Every 22nd woman in Bulgaria has breast cancer, and every year the number of cases grows by nearly 3800. Learn more about breast cancer and what treatment options are available abroad for the most common cancer among women.
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer occurs when abnormal cells begin to grow and multiply uncontrollably. These cells divide faster than healthy cells and accumulate, forming a lump or mass.
What are the main types of breast cancer?
Mammary tumors are divided into non-invasive and invasive. A non-invasive carcinoma is still located at the site where it appeared. The cancer cells have not yet destroyed the basement membrane and have not affected the surrounding tissues. This means that the tumour has not yet metastasised. In invasive breast carcinomas, the tumor cells destroy the basement membrane beneath the epithelial cells and infiltrate the surrounding tissues. Breast cancer most often begins with cells in the milk-producing ducts (ductal carcinoma). Breast cancer can also start in glandular tissue called lobules (lobular carcinoma) or in other cells or tissue in the breast.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The most prominent symptom of breast cancer is a palpable lump in the breast. A lump may also be present in the armpit. When the lump enlarges, the nipple of the breast pushes inward. This is also one of the symptoms. Although it is very rare, sometimes fluid mixed with or without blood may be discharged from the breast, which can also be a sign of breast cancer. If the tumor causing breast cancer becomes too large, swelling occurs in the skin of the breast and swelling may occur. At the same time, redness and orange appearance of the skin are among the symptoms common in breast cancer. If the breast cancer has spread, there may also be complaints in the area where the metastases are. Recognizing the signs of breast cancer is very important in preventing the progression of the disease.
What are the risk factors?
Researchers have identified hormonal, lifestyle and environmental factors that may increase the risk of breast cancer. Risk factors may be related to gender-99% of cases are in women,age-80% of breast cancers are diagnosed in women over 50 years of age,genetic predisposition, prolonged exposure to estrogens, and others. It is not clear why some people who do not have risk factors develop cancer while other people with risk factors never do. It is likely that breast cancer is caused by a complex interaction between an individual's genetic makeup and the environment.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
After the physical examination, imaging studies - mammography / ultrasonography / MRI - are performed and the patient proceeds to a colon biopsy (cor biopsy) to prove whether the formation is malignant or not. In a large percentage of cases with breast cancer, the tumor cells contain a larger amount of hormone receptors- through them signals are received for division and proliferation. In the case of malignancy, the receptor status from the material taken is examined - at least ER (estrogen), PR (progesterone), HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor), Ki-67 (proliferative index). This information is extremely important in determining the type and regimen of treatment.
Could breast cancer also occur in men?
The disease occurs more often in women, but breast cancer is also possible in men. Cases in them are less than one percent of all detected. Breast cancer in men forms in the breast tissue, just as it does in women. It is important to know that men can also get breast cancer. Due to lack of awareness, they often ignore the early signs of the disease and consult a doctor at a late stage
What is the treatment for breast cancer?
Based on the type of breast cancer, its stage and differentiation, size, and whether the cancer cells are sensitive to hormones, the treating physician selects the type of therapy and treatment protocol. The patient's general health, expectations and attitude towards treatment are also important considerations. The main treatment modalities for breast cancer are: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy. A multidisciplinary approach is very important, which gives a more holistic view of the disease and helps to find the most effective way to treat the problem.
What is the survival prognosis for a breast cancer diagnosis?
The efficacy in the treatment of breast cancer has increased many fold in recent years. There has been a large increase in the ten-year survival of patients diagnosed with breast cancer. All this is the result of serious work on the problem by numerous specialists, hundreds of medical studies, validation of new therapies and technologies in the treatment of the disease.
What would you recommend to patients facing this diagnosis?
When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, she usually panics - she doesn't know what to do first, who to turn to to make sure she makes the right decision for herself. In many cases, the patient worries, waits a long time before seeking a specialist. But, cancer is not something that will fix itself. Something we can escape from or beat with a pill. On the contrary, we need to actively look for a way to deal with the problem. The earlier we start to fight it, the better our chances of getting it right. It is also very important to mention prevention- regular check-ups and timely diagnosis saves lives. ZIC "Medical Carrage" offers special packages for cancer check ups, which you can find on our website.
What should patients do if they are interested in breast cancer treatment abroad?
"Medical Carragee offers breast cancer patients the most advanced and innovative treatment at some of the best cancer centers in the world. All patients who come to us receive a free consultation with some of the best specialists in breast cancer treatment. This way they can find out if they are on the right track in their treatment or if there are other more effective and advanced treatment methods. For us, an informed patient is the best patient because they have already gone at least 10 % of their healing journey...
