Protective breast cancer

In the list of women's oncological diseases, protocol breast cancer is found no less frequently than other types of breast cancer. In recent years, the incidence of this type of cancer has increased significantly.

Protocarcinoma differs from other types of malignant breast tumors, primarily by the fact that it begins its development from the internal walls of the milk ducts, without affecting the lobes and other tissues of the gland.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]

Causes of the duct of breast cancer

Among the causes and risk factors for the development of breast cancer, it is necessary to distinguish the following:

• absence of pregnancy in the anamnesis;
• belated first pregnancy (if a woman is over 35 years old);
• early puberty;
• delayed onset of the climacteric period;
• cases of breast cancer on the next of kin (mothers, sisters, daughters);
• long-term treatment with drugs of female sex hormones (5-6 years);
• the presence of predisposition to the growth of malignant formations (abnormal genes).

Breast cancer can also appear in male carriers of the mutated BRCA2 gene.

[8], [9], [10]

Symptoms of the duct of breast cancer

The initial and non-invasive stages of the protocol cancers are detected, as a rule, randomly, with a preventive examination or a planned ultrasound.

Invasive breast cancer can be manifested by certain symptoms, which the patient can pay attention to on his own:

• dense or pineal areas in the mammary gland that can be palpated. Such seals do not disappear, but only increase in size over time;
• on the skin of the breast appear areas with a changed color, structure;
• one of the mammary glands acquires other outlines, its shape and contours change;
• there are changes in the area of one of the nipples. It can be the appearance of redness, a change in shape and retraction of the nipple, the formation of scales and sores in the paranasal region;
• when pressing, or independently, from the milky ducts, there are discharges of a different nature (with blood, with pus or light, depending on the stage of the process);
• there is a feeling of fullness and pressure with one of the breasts.

If a woman finds at least one of the above symptoms, she should definitely consult a doctor in order to conduct additional diagnosis of the mammary gland in a timely manner. You can make an appointment with a gynecologist, mammologist or an ultrasound specialist.

[11], [12]

Forms

Invasive Protective Breast Cancer

The invasive form of the protocol cancer is also called infiltrating cancer, or breast carcinoma.

Infiltrating ductal breast cancer is the most common form of malignant breast formation. Such cancer is found in 80% of cases of breast cancer.

From the usual non-invasive form, infiltrating cancer is characterized by the fact that the malignant process is not limited only to the walls of the milky canal, but extends beyond it and affects other nearby tissues of the breast.

A characteristic feature of invasive cancer is considered to be a fairly dense tumor with "torn" borders, not fluctuating (as it were "glued" to the nearest tissues). The nipple or the entire parotid zone is most often drawn inward.

Often on diagnostic images in the neoplasm zone, small, chaotically located deposits of lime in the tissue (from 50 to 600 μm) are detected. Such deposits are the result of a necrotic process in cells with subsequent impregnation of dead structures with calcium salts.

Neoplasms in invasive breast cancer can have different sizes and rates of development, depending on the characteristics of the malignant cells in each case.

[13],

Diagnostics of the duct of breast cancer

In order to accurately determine the disease of the breast, it is necessary to undergo a certain number of examinations. Diagnosis of protocol breast cancer may include the following procedures:

1. Mammography is the most common diagnostic method, which is an x-ray examination of the breast. The accuracy of this survey reaches 90-95%, even if there are no visual and palpation symptoms of the tumor. The procedure is carried out using a special X-ray machine, which allows you to examine the left and right mammary gland from two foreshortening - frontal and lateral. Mammography devices of the latest generation have special stereotactic computer devices, thanks to which an exact puncture with subsequent biopsy is performed. The presence of a modern apparatus practically guarantees recognition of the protocol cancer in the initial period of the disease, and also greatly facilitates the course of surgical intervention. However, there are some limitations for using this method of diagnosis: most specialists do not advise conducting a mammography study for young girls and women under 50, since mammography is a kind of radiological procedure, during which the breast gland takes on a small, still irradiation.
2. Thermography - a method for determining the temperature of the skin of the chest. The fact is that healthy tissues and tumor tissues have different temperatures. This is because the tumor contains more small vessels that produce heat and are easily detected by a thermograph. True, this method is not very popular: its error in the definition of malignant processes is still very high.
3. The method of light scanning is an improved version of diaphanoscopy (examination of the tissue lumen). The procedure is based on infrared transmission of the gland tissues. The method is not very common due to the weak sensitivity and complexity of differentiation of diseases.
4. Ultrasound is the second most popular method (after mammography). The procedure is rather fast, harmless and informative enough: it provides exhaustive information about the malignant process, its location, size and shape. Ultrasound is allowed to use at any age unlimited number of times.
5. Ductography (galactography, or contrast mammography). This procedure is often used in the presence of detachable from the milk ducts. A special contrast fluid is injected into the milky canal, followed by a snapshot that indicates changes in the course of the ducts.
6. A biopsy is the removal of a small element of the tumor tissue into a study. The tissue is taken with a puncture - a slight puncture of the tissues in the area of the supposed location of the tumor. In the future, the seized tissue element is examined under a microscope for the presence of atypical cellular structures in it. The puncture for biopsy is not always done: sometimes the tissue for research is taken already during the operation to remove the tumor. This is done to establish a final diagnosis to the patient.

