How many are living with breast cancer? This is the first question that the interests of women, if she discovered a breast cancer. Modern medicine has learned to be nice to treat this disease in its early stages. Later stages of breast cancer Breast cancer - stage cancer   It can be treated much worse, but they are treated.

How common is breast cancer

The incidence of breast cancer (BC) in our country, as in other civilized countries, is increasing. Since the mid 80-ies in the structure of cancer incidence of breast cancer belongs to Russia first. The annual increase in the incidence of breast cancer in the past 10 years is 5, 8%.

17, 8% of cases of breast cancer detected during routine inspections, 60% of breast cancer stage I - II, 26, 1% - III stage, 12, 5% - IV stage. The highest incidence rates and growth rates observed in the age groups 60-64 years old (136, 5 cases per 100,000 population) and 65-69 years (133, 2 100 thousand). At a younger age from 20 to 40 years, rates were significantly lower with age, they have grown from 0, 59 to 32, 5 cases per 100 thousand. Population. The highest incidence of breast cancer observed in the big cities, especially in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Malignant neoplasm of the breast have the largest share in the structure of deaths - 16, 5%. The highest age-specific death rates for 75 years and older (86, 2% to 100 thousand. Population).

In our country, the survival of patients with breast cancer who were followed for 5 years, an average of 55%. But this is the average, they may be different depending on what stage has been identified and treated breast cancer.

What factors affect the survival rate for breast cancer

Life expectancy in breast cancer affected by the following factors: tumor size, presence or absence of metastases in regional lymph nodes, presence or absence of tumor receptors for female sex hormones histological type of tumor infiltration of surrounding tissues, metastasis to distant organs, and others. The number of factors such as the study of the biology of tumor increases.

Influence of the state of regional lymph nodes

In the absence of metastases Metastasis - danger everywhere   to nearby lymph nodes recurrence of the disease within five years after treatment, there are on average 20% of cases. Ten-year survival rate is then equal to 65-80%.

In the presence of lymph node metastases in the 1-3 return of the disease within five years after treatment due in 30-40% of cases, and ten-year survival rate in this case is equal to 35-65%.

Metastases in five or more lymph nodes: relapse within five years - 54-82%, ten-year survival rate of 13-24%.

Effect of tumor size

Increasing the size of the primary tumor in the mammary gland has a direct impact on survival. Thus, 88% of patients undergoing twenty years without recurrence of the tumor at a rate of up to 1 cm, and about 65% - primary lesion with a diameter of 2 cm or more.

The involvement of tumor in regional lymph nodes of the process depends on the size of the tumor. Thus, when the size of the tumor less than 1 cm in diameter lymphonoduses Lymph nodes - what keeps our immune system   involved less than 20-30% of cases. When the tumor size of 1-2 cm, this percentage increased to 27-39, and at a rate of 2-3 cm - up to 29-57.

The presence or absence of tumor receptors to female hormones

The presence of receptors in the tumor to female sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone Progesterone - norm and pathology   - ER and PR) is a good prognostic sign, as a treatment allows for hormone - this increases the chances of survival of patients.

The histological type of tumor - how it affects the survival

According to histological type of tumor are divided into favorable and unfavorable in relation to survival. Under favorable histological structure of tumors, survival rates higher. By the favorable are tubular, mucous, papillary, and unfavorable - infiltrative ductal and lobular carcinoma.

The presence of HER-2-neu receptor-

These receptors are located in chromosomes and are the receptors germ factors. They are isolated and normal cells of the breast and cancer, but in different amounts (cancerous several times greater). High levels of this factor indicates poor prognosis malignant type of cancer, rapid tumor growth and resistance to treatment. Blocking this factor can significantly slow the growth of tumors.

Today there is a drug that can block the HER-2-neu-receptors - is herceptin, which comprises an antibody to the tumor.

How many patients are living with breast cancer depends on many factors.

Galina Romanenko

Harbinger of cancer?

Mastopatia dangerous because it is a precancerous condition. Contact mastitis with breast cancer confirmed by statistical data, similar hormonal disorders and characteristic changes in the cells of the breast tissue. Therefore, the identification and treatment of mastitis are so important. Shotty breast Breast - the mirror Women's Health   (cystic disease, fibroadenomatosis) - a disease of the breast, which develops against the background of hormonal disorders Hormonal disorders - oversupply and a lack of equally dangerous   and it is characterized by the growth of connective tissue in the form of whitish strands with cysts, within which is a clear liquid.

The leading role in causing fibrocystic breast belongs to the violations of the regulatory activity of the central nervous system, disorders of ovarian function (usually on a background of inflammation), adrenal, thyroid, and liver (the fall of the liver breaks down the disintegration and elimination of sex hormones). Matter and other endocrine diseases, such as diabetes Diabetes - threatening and incurable disease .

Disease is manifested in two forms: diffuse when affected most of the cancer, and the node where the process is limited to one or more nodes.

Symptoms of fibrocystic breast

When fibrocystic breast in the middle and in the second half of the menstrual cycle (before menstruation), there is a pain in the breast Pain in the breast - when to start worrying? . The pain is stinging, shooting nature sometimes gives in the back and neck. In the mammary gland seal appears sometimes - discharge from the nipple. When probing cancer in this period can be determined tyazhistoe moderately painful seal lobular nature with a rough surface.

After menstruation with diffuse mastopathy, usually iron uniformly compacted, tyazhista slightly painful. When nodular maloboleznennye define single or multiple foci seal. They are not soldered to the skin with the nipple, mobile, in the supine position can not be felt (the so-called symptom Koenig, in this case it is negative). Increases in nearby lymph nodes is observed.

Diagnosing fibrocystic breast

If you suspect that fibrocystic breasts woman sent for examination, which includes X-ray, ultrasound, and laboratory diagnostic techniques.

The X-ray of the breast (mammography) for mastitis can be seen as shading alternate with patches of enlightenment, which is caused by the presence of cysts. Some forms of mastitis on mammograms difficult to distinguish from cancer that can develop on the background of mastitis. To clarify the diagnosis is sometimes held ductography - X-ray examination of the breast ducts.

Ultrasound can also detect the presence of seals tissue and cysts. Research was also conducted blood on hormones.

The final diagnosis is established after laboratory studies of biological material taken from the breast tissue by puncture (puncture), and discharge from the nipple. The objective laboratory tests - as early as possible to identify atiapichnye (not the same as surrounding cell tissue) cells, which are characteristic for malignant tumors.