Localized breast cancer refers to cancer that has not spread to neighboring lymph nodes or other areas of the body. The 5-year survival rate for localized breast cancer is 99%, and the condition is very treatable.
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer occurs when there is an uncontrolled growth of cells in the breast tissue. It is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women globally and accounts for about 30% of all cancers in women.
There are two types of breast cancer:
- In situ breast cancer: In situ breast cancer (carcinoma in situ) is detected in the breast ducts (ductal carcinoma in situ) and has not progressed to the surrounding breast tissue. Noninvasive breast cancer is often detected through mammography and rarely manifests as a breast lump.
- Invasive breast cancer: Invasive breast cancer occurs when cancer cells move through the duct lining into the surrounding breast tissue. This is the most common type of breast cancer. When breast cancer spreads outside the breast to other areas of the body (such as the liver, lungs, bones, or brain), it is considered metastatic or advanced breast cancer.
What are symptoms of localized breast cancer?
Localized breast cancer generally does not cause any symptoms. When present, symptoms of breast cancer may include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Redness
- Skin dimpling
- Nipple retraction
- Nipple discharge
- Swollen lymph nodes under the arm
Regular breast cancer screening such as mammography can help detect breast cancer before symptoms occur. A tumor is generally seen as a lump on a mammogram.
What are treatment options for localized breast cancer?
Localized breast cancer is classified as either stage 1A or stage 1B, and treatment options may include:
Surgery
Surgery is the main treatment for localized breast cancer, and it can entirely remove some localized tumors.
Breast-conserving surgery
Breast-conserving surgery is possible if surgeons can remove the tumor along with a margin of healthy tissue surrounding it while leaving enough tissue for the breast to appear as natural as possible.
Radiation therapy
For early stage breast cancer, external beam radiation treatment is an option following breast-conserving surgery. The breast as well as the lymph nodes beneath the arm and around the collarbone are treated.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is usually not used to treat stage 1 localized breast cancer. However, if there is a high possibility of cancer returning after surgery, adjuvant therapy may be recommended, which involves chemotherapy.
Hormonal therapy
Hormonal therapy is commonly used to treat hormone receptor-positive (HR+) stage 1 breast cancer.
Tamoxifen is the most often used anti-estrogen hormonal treatment medicine used in both menopausal and postmenopausal women. Aromatase inhibitors are generally given to postmenopausal women. They may be given after tamoxifen therapy or in place of tamoxifen if you are unable to or do not want to take tamoxifen. Common aromatase inhibitors include:
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Breast Cancer Awareness: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment See SlideshowHealth Solutions From Our Sponsors
Treatment of Breast Cancer Stages I-III: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/treatment/treatment-of-breast-cancer-by-stage/treatment-of-breast-cancer-stages-i-iii.html
Survival Rates for Breast Cancer: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/understanding-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis/breast-cancer-survival-rates.html
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Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is an invasive tumor that develops in the mammary gland. Breast cancer is detected via mammograms, breast self-examination (BSE), biopsy, and specialized testing on breast cancer tissue. Treatment of breast cancer may involve surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Breast cancer risk may be lowered by managing controllable risk factors.
What you should know about breast cancer
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women.
- One in every eight women in the United States develops breast cancer.
- There are many types of breast cancer that differ in their capability of spreading (metastasize) to other body tissues.
- The causes of breast cancer are unknown, although medical professionals have identified a number of risk factors.
- There are 11 common types of breast cancer and 4 uncommon types of breast cancer.
- Breast cancer early signs and symptoms include
- a lump in the breast or armpit,
- bloody nipple discharge,
- inverted nipple,
- orange-peel texture or dimpling of the breast's skin (peau d'orange),
- breast pain or sore nipple,
- swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpit, and
- a change in the size or shape of the breast or nipple.
- Breast cancer can also be symptom free, which makes following national screening recommendations an important practice.
- Breast cancer is diagnosed during a physical exam, by a self-exam of the breasts, mammography, ultrasound testing, and biopsy.
- Treatment of breast cancer depends on the type of cancer and its stage (0-IV) and may involve surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
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A breast cancer follow-up self-exam is a test that may help a woman detect a recurrence of the disease. A woman should perform a monthly self-exam of both breasts as well as attend scheduled follow-up appointments to detect any breast cancer recurrence early. Lymph node involvement, tumor size, hormone receptor status, histologic grade, nuclear grade, and oncogene expression help determine the likelihood of a recurrence.
Breast Cancer in Children
Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer globally. It is mostly seen in women, whereas men are rarely affected. Breast tumors are occasionally seen in children and are mostly benign (noncancerous) and thought to be harmless. Breast lumps in children are known as fibroadenomas, and girls are more likely to develop these tumors. There is no standard staging of breast cancer in children.
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Breast cancer develops from the cells of the breasts and can spread to other parts of the body (metastasis). It is one of the most common cancers diagnosed in women in the United States. A lump in the breast or armpit is often the first sign. Treatment success depends largely on early detection.
Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer
Radiation therapy for breast cancer is a form of treatment that utilizes high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. Check out the center below for more medical references on breast cancer, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.