Breast Cancer: 4 Key Facts for Women

All women are at risk for breast cancer, and risk increases with age. Knowing key facts about breast cancer can help a woman detect Dr. Polly Niravath problems early, when chances of successful treatment are greatest.

1RECOGNIZING WARNING SIGNS IS VITAL “Regularly checking your breasts allows you to become familiar with how they normally look and feel,” said Dr. Polly Niravath, breast oncologist and director of the Cancer Survivorship Program at Houston Methodist Cancer Center. “If you know the warning signs of breast cancer, you’ll be better equipped to recognize when something has changed and it’s time to alert your doctor.” See “Symptoms of Breast Cancer.”

2EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES Early detection means a better chance of treating it successfully, and annual screenings are essential to early breast cancer detection. Women in their 20s and 30s should have clinical breast examinations every three years during their routine physical exam, and around age 40 women should begin having an annual mammogram.

“Screening mammograms can detect breast cancer up to two years before a lump is felt,” Niravath said. “Cancers detected at early stages often means the cells are confined to the ducts and haven’t spread to surrounding breast tissue.”

Because of early detection as well as improvements in the way breast cancer is treated, 90% of women with breast cancer are alive five years after their diagnosis. 3 THERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES OF BREAST CANCER Many women think of breast cancer as a single disease. In fact, there are many different types. “Breast cancer is labeled based on where in the breast it originates. The ducts of the breasts are the most common place for cancer to start,” Niravath said.

The milk ducts of the breast are tubes that carry milk from the milk-producing glands (lobules) to the nipple. Breast cancers that start in the milk ducts are called ductal carcinomas, while breast cancers that start in the lobules are called lobular carcinomas.

4BREAST CANCER CAN BE NONINVASIVE OR INVASIVE Noninvasive cancer, which is confined to the ducts of the breast, is called ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, and is considered stage 0 breast cancer. Noninvasive breast cancers rarely cause symptoms or lumps you can feel, but they may appear as tiny areas of calcification (tiny flecks of calcium) on a mammogram.

“When breast cancer has spread outside the duct and into surrounding breast tissue, it is classified as invasive,” Niravath explained. “It then may spread to other areas of the body.”

About 70-80% of breast cancers are invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs). IDC appears as a hard, firm lump. About 12% of breast cancers are invasive lobular carcinomas (ILCs). Rather than appearing as a hard lump, this cancer may feel like a thickening. ILC may be more difficult to detect on a mammogram than IDC.

SYMPTOMS OF BREAST CANCER

Symptoms of breast cancer include:

A painless lump or mass in (or near) the breast

A change in breast size or firmness A warm area in the breast

Breast skin changes, such as dimpling, a sore or a rash

Nipple itching, burning, rash, turning inward or discharge Pain in the breast

Swelling under the armpit or of the arm

Early Detection Starts with Your Mammogram

Visit houstonmethodist.org/breast-care or call 713.441.PINK (7465) to schedule your mammogram today.