There are all kinds of balls that may develop within the breasts. In nine cases out of ten, they are benign. Conversely, a ball out of ten is malignant, then breast cancer. What are the signs of breast cancer? When to consult? Dr. David Elia * responds precisely to these two questions.
Ball in: a cause of consultation in gynecology
Women often go into gynecology because they have a sore breast, feel something inside, palpent a ball. They immediately worried, thinking the worst, ie breast cancer. But you must know that in 90% of the balls within the breast are benign.
But it is also true that breast cancer is a disease growing. The number of cases has increased 30% worldwide since 30 years.
What are the signs of breast cancer?
Dr David Elia: First, there was no breast cancer, but breast cancer that differ according to their histologic types, their virulence, their hormone receptors, their size, etc.. But it is the level of aggressiveness of cancer cells that vary from one tumor to another and from one woman to another.
What we all want is the early detection of breast cancer. Not knowing prevent its onset, our goal is to intervene as soon as possible, a condition that increases the chances of recovery.
Unfortunately, there's no real symptoms of breast cancer. There is no pain. The most classic that can detect a woman, is the presence of a ball. But like the vast majority of balls in the breast are benign, the woman can not know a priori whether a tumor is benign or malignant. It should therefore consult a doctor and have a mammogram and ultrasound (ultrasound should not be neglected because it detects 10% of breast cancers not detected at mammography).
Very early, the mammogram can show example of micro-calcifications. Although the mammary glands normally produce limestone here this sudden accumulation sometimes the bed of breast cancer.
This stage is particularly valuable because it usually means that the lesion is limited and that the nodes are not affected. It will not be useful to resort to the chemotherapy (a possible radiation may be sufficient) and can be limited to removing the region with micro-calcifications, but more within reach. It can therefore most often get in this case healing without chemotherapy and surgery with a very limited.
Later, there are all the other stages of cancers that require interventions more or less severe depending on the stage of the tumor, size, aggressiveness, histological type, the presence of hormone receptors in cells, the invasion of nodes or not etc.
Ball in: a cause of consultation in gynecology
Women often go into gynecology because they have a sore breast, feel something inside, palpent a ball. They immediately worried, thinking the worst, ie breast cancer. But you must know that in 90% of the balls within the breast are benign.
But it is also true that breast cancer is a disease growing. The number of cases has increased 30% worldwide since 30 years.
What are the signs of breast cancer?
Dr David Elia: First, there was no breast cancer, but breast cancer that differ according to their histologic types, their virulence, their hormone receptors, their size, etc.. But it is the level of aggressiveness of cancer cells that vary from one tumor to another and from one woman to another.
What we all want is the early detection of breast cancer. Not knowing prevent its onset, our goal is to intervene as soon as possible, a condition that increases the chances of recovery.
Unfortunately, there's no real symptoms of breast cancer. There is no pain. The most classic that can detect a woman, is the presence of a ball. But like the vast majority of balls in the breast are benign, the woman can not know a priori whether a tumor is benign or malignant. It should therefore consult a doctor and have a mammogram and ultrasound (ultrasound should not be neglected because it detects 10% of breast cancers not detected at mammography).
Very early, the mammogram can show example of micro-calcifications. Although the mammary glands normally produce limestone here this sudden accumulation sometimes the bed of breast cancer.
This stage is particularly valuable because it usually means that the lesion is limited and that the nodes are not affected. It will not be useful to resort to the chemotherapy (a possible radiation may be sufficient) and can be limited to removing the region with micro-calcifications, but more within reach. It can therefore most often get in this case healing without chemotherapy and surgery with a very limited.
Later, there are all the other stages of cancers that require interventions more or less severe depending on the stage of the tumor, size, aggressiveness, histological type, the presence of hormone receptors in cells, the invasion of nodes or not etc.
How early screening of breast cancer?
The autopalpation made by women is not as easy as that. By definition, the breasts are very alive and changing, their hardness varies balls in benign appear then disappear, and so on. In addition, many women do not wish to self-examine regularly, because it worries them even more.
Gynecologists examine women once or twice a year and sometimes also the balls. Their benign or malignant nature is determined by mammography and ultrasound.
For me, I recommend a mammogram and ultrasound every 18 months, which is faster than the conventional (every 2 or 3 years).
And this, from age 40, although 40 to 50 years there are not many cancers (that is after 50 years there is more).
We must tell women that the pain is not a sign of breast cancer. Usually wrong, the more they are hurt, the more they think it is a very aggressive cancer. Conversely, it is most often a mastose or a cyst.
But to be sure, consult regularly and in case of anomalies, such as a ball within the breast or pain.
The autopalpation made by women is not as easy as that. By definition, the breasts are very alive and changing, their hardness varies balls in benign appear then disappear, and so on. In addition, many women do not wish to self-examine regularly, because it worries them even more.
Gynecologists examine women once or twice a year and sometimes also the balls. Their benign or malignant nature is determined by mammography and ultrasound.
For me, I recommend a mammogram and ultrasound every 18 months, which is faster than the conventional (every 2 or 3 years).
And this, from age 40, although 40 to 50 years there are not many cancers (that is after 50 years there is more).
We must tell women that the pain is not a sign of breast cancer. Usually wrong, the more they are hurt, the more they think it is a very aggressive cancer. Conversely, it is most often a mastose or a cyst.
But to be sure, consult regularly and in case of anomalies, such as a ball within the breast or pain.
