tumor and determine if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. This operation can range from lumpectomy (removal of a piece or tumor only) to radical mastectomy (removal of the breast [s] and all the muscles under the breasts [s]) or somewhere in the middle. Radiation can be recommended after surgery to destroy and preserve invasive IDC cells. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Chemotherapy is used to treat many higher-grade cancers when the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Chemo (for short) is a medicine (or combination of medicines) that enter the bloodstream to pass through the body, interfering with rapidly dividing cells. For the most part, they are cancer cells, but there are also many healthy cells in your body that quickly divide, for example, in your blood, mouth, intestinal tract, nose, nails, vagina, and hair. Therefore, chemotherapy will also affect them, causing symptoms ranging from hair loss to osteoporosis.
Your doctor may also recommend hormone or other targeted therapies. As is the case with any serious medical diagnoses, there is a follow-up care that will be important for your continued health. Your doctor must pass regular exams and tests.
LCIS - Lobular carcinoma in situ
Like DCIS, LCIS is not considered an invasive cancer, as it does not spread to other areas inside or outside the chest. It is considered a marker of breast cancer, which means that a person has a higher risk of developing invasive breast cancer in the future, and should be monitored using conventional mammography and ultrasound sounds. It usually occurs in women under the age of 50-50 years before the age of menopal. It is difficult to assess the risk that a patient with LCIS develops invasive cancer, because LCIS may go unnoticed, however, as calculated, your risk increases from 12.5% for average women to 30-40% when diagnosed with LCIS.
LCIS is usually diagnosed when a biopsy is performed due to an abnormality in a mammogram. This does not require typical cancer treatment, but it should be carefully monitored to monitor early signs of invasive cancer. Talk to your doctor about medications and treatments that can help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.
ILC - Invasive Lobular Carcinoma
This is the second most common type of breast cancer, accounting for about 10% of all cases. It begins in lobules and spreads to the surrounding breast tissue. If left untreated, it can spread to the lymph nodes and other areas of the body. ILC is usually found in more than one area in the chest and is likely to affect both breasts. It slowly extends beyond the chest and has a tendency to appear in the stomach, intestines and ovaries and, as is known, eventually spreads to the tissues of the spinal cord of the brain.
Treatment and care for ILC are similar to IDC methods and vary depending on the stage of the cancer cells.
Some other less common forms of breast cancer are inflammatory breast cancer, male breast cancer, and recurrent and metastatic breast cancer.
cope
After you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you have so many questions that you do not even know where to start. Most of them probably relate to your health and your options. But there are many other factors in your life that suffer from breast cancer along your health. For example, how will I pay for my help? What if I can't work? How will my family cope? How will my life change?
You need more than just medical care, you need mental and spiritual support. Who are you talking about your cancer problems? The same people about whom you speak about your daily cares. You should have a support group that will help you in difficult times. If you don’t feel that you have anyone near you that you can talk to, there are more options. Talk to a social worker or psychologist. It is important that your thoughts and fears are open, and as long as you have a sympathetic ear, this will help you to release some of these fears.
There are many support groups for other people with breast cancer and cancer survivors who can borrow an ear, and can also take the opportunity to talk to you. Ask your doctor about support groups in your area or visit the bulletin boards on Breastcancer.org.
I found that participating in fundraisers is also a great way to feel that I control the situation, for example, I dictated at least one part of how this disease affected my life. В прошлом году я принимал участие в CIBC Run for the Cure в Виктории и привлек почти 5000 долларов США, чтобы помочь исследованиям в моей области.
