Cancer occurs when changes called mutations take place in genes that regulate cell growth. The mutations let the cells divide and multiply in an uncontrolled way. Breast cancer develops in breast cells; typically, it forms in either the lobules or the ducts of the breast. Cancer can also occur in the fatty tissue or the fibrous connective tissue within your breast. The uncontrolled cancer cells often invade other healthy breast tissue and can travel to the lymph nodes under the arms. The lymph nodes are a primary pathway that help the cancer cells move to other parts of the body.

Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer. About one in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. There's a good chance of recovery if it's detected in its early stages.

Symptoms

In its early stages, breast cancer may not cause any symptoms. In many cases, a tumour may be too small to be felt, but an abnormality can still be seen on a mammogram. If a tumour can be felt, the first sign is usually a new lump in the breast that was not there before. However, not all lumps are cancerous. Each type can cause a variety of symptoms; many of these symptoms are similar, but some can be different. Common symptoms include:

• Breast lump or tissue thickening that feels different than surrounding tissue and has developed recently

• Breast pain

• Red, pitted skin over your entire breast

• Swelling in all or part of your breast

• Bloody discharge from the breast

• Peeling, scaling, or flaking of skin on your breast

• Changes to the appearance of the skin on your breasts

• A lump or swelling under your arm

If you have any of these symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have breast cancer. For instance, pain in your breast or a breast lump can be caused by a benign cyst. Still, if you find a lump in your breast or have other symptoms, you should see your doctor for further examination and testing.

Causes

The exact causes of breast cancer are not fully understood. However, there are certain factors known to increase the risk of breast cancer. These may include age which means the risk increases as you get older, a family history of breast cancer, a previous diagnosis, a previous benign breast lump, being tall, overweight or obese or alcohol consumption.

Treatment

If cancer is detected at an early stage, it can be treated before it spreads to other parts of the body. Breast cancer is treated using a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Surgery is usually the first type of treatment you'll have, followed by chemotherapy or radiotherapy or, in some cases, hormone or biological treatments. The type of surgery and the treatment you have afterwards will depend on the type of breast cancer you have. Your doctor will discuss the best treatment plan with you. In a small proportion of women, breast cancer is discovered after its spread to other parts of the body (metastatic breast cancer). Secondary cancer, also called advanced or metastatic cancer, is not curable, so the aim of treatment is to achieve remission (symptom relief).

Prevention

As the causes of breast cancer are not fully understood, at the moment it's not possible to know if it can be prevented. If you're at increased risk of developing the condition, some treatments are available to reduce the risk. Studies have looked at the link between breast cancer and diet. Although there are no definite conclusions, there are benefits for women who:

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Exercise regularly

• Have a low intake of saturated fat

• Do not drink alcohol

It's been suggested that regular exercise can reduce your risk of breast cancer by as much as a third. Regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle can also improve the outlook for people affected by breast cancer. It’s particularly important that you are not overweight or obese. This is because being overweight or obese causes more oestrogen to be produced, which can increase the risk of breast cancer.

Conclusion

Fortunately for women and men around the world, people today are increasingly aware of the issues associated with breast cancer. Breast cancer awareness efforts have helped people learn what their risk factors are, how they can reduce their level of risk, what symptoms they should look for, and what kinds of screening they should be getting. October is marked across the world every year as the Breast Cancer Awareness Month to increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of this disease. A pink ribbon reflects support and has been an international symbol of breast cancer for years.