About Breast Cancer
What is Breast Cancer?
What is Breast Cancer?
In order to properly treat and one day cure breast cancer, it is important to understand what breast cancer really is. In short, breast cancer is a disease that affects the cells of the breast. Breasts, like the rest of the body, are made up of millions of cells. When the body is attacked by cancer, cells will grow abnormally and either circulate in the blood or immune system, or form lumps and tumors.
When these abnormal cells grow, they can form lumps in the body that are either benign or malignant. Benign growths will grow to a certain size, but will not spread to other parts of the body, and they are not usually life-threatening. Malignant (cancerous) tumors do not stop growing when they reach a certain size, and can pose serious danger to the body. They can attack surrounding tissues and possibly spread to other parts of the body where they will metastasize, or create new tumors. It is the process of metastatic growth in other areas of the body that is the most harmful.
The majority of breast cancers start in the glandular tissue of the breast, called adenocarcinoma, and the most common form of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma, which is in the milk ducts of the breast. While ductal carcinoma breast cancer is the most common, there are also other types of breast cancers that affect the body in different ways, such as inflammatory breast cancer.
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Stages of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is staged according to its development in the body. After the healthcare team reviews the tumor’s details, such as size, characteristics, and whether it has spread to other areas of the body, they are able to determine the nature of the illness, as well as the available treatment options. Staging provides information on risk of recurrence and the best course of action in treating the cancer.
There are two methods used in staging breast cancer, the Stage 0 to IV method, and the TNM method (Tumor Node Metastasis). In the Stage 0 to IV method, breast cancer is divided into groups depending on the size of the tumor, and whether it has spread to other parts of the body. The more serious the cancer, the higher the stage number will be.
When using the TNM method, each of the letters is followed by a number describing the size of the tumor, and the extent to which other parts of the body are affected. These numbers can range from 1-4 depending on the severity of the cancer, and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.
What Causes Breast Cancer?
In fact we don’t know what causes breast cancer, only what appear to be risk factors. One of the most common risk factors of being diagnosed with breast cancer is being a female. As a woman or man ages, the incidence of breast cancer increases.
Family history also plays a role in whether an individual will develop breast cancer. If any immediate family members have been diagnosed with breast cancer before menopause, there may be a higher risk of developing the disease. There are also two genes that are associated with breast cancer: BRCA1 and BRCA2. These two genes are associated with about 5-10% of all breast cancer cases, and women who test positive for one of these genes may have a higher risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. BRCA2 is associated with male breast cancer. It is possible to be tested for these genes.
Other risk factors for breast cancer are described in the Breast Cancer Detection section.
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Below are definitions to some common breast cancer related terms.
Benign growth: A non-cancerous lump or growth.
Biopsy: Removal of tissue sample for examination.
Carcinoma in situ: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). Both are non-invasive or non-spreading tumors. They are sometimes referred to as “pre-cancer.”
Chemotherapy: A term for systemic drugs usually given by intravenous injection that are used to kill cancer cells.
Cyst: A fluid-filled sac, usually benign.
Lymph nodes: Glands that are part of the body’s defense system against infection.
Malignant growth: A tumor growth that can spread somewhere else in the body (i.e. cancer).
Mammogram: A low-dose x-ray used to get a better look at changes found in the breast through physical examination, or to check the breast even when no obvious changes have been discovered.
Mastectomy: Removal of the whole breast.
Metastatic: Cancer that has spread through the blood vessels or lymphatic channels to distant sites in the body.
Radiation: Ionizing radiation used to kill tumor cells.
Remission: The absence of any detectable signs of a tumor after treatment has been completed.
Staging: A system for looking at a tumor to determine extent and risk of spread or recurrence, and appropriate treatment choices.
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Nutrition and Cancer
Recently, a landmark report was released by cancer, health and nutrition experts from around the world. In a process that took five years, an expert panel of 21 renowned scientists reviewed and assessed the total body of research on the relation of diet, physical activity and body size to cancer risk. They drew conclusions and wrote ten recommendations for the prevention of cancer. The complete report can be found at http://www.dietandcancerreport.org.
QUESTION: What changes in my diet can lower my risk of getting cancer?
ANSWER: There are many ways that a person can decrease his/her risk of cancer. Research shows that more than 50 per cent of all cancers could either be prevented or detected early enough to be successfully treated. The Cancer Prevention Program recommends avoiding use of tobacco, maintaining a healthy body weight through increased vegetable and fruit consumption and increased physical activity, sun safety, and using screening tests.
It is recommended to eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes (such as beans) each day. Choose more non-starchy vegetables such as green leafy vegetables, broccoli, carrots, eggplant or bok choy, more often than starchy ones such as potatoes or yams.
At meals, aim to fill half of your plate with vegetables and fruits, a quarter with whole grains and the other quarter with a protein source such as meat, poultry, fish or a meat alternative, such as tofu or eggs.
Choose foods that have not been processed and drinks with no added sugar more often. Energy-dense foods are foods that are high in calories. Processed food is often high in fat, salt and added sugar and low in fiber.
For cancer prevention, it is recommended not to drink alcohol. However, the recognizes some protective effects of alcohol on heart disease. If alcohol is consumed, limit to two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women. It is not recommended to start drinking for health benefits.
Is beef really bad for me? Why?
Eaten in moderate amounts, many foods of animal origin are nourishing and healthy. Meats can be a valuable source of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12.
Foods of plant origin (e.g. vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes) are high in nutrients and dietary fibre and are generally lower in energy (calories). Evidence shows that plant foods decrease the risk of some cancers.
Studies show that people who eat a lot of red meat (e.g. beef, pork, lamb) tend to eat less plant-based foods, so they benefit less from their cancer-protective properties.
The Diet and Cancer Report recommends avoiding processed meats. This refers to meat that has been smoked, cured, salted or has chemical preservatives (e.g. ham, bacon, pastrami and salami, as well as hot dogs and sausages.)
Processed meats are often high in salt, fat and nitrates. Nitrates are chemicals that are used to preserve the meat. They may contribute to forming N-nitroso compounds, which are a suspected carcinogen.
There is convincing evidence that red meat and processed meats increase the risk of some cancers, such as colorectal cancer.
How much red meat is recommended?
Nutrition experts recommend a modest intake of red meat (500 grams a week). This is approximately 18 ounces (cooked weight) or 700-750g raw weight. 18 ounces is also equal to about three six-ounce steaks.
If I cut down on beef, what should I be replacing it with?
As mentioned above, meats can be a valuable source of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12. Healthy alternatives include poultry, fish and other sources of protein such as eggs and legumes (e.g. beans, peas, lentils). Choose these foods for the meals or days when red meat is not eaten.
What is BMI?
Nutrition experts recommend achieving and maintaining body weight within the normal weight range. This may be an important way to protect against cancer as well as a number of other chronic diseases.
To calculate your BMI, click here.
In most cases, BMI has reliably been linked to body fatness. For adults, a BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is generally regarded as the healthy normal weight range. BMI is calculated the same way for children and youth but the criteria used to interpret the meaning of the BMI number is different from those used for adults.
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