October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and October 13th is metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. In honor of both of these awareness efforts and the patients who have fought against, and are currently fighting against Breast Cancer, the Paris Charter Against Cancer would like to contribute to the discussion and present some facts about the disease and what you can do to decrease your risk of being diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
What is Breast Cancer?
Breast Cancer occurs when abnormal cells in tissues of the breast start replicating in an uncontrolled manner and form tumors. There are multiple different types of breast cancer. The type is determined by which kind of cell it originates from.
Breast Cancer Types:
- Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS): This form usually starts in the milk ducts and does not spread beyond there.
- Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC): IDC typically starts in the milk duct and quickly spreads to the surrounding tissue. It is one of the most common types of breast cancer
- Lobular Breast Cancer: This form starts in the milk-producing glands known as lobules. It does typically spread to the surrounding tissue.
- Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC): A rare but aggressive form of breast cancer. It differs from other breast cancers in the sense that it does not have receptors for estrogen and progesterone or HER2 receptors.
- Inflammatory Breast Cancer: A rare, fast-spreading form of breast cancer that appears as a rash as a consequence of cancer cells blocking lymph vessels, preventing lymph fluid from draining and causing irritation. The rash causes an orange peel-like texture to form on the skin of the affected breast.
- Paget’s disease of the Breast: A rare form of cancer that affects the nipple or areola
Breast cancer can also become metastatic (otherwise referred to as Stage IV Breast Cancer), meaning it has spread beyond the breast and into other parts of the body via the lymphatic system or the bloodstream. Research estimates that nearly 10% of all initial diagnoses are Stage IV, and that nearly 30% of all early-stage breast cancers metastasize. It can occur as a continuance of the original cancer, either during the initial occurrence or as a metastatic/distant recurrence months or years after the original diagnosis. It is most likely to affect the brain, lungs, liver, or bones once it has reached this stage.
Subtypes
Breast cancer is often classified into subtypes as well. These subtypes are determined by the status of the cell’s receptors. Receptors are protein molecules located on or within cells that can bind to specific substances in the bloodstream, such as hormones like estrogen and progesterone. Determining what kind of receptor cancer cells have is crucial to developing a treatment plan, as some substances, like estrogen and progesterone, can help cancers grow.
Breast Cancer subtypes include:
- ER-positive (ER+): Estrogen receptors are present.
- PR-positive (PR+): Progesterone receptors are present.
- HR-postive (HR+): Both Estrogen and Progesterone receptors are present.
- HR-negative (HR-): Neither Estrogen nor Progesterone receptors are present.
- HER2-positive (HER2+): A higher-than-normal level of the HER2 protein is present. This protein also helps cancer cells grow.
Risk Factors
Many factors have been shown to increase the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
One of the biggest risk factors is sex. Women and people assigned female at birth are much more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB). Male and AMAB breast cancer cases account for less than 1% of all cases.
It is possible to have a genetic predisposition towards breast cancer as well. Certain genetic mutations, particularly those of the BRCA1, BRCA2, and PTEN genes, present a higher risk towards developing certain cancers, including breast cancer. Additionally, if you have a family history of breast cancer i.e. a close relative such as a parent, sibling, or child, you are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Other risk factors include:
- Age: You are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at or over the age of 55.
- Consuming alcohol and smoking
- Radiation exposure: You are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer if you have previously undergone radiation therapy, particularly if the therapy was targeted at the head, neck or chest region.
- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): Being on an HRT regimen can present you with a higher risk of breast as well as uterine cancer
Screening & Prevention
Regularly going to the doctor and getting a physical examination or conducting a self-examination is key for early detection.
Other screening methods include a mammogram or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the breast tissue. These screening methods typically start for women at the age of 40 and if they present with an average risk of being diagnosed. If they present with a higher than risk, they may be getting a mammogram or MRI more frequently, or start before the age of 40.
Genetic testing has also been used as a screening method, as breast cancer is associated with several genes. Getting tested for the BRAC1, BRAC2 and PTEN genes can be useful as it would indicate what cancers a person is at high risk of and allow them and their healthcare team to develop a better screening and prevention plan.
In terms of prevention, there are a few general things that one can do in order to reduce the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. The most significant is maintaining a healthy weight, healthy diet and exercising regularly are key. Numerous studies have shown that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can have a positive influence on reducing the risk of being diagnosed with cancer, and there are specific studies liking regular physical activity with a reduced breast cancer risk.
Statistics
- Breast cancer is the 2nd most common cancer, accounting for 2,296,840 million cases in 2022
- It is the 4th most lethal cancer, with a morality rate of 666,103 in 2022
- Male breast cancer cases account for 1% of all cases.
Graph Showing Incidence and Mortality Rate of the Top 15 Cancer Sites for Both Sexes
Graph Showing Incidence and Mortality Rate of Breast Cancer in Both Sexes According to UN world Regions in 2022
Map Showing Incidence Rate of Breast Cancer in Both Sexes per Country in 2022
Map Showing Mortality Rate of Breast Cancer in Both Sexes per Country in 2022
