Friday, November 14, 2014

The causes of breast cancer


The causes of breast cancerBreast cancer ranks first as a cause of death among malignant tumors in women.


Age




With age the risk of developing breast cancer increases:




- To 39 - cancer develops in 1 of 231 (risk is less than 0, 5 %).


From 40 to 59 - cancer occurs in 1 out of 25 (risk 4 %).


- From 60 to 79 - cancer develops in 1 of 15 (risk of about 7 %).




The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age due to the fact that "secondhand" the immune system is not able to clearly detect cellular abnormalities and eliminate them.




If the patient suffered from breast cancer in the past, the risk of relapse in her very high. This risk is about 1 % per year, and so after 10 years the risk of developing breast cancer in this patient, is 10 %. However, currently, there are medications that help prevent cancer recurrence.




A significant risk factor for breast cancer is the presence of a cancer patient in the family women. However, this does not mean that any form of breast cancer in Your relatives automatically increases the risk of developing this disease and You. For example, if Your grandmother's breast cancer was detected in 75 years of age, it does not mean that You have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. most likely Your grandmother was one of those 15 women in the age category in which cancer occurs due to aging of the immune system and its regulation.





Genes and family history


Today, all the many, many women consider it necessary to determine whether they are carriers of the so-called gene for breast cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2). If You know that you are a carrier of this gene, it is necessary, first of all, consult with a specialist geneticist in order to assess this information in the context of Your family.




If breast cancer is suffering mother, sister or daughter.


- If many members of generations in the family had breast cancer or ovarian cancer.


- Relatives with breast cancer at a relatively young age (under 50 years).


- Relatives suffering from cancer of both Breasts.




The gene responsible for the occurrence of breast cancer can be transmitted from mother and from father. If this gene is present in someone from one of the parents, the risk of inheritance is 50 %. If the gene was passed down to You, the risk of developing cancer depends on the specificity of the gene, its expression in the family, as well as on the characteristics of the organism itself. The risk of developing breast cancer in these families greatly varies from 40 to 80 %. Remember that breast cancer arising from genetic predisposition manifests itself the same way and treated exactly the same as caused by other risk factors.




Based on these results, the patient can decide what suits her more aggressive surgical treatment of the tumor or to take preventive treatment in the form of mastectomy and the removal of the ovaries to prevent the possible occurrence of breast cancer.




Prolonged exposure to estrogens





Long uninterrupted reception of estrogen drugs may increase the risk of developing breast cancer. the fact that the growth of cells of the glandular tissue of the breast is stimulated, the main female sex hormone - estrogen. Estrogen can be either your own, which is produced by the ovaries women and act from the outside, for example, when hormone replacement therapy menopausal syndrome. The following risk factors are associated with prolonged exposure to estrogen:


Beginning menstruation at an early age (because the body longer exposed to estrogen).


- Late menopause (because the body longer exposed to estrogen).


- Long hormone replacement therapy menopausal syndrome within five years one estrogen or in combination with progesterone (the risk is increased by 5% to 40%). In most cases, the diagnosis of this cancer of the breast it is detected in the early stages, so the treatment it easier.


- If the woman has never had a full-term pregnancy.


- If women first normal full-term pregnancy was after 30 years (since pregnancy is like a break in the production of estrogen, and in this case, the woman longer exposed to their effects).


- Obesity (this is because the ovaries produce more estrogen).


- Abuse of alcohol, as this affected the function of the liver, which regulates the level of estrogen in the blood.





Cellular changes in the breast


These changes are biopsy - examination of the breast tissue, in which a needle is taken a small piece of tissue and then examined under the microscope.




Can be two types of cellular changes:




- Atypical ductal hyperplasia - excessive growth of epithelial cells lining the ducts of the breast.


- Lobular carcinoma in situ - uncontrolled growth of lobular cells, which are responsible for the production of breast milk. They are glandular cells.





Smoking, diet and stress


Smoking slightly increases the risk of developing breast cancer.




Diet plays an important role as a risk factor for breast cancer. According to some researchers, 30 % of all malignant tumors associated with improper diet. However, this view remains controversial. Some medical studies that have been conducted to identify the links between diet with high content of fats and cancer, were not able to prove this relationship. However, it is safe to say that a diet low in fat is useful for several reasons:




- It reduces levels of "bad" fats (low density lipoprotein) and increase "good" (high density lipoprotein).


- It helps to reduce obesity (and this is known to be a risk factor for breast cancer).


- It allows you to expand the diet in favor of a more "healthy" products.




Stress is not directly related to breast cancer, but it affects the General condition of the organism, but also on the immune system that are responsible for combating abnormal cells in the body.




Radiation therapy




Women younger than 30 years who were exposed to radiation during radiation therapy, especially radiation therapy of Hodgkin's disease (malignant disease of the lymphoid tissue) are at greater risk of developing breast cancer. Studies have shown that younger patients, this risk is much higher than that of older.





Methods of early detection of breast cancer


The main methods of early detection of breast cancer is through regular breast self-exam, ultrasound and mammography and breast examination by a gynecologist (specialist).




In our clinic You can get professional advice from a gynecologist, mammologist, screening and in time to prevent the disease.


Prevention of breast cancer





The main methods of breast cancer prevention



- regular sexual life and early (up to 28 years) first childbirth
- breastfeeding


- Smoking cessation, limiting alcohol consumption


- abandonment of use of hormonal contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy in high-risk groups


- the fight against obesity, the treatment of diabetes, diseases of the liver and thyroid gland


- elimination of adverse environmental factors, stress management.






Source:

Popular medicine
















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