As additional research can be used MRI and computer tomography, scanning of the bone system, etc.

[14], [15], [16]

Treatment of the duct of breast cancer

Treatment of protocol breast cancer will be more effective when using an integrated approach using surgical, medicamental, hormonal therapy and irradiation.

Methods of treatment and therapy are prescribed by the attending physician, usually after a consultation involving multidisciplinary specialists: a mammologist, an oncologist, a chemotherapist and a radiologist.

The complexity of treatment depends on the size of the tumor, the degree of invasiveness (penetration into surrounding tissues), the presence of metastases, as well as the age and well-being of the patient.

1. Surgical intervention. A radical (complete removal of the tumor) or palliative (aimed at prolonging the life of the patient if it is impossible to completely get rid of the tumor) is performed. Operative intervention can have different degrees and volumes. This may be a lumpectomy (partial removal of the gland), quadrantectomy (removal of most of the gland) and mastectomy (complete removal of the breast with nearby lymph nodes). Breast reconstruction is often performed at the same time with a mastectomy, or 12 months after the completion of treatment after the final examination.
2. Radiation therapy. It is used when it is impossible to perform surgical treatment, and also after surgery to prevent relapse of the tumor. Such therapy is not carried out at a decompensation of cardiac activity, at disorders of a circulation of a brain, at serious infringements of a metabolism and diseases of a liver. In some cases, radiation therapy is prescribed before surgery to localize the malignant focus.
3. Chemotherapy. Preliminary treatment with chemotherapy drugs allows to stop the growth of malignant neoplasm, which further contributes to the organ-saving operation. Chemotherapy either inhibits or inhibits tumor growth, which improves the prognosis of the disease and improves the survival of patients. Doctors rarely resort to the appointment of any one chemotherapy. The most common combination therapy is used, especially in the presence of regional metastases. Applied anthracyclines, taxanes, including monoclonal drugs (trastuzumab, herceptin).
4. Hormonal treatment. Some breast tumors use drugs that lower the level of estrogen in the body, which allows you to slow down the growth of the tumor. Most often, tamoxifen is the drug of choice.

By combining the above therapeutic methods, specialists strive to achieve positive results and even completely to defeat breast cancer.

Prevention

The best prevention of protocol cancers is periodic examination at a gynecologist's appointment. It is also important to treat any diseases of the reproductive system in time, not to allow their transition into a chronic course. It is necessary to monitor the regularity of the menstrual cycle, and in case of malfunctions and disorders of menstruation, you should always consult a doctor.

Regular independent examination (examination and palpation) of the mammary glands allows you to detect suspicious symptoms on time and undergo a thorough comprehensive diagnosis.

If this is possible, then one should not postpone pregnancy until 35 years of age. It is also undesirable to do abortions. It is recommended to have a regular sex life.

The baby must be kept on breastfeeding for at least 1 year.

Watch your diet, protect your chest from injury, avoid alcohol and smoking.

Stress is a major burden on the hormonal system, so you should try to avoid them.

And the most basic: at the slightest suspicion and symptoms it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor. Very often timely intervention of the doctor allows you to save not only the patient's health, but also his life.

[17], [18], [19]

Forecast

With timely access to the doctor and in the initial stages of tumor development, the prognosis has the right to be favorable.

We can speak about a less optimistic forecast in the following cases:

• with a large size of the neoplasm;
• in the presence of metastases in the nearest lymph nodes;
• in the absence of receptors of female sex hormones;
• at a young age of the patient;
• with a low-grade tumor;
• with an invasive form of protocol cancer.

However, first of all, the quality of the forecast depends on the time interval from the moment of tumor development to the beginning of diagnostic and therapeutic measures. Therefore, in order to protect your body from this disease and prevent the occurrence of relapses, once a month to conduct an independent examination of the mammary glands and, if necessary, do not hesitate to contact the doctor.

Breast cancer is not a verdict, but success in fighting the disease depends entirely on your serious attitude towards the problem. Follow the doctor's recommendations, change the way of life in the right direction, and the disease will soon retreat.

[20], [21]