Breast Cancer

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer develops in the breast tissue, forming a mass or tumor. The cells in the tumor undergo genetic mutations that stop them from dying as normal cells would at the end of their lifespan and instead multiply rapidly.

Breast cancer primarily affects women, although men can get it too. The different types of breast cancer include:  

• Angiosarcoma
• Paget’s disease of the breast
• Invasive lobular carcinoma
• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
• Inflammatory breast cancer

Breast cancer is the second most widespread cancer in women. Advanced Cancer Care of New Jersey, PC, specializes in providing the most effective breast cancer treatments to women and men.

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

The most apparent symptom of breast cancer is a lump you can feel in the breast. Other changes that can occur include:

• Dimpling
• Redness
• Pitting
• Peeling
• Crusting
• Flaking skin
• A newly inverted nipple
• Changes in size or shape

Not all breast lumps are cancerous — many are due to benign (noncancerous) conditions like cysts. However, it’s important to visit Dr. Shah for a checkup if you notice any changes in your breast.

How is breast cancer diagnosed?

A manual breast exam can detect lumps but not determine whether they’re cancerous. A mammogram shows the structure of the lump in more detail for an accurate diagnosis. Mammograms are also a vital screening tool for breast cancer, identifying tumors at a much earlier stage.

Another diagnostic tool for breast cancers that are hard to locate or identify is breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI), a molecular breast imaging technology.

How is breast cancer treated?

The treatment you need for your breast cancer varies depending on the type of cancer and its stage of development. Early diagnosis increases your chance of avoiding surgery, but removing the tumor is essential for many women.

Options include a lumpectomy, where your surgeon removes the cancer and a little of the surrounding tissue, or a mastectomy, where they remove some or all of the breast. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy destroy any remaining cancer cells. Some patients might benefit from chemotherapy before breast cancer surgery to shrink the tumor.

Tamoxifen hormone therapy can also help by reducing levels of estrogen (one of the female sex hormones) in your breasts.

If you notice changes in your breasts or feel a lump, contact Advanced Cancer Care of New Jersey, PC, without delay. Call the office or book an appointment online today.