Breast Cancer

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is abnormal cell growth in the connective tissue, lobes, or ducts of your breasts. Aside from skin cancer, it’s the most common type of cancer in women in the United States. However, both men and women can get it. There are a few different types of the condition, and the most common are:

Invasive ductal carcinoma

Invasive ductal carcinoma originates in the ducts and starts to spread into other tissues of the breast as the tumor grows. 

Invasive lobular carcinoma

Invasive lobular carcinoma starts in the lobes of the breast and can spread to other nearby tissues or beyond. 

Sometimes, breast tumors are benign (noncancerous). This means the cells in them behave somewhat normally. If the breast tumor is cancerous, it could metastasize (spread) to other areas of your body and become deadly. 

What are the signs of breast cancer?

Some people do not get any breast cancer symptoms, but others do. It’s important to be familiar with the signs and symptoms so you can identify an issue early when treatment is easiest. 

You should let your physician know if you experience:

• A lump in your breast
• A lump near your armpit
• Swelling in your breast
• Redness or flakiness on the nipple
• Unusual nipple discharge or blood
• Pain in your breast
• Change in your breasts’ shape or size

Some of these symptoms indicate conditions other than cancer, but it’s still important to get a professional evaluation. Your gynecologist performs a simple breast exam with all of your annual visits, and if you’re a woman over 40, you should talk to your provider about getting regular mammograms to screen for breast cancer. 

How is breast cancer treated?

At Hope Hematology & Oncology Associates LLC, Dr. Bajaj treats breast cancer with a personalized care approach. After a detailed evaluation of your condition, including digital mammography or ultrasonography, she can determine the size of the tumor and develop a treatment plan. She might also take a biopsy of the tissue for more information. 

Treatment depends on the size, stage, and location of your breast tumor. It also depends on whether or not the cancer has metastasized to other areas of your body. Your treatment may involve surgery such as lumpectomy to remove the lump or mastectomy to remove the entire breast. 

If the cancer has spread, or if surgery cannot remove it all, systemic treatments can eradicate cancer cells beyond just the breast. Dr. Bajaj may recommend options like hormone therapy, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy to do so. 

To learn more about breast cancer and explore your many treatment options, call Hope Hematology & Oncology Associates LLC or book an appointment online today.