|
Women are one hundred times more likely than men to develop breast cancer. There are various types of breast cancer, which can be aggressive or slow growing and if left untreated, can metastasize into the surrounding lymph tissue. From there it can spread into the rest of the body.
Possible symptoms of breast cancer include:
1. Change in the breast’s size or shape,
2. A lump (mass), swelling or thickening within the breast. These lumps are not always painful but can occur in the breast or in the underarm area.
3. Warm or even hot patches in the breast.
4. A flattening or indentation on the skin of the breast indicating a change in the underlying tissue.
5. Redness or scaling of the breast’s skin.
6. Unusual dimpling in the breast.
7. Discharge from the nipple. This can be dark and bloody or clear in nature.
8. Itching, burning or scaling nipples.
9. Persistent pain or tenderness in the breast or underarm area.
If any of these symptoms are present, a doctor will usually want to do a mammogram and/or an ultrasound to rule out other conditions such as breast infections (mastitis), breast lumpiness or cysts (fibrocystic breast disease) and abscesses.
When breast cancer or some other problem is suspected the patient is often overwhelmed by medical terms that doctors don’t always take the time to explain. The following are some of the most common ones.
Abscess-A localized collection of pus that is usually from an infection.
Acini-This is another name that is used for the lobules or sac-like milk producing glands of the breast.
Adenocarcinoma- This is a cancer that arises from gland-forming tissue. It is into this category breast cancer falls.
Adenoma-An adenoma is typically a benign type of growth.
Alopecia-Alopecia simply means hair loss. The loss can occur due to many reasons but it is often seen as a side effect of chemotherapy.
Areola –the circular pigmented area around the nipple.
Aspiration –The removal of tissue or fluid from a lump or a cyst with a needle and syringe.
Asymmetrical cells-Cells that are not proportional to each other or the same shape.
Asymptomatic – “A” = without so. Asymptomatic is without symptoms.
Atypical -Atypical cells are slightly abnormal cells. An atypical hyperplasia refers to cells that are abnormal and reproducing more rapidly than normal.
Autologous - In autologous reconstruction, your own tissue is used to reconstruct the breast. In autologous bone marrow transplant, your own bone marrow is used.
Axilla-The axilla area is the armpit. When an axilla dissection is done, the doctors surgically remove the lymph nodes under the arm.
Benign –Benign tumors are not cancerous. They do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body.
Biopsy –A biopsy is when the doctor removes a sample of tissue or cells. It is then examined under a microscope to check for cancer cells. There are excisional, incisional and needle biopsies.
Bone marrow-This is the soft, fatty substance that fills the long bones. It is in the bone marrow where blood cells are produced.
Bone marrow transplant-This is a procedure in which doctors replace marrow which was destroyed by high doses of chemotherapeutic drugs or radiation.
Breast cancer –Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the breast. The major types are: ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), infiltrating ductal carcinoma, invasive lobular carcinoma, lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), medullary carcinoma, and Paget's disease of the nipple.
Breast conservation surgery-A type of surgery used to remove the cancerous area of the breast while only taking a small area of normal tissue that surrounds it
Breast reconstruction –This is a type of plastic surgery that artificially rebuilds the breast’s contour after a mastectomy.
Calcifications – These are small calcium deposits that can show up in a mammogram. Certain formations of these can indicate the possibility of breast cancer.
Cancer – There are over 100 different diseases that cause cells to divide and multiply uncontrollably. When the cells do multiply uncontrollably, they are considered cancerous and may often spread to other parts of the body.
Carcinogen –Any substance or toxic agent that can cause cancer.
Carcinoma-This type of cancer starts in the lining or covering of a gland or an organ.
CAT scan – A diagnostic procedure in which many x-rays are taken of a specific part of the body. These form a computerized image of cross-sections (slices) of the area, which are then analyzed
Chemotherapy-A type of drug therapy used to destroy cancer cells.
Core biopsy-A procedure to remove tissue or fluid from a lump or a cyst with a large bore needle and a syringe.
Cyst-These are fluid-filled sacs that are abnormal but generally benign or non-cancerous.
Dimpling –One of the things breasts exams look for is dimpling. Dimpling causes a pucker, dip, or small hollow area of the breast’s skin.
Dissection-Surgical procedure used to separate the different structures or areas along the body’s natural lines.
