Breast cancer is not associated with age,social belonging or gender. Pathology can appear in every person. However, in percentage terms, the proportion of men among the sick is negligible. There are different forms of breast cancer. In this article, we will dwell in more detail on the invasive pathology.
To better understand the pathogenesis of the disease, it is necessary to understand the anatomy of the breast. In its structure it is customary to distinguish the following parts:
Another important part of the breast is lymphadenitis. They catch cancerous elements and harmful microorganisms, performing a protective function.
Pregnancy promotes a strengthenedproduction of milk in the glands. Then it flows from the nipples along the ducts. Certain types of malignant neoplasms of the gland begin their development, affecting several thoracic ducts. Among them is invasive cancer.
Invasive breast cancer is seriousoncological disease. It is characterized by the spread of a tumor in adipose or connective tissue. By invasion is meant the ability of malignant elements to isolate themselves from the primary focus and quickly infect the surrounding organs. This is one of the conditions for tumor metastasis. The treatment tactics depends on the invasiveness or non-invasiveness of the neoplasm.
In this disease, cancer cells rapidlyaffect nearby lymph nodes. In advanced stages, their activity spreads to the spinal cord, liver, and kidneys. If malignant elements are found outside the mammary glands, this type of pathology is called metastatic breast cancer.
Invasive breast cancer progresses slowly. It may be preceded by pretumor diseases, such as mastopathy. Let us consider in more detail the main causes of pathology.
No one can be immune to breast cancer.According to statistics, every ninth of the fair sex suffers from the manifestations of this disease. According to doctors, patients can be several times more. More than a million women are unaware of the presence of a tumor. In the early stages, the pathology is almost asymptomatic, and it can only be diagnosed with the help of a comprehensive examination. Unfortunately, the appearance of the first signs often means that the disease has moved to a new stage of development. What symptoms indicate invasive breast cancer?
If these symptoms are present, you should immediately consult a doctor to identify the causes.
The medical literature describes several pathology variants, which are invasive breast cancer. These diseases include:
Diagnosis of the disease usually begins withself-examination. The structure of the female breast allows to identify seals during palpation. Skin changes, nipple shape, and other symptoms indicating the severity of the pathology can also be detected independently. If you suspect a disease, you must consult a doctor. The specialist should conduct a physical examination and appoint an additional examination. Usually for diagnosis use mammography, breast ultrasound and MRI. When neoplasms are detected, a biopsy is performed. The obtained samples are then sent for analysis to the laboratory. The results of the study allow to determine the hormonal status of the tumor, its features.
Separately, you should tell about when and whydonate blood for tumor markers. This analysis is used to diagnose the disease, and then - to monitor the treatment. Oncomarkers are macromolecules that are synthesized in a woman’s body in response to the activity of cancer elements. When their level exceeds the norm, we can talk about the presence of a pathological process, but not always. In some cases, an increase in the number of macromolecules in the blood indicates an allergy, benign growth, or inflammation. If invasive cancer is suspected, the concentration of the following tumor markers should be checked: CA 15-3, CA 27-29, HER2. To obtain reliable results on the eve of the tests should relax, do not take alcohol. Blood for tumor markers is taken from a vein. Decoding the results involved a doctor in the laboratory.
There are several methods of dealing with invasivecancer: surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, biological, hormonal therapy. Commonly used complex treatment. First, the doctor removes the tumor. Then the patient is prescribed radiation therapy. It allows you to increase the effectiveness of the treatment by 70%. Irradiation is necessarily indicated to patients in whom the tumor size exceeds 5 cm. Chemotherapy, hormone therapy and biological therapy are used as systemic methods of cancer control. If progesterone or estrogen receptors are detected in the gland tissues, hormone treatment is used. In the absence of these elements, chemotherapy is prescribed.
The prognosis for this disease depends onresults of the treatment. Invasive damage to the mammary glands is characterized by a high percentage of deaths. Therefore, in many states they are beginning to introduce screening programs that allow detecting oncology at early stages. There are four of them. Invasive breast cancer grade 2 or 1st, diagnosed in a timely manner, in 90% of cases ends with recovery. Positive dynamics is possible only with proper treatment. Survival rate in oncology of the 3rd degree is 47%, and in the 4th case - about 16%. In the later stages, invasive breast cancer is difficult to treat. The prognosis worsens significantly with the appearance of metastases.
