Although breast cancer may seem small at first, it can quickly become a serious problem that can cause other health problems and even lead to death. This article will discuss the most common signs and causes of breast cancer as well as risk factors.
What is Breast Cancer?
When breast cancer cells become cancerous, they are called breast cancer. It is the Signs and symptoms of breast cancer
These are the signs and symptoms that indicate breast cancer.
- The appearance, shape, and size of the breasts
- A breast lump, or thickening, that isn’t the same as the surrounding tissues
- A new inverted nipple
- Skin changes over the breasts, such as dimpling
- The skin above your breasts may become reddish or pitted. It would look like an orange.
- Scaling up, peeling, flaking or crusting the area of pigmented skin around the nipple or breasts.
Causes of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer occurs when certain breast cells develop abnormally. These cells divide faster than normal cells, and they continue to accumulate and form a lump. These cells eventually spread to other parts of the body, including your lymph nodes.
Inherited Breast Cancer
Experts estimate about 5% to 10%” of breast cancers can be linked to gene mutations passed down through the generations. Breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2, (BRCA2), can be increased by inheriting mutated genes. These genes could increase the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Breast Cancer Risk Factors
These factors can increase your chance of developing breast cancer. But, just because you have one or more of these factors does not mean that you will get breast cancer. Breast cancer is a rare condition in which there is no known risk to women.
Factors that increase the risk of breast cancer are:
- As you age there’s a greater chance of getting breast cancer.
- History of breast conditions:
- History of breast cancer: You have a similar chance of getting it if your mother, sister, or daughter has been diagnosed with the disease at an early age.
- Radiation Exposure: If you have had radiation treatment to your chest, your risk of developing breast cancer is higher
- High risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal hormone therapy. This is because hormone therapy medication that combines progesterone with estrogen is used to treat symptoms of menopause. The risk drops if the medication is stopped.