Duct ecstasia – Considered a benign condition, duct ecstasia is a change in the breast in which some of the ducts in the breast retain secretions and become dilated.
Ductal carcinoma in situ – Cancer that starts and remains in one or more of the breast's milk ducts. It is ductal carcinoma in situ when it has not penetrated through the duct's walls or into any surrounding tissue.
Dysplasia-An area or group of cells that appear abnormal in size, shape and appearance but are not cancerous.
Estrogen receptor assay – A diagnostic procedure to see if a tumor’s growth is dependant on estrogen.
Excisional biopsy or total biopsy-This is a procedure where the entire suspected lump and some of the surrounding normal tissue are removed.
Fibroadenoma-This is a fibrous benign growth in the breast that feels like a firm lump.
Fine needle aspiration-A procedure to remove tissue or fluid from a lump or a cyst with a thin needle and a syringe.
Hormonal therapy –A course of cancer treatment that removes, blocks or adds hormones.
Hyperplasia – These are a group of normal-looking cells whose reproduction is too high. This can be due to a mutation that creates an abnormal area or "growth."
Invasive cancer - These are cancers that are capable of growing beyond their original site and end up invading neighboring tissue.
Lobular - This relates to the lobules which are groups of tiny sacs or pockets such as the small milk-producing glands in the breast.
Local excision – A procedure that removes a tumor or other growth that is confined to one area.
MRI or Magnetic resonance imaging –A diagnostic procedure that obtains computerized, cross-sectional images of the interior structures of the body by using strong magnets to align the atoms in the body and then sending radio waves through the body to create the pictures.
Malignant – Types of cells that show uncontrollable growth or that has recurred after removal. Malignant cells are those that may invade the surrounding tissue or metastasize (spread) to distant tissue.
Mammogram -A diagnostic x-ray that shows the internal structure of the breast. It is used to screen or locate cancers of the breast.
Mastectomy – A surgical procedure that removes part or all of the breast.
Metastasis-The spread of cancer cells to distant parts of the body. Wherever this occurs, the cancer cells are of the same type seen in the original site. They will also retain the name of the original cancer regardless of the distant site.
Modified radical mastectomy –Surgical procedure that removes the breast, skin, nipple, areola, and most of the axillary lymph nodes on the same side. The chest muscles are left intact.
Needle aspiration or needle biopsy-The term used for the procedure that removes a specimen of suspected tissue by use of a needle.
Oncogene -A cancer-causing gene.
Oncology – This is the study of neoplasms (abnormally progressive, unlimited, or uncontrolled new growths).
Paget's Disease – A type of breast cancer that begins in the milk ducts and involves the skin of the nipple and areola.
Palpation-The use of the hands to press on the surface of the body to feel the tissues beneath.
Partial mastectomy-A surgical procedure that doesn’t remove the whole breast, It takes only part of the breast in which the cancer occurs and a small amount of the healthy tissue around it.
Pathologist - This is a doctor who specializes in examining tissue and diagnosing disease.
Pectoral muscles - These are the muscles attached to the front of the chest wall and the upper arms.
Prognosis - A doctor gives the expected prognosis for types of treatment. It simply means his expected outcome.
Prosthesis- An artificial substitute for a missing body part. Breast implants that are used to reconstruct the breast after a mastectomy would be considered a prosthesis.
Radiation therapy – A type of treatment for cancer that uses radiation to destroy the cancer cells.
Radical mastectomy - A surgical procedure for breast cancer that removes the breast, skin, major and minor pectoral muscles, and all axillary and internal mammary lymph nodes on the affected side.
Radiologist – A doctor that specializes in the taking and interpretation of x-rays, ultrasound, mammograms, ultrasound, and any other types of diagnostic imaging of the body.
Recurrence – This is when a cancer has reappeared after it has appeared to disappeared or been previously removed.
Remission – This is when the symptoms and signs of cancer appear to have disappeared.
Sarcoma – A type of cancer that arises in connective tissue.
Staging – A way of describing the extent of cancer that is used to determine the course of treatment. It is based upon the size of the tumor, the involvement of lymph nodes, and whether there is any metastasis. (
Systemic-Cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.
Systemic therapy – A type of treatment that affects cells throughout the body.
Ultrasound - A diagnostic imaging of internal body structures using high-frequency sound waves.
| 
