WHAT IS BREAST CANCER
A condition known as cancer occurs when some body cells grow out of control and spread to other body regions. Since the human body contains billions of cells, cancer can develop practically everywhere. Human cells typically proliferate and divide (via a process called cell division) to create new cells as the body requires them. Cells die when they are old or injured, and new cells replace them. According to Cancer Agency Malaysia, breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer that affects women in nation. Comparatively, one in eight women in Europe and one in 19 in the United States are at risk. Breast cancer develops when cells in the ducts or the lobules (milk-producing glands) develop abnormally and proliferate uncontrollably. These abnormal cells start to infect the tissue around the breast and may later migrate to the lymph nodes, lungs, bones, brain, and liver through blood vessels and lymphatic channels.
TYPES OF BREAST CANCER
Whether your cancer is non-invasive or invasive will determine your treatment choices and how you might respond to the treatments you receive. The main types of breast cancer:
- Non-invasive cancer
- Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)
- Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS)
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Invasive cancer
- Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC)
- Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC)
STAGES OF BREAST CANCER
- Stage 0: This is also called ductal carcinoma in situ. The cancerous cells are only within the ducts and have not spread to surrounding tissues.
- Stage 1: At this stage, the tumor measures up to 2 centimeters (cm) across. It has not affected any lymph nodes, or there are small groups of cancer cells in lymph nodes.
- Stage 2: The tumor is 2 cm across and has started to spread to nearby nodes, or it is 2–5 cm across and has not spread to the lymph nodes.
- Stage 3: The tumor is up to 5 cm across and has spread to several lymph nodes, or the tumor is larger than 5 cm and has spread to a few lymph nodes.
- Stage 4: The cancer has spread to distant organs, most often the bones, liver, brain, or lungs.
SOURCES: MyHealth Malaysia Official Portal
