The recent advances made in breast cancer treatment have revolutionized the way how women from this rare disorder are diagnosed and suggested a personalized treatment plan. These advances have made it easier for the doctors to arrive at a treatment plan, which is most suitable for the patient as per their individual characteristics and needs.

Different breast cancer treatment options help destruct complex mixture of cancer cells, which are otherwise difficult to treat using conventional breast cancer treatment. The treatment is started by the doctors handling the case as soon as the breast cancer diagnosis is confirmed.

Before the article delves into the different breast cancer treatment options, lets first take a look at how breast cancer develops and what are its symptoms and diagnosis methods.

Breast cancer: What do the statistics say?

Breast cancer primarily affects females aged above 40. However, that does not mean that it does not affect women aged below 40. Breast cancer can also affect males, although rarely.

Breast cancer starts in the cells of either one or both the breasts. It accounts for more than 16 percent of female cancer and contributes to 18.2 percent of all deaths that take place around the world because of cancer.

In the US alone, breast cancer affects more than 232,000 females and 2,200 males each year. It leads to death of more than 39,000 breast cancer patients in a year.

Breast Cancer Symptoms

The symptoms of breast cancer can be easily identified at home through breast self-examination. You should consult your physician on how to conduct this exam at home.

The most common breast cancer symptoms include:

• Change in the size or shape of the breast
• Lump in the breast
• Swelling in armpit
• Change in colour and shape of the nipples
• Rash, redness or pitting on the breast skink
• Pain in the breast or armpits
• Abnormal discharge from the nipples

In case of more aggressive breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer, severe redness and itching may be present.

The patients are advised to contact their physician as soon as they notice any of the symptoms of breast cancer. The physician is the best person to diagnose whether it is normal or inflammatory best cancer, and accordingly, suggest treatment for breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Causes

The exact reason that causes breast cancer is unclear, despite the fact that every eighth woman suffers from it. However, there are several factors that have been associated with the development of breast cancer. Some of the breast cancer risk factors include:

• Prolonged use of birth control pills
• Obesity
• Use of hormone replacement therapy
• High breast density
• Alcohol addiction
• No history of pregnancy
• Pregnancy after 35
• Exposure to radiation

The risk of breast cancer naturally increases as women age. The risk is also higher in women who have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, possess BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes or who have had their periods before the age of 12.

• Overconsumption of animal protein, saturated fats, and calories
• Low dietary fibre intake
• Overconsumption of alcohol
• Excessive smoking
• Family history of colorectal cancer
• Obesity
• Physical inactivity

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in the world. It can metastasize and spread to other body parts. Colorectal cancer is dangerous and can be life-threatening. But death rate from colorectal cancer has dropped in the recent years, thanks to advance screening techniques and better colorectal treatment options.

What is colon cancer?

Colorectal cancer is also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer. Colorectal cancer begins as an abnormal growth of cells in the inner lining of the colon or rectum. This abnormal growth is called a polyp.

Some types of polyps can change into cancer over the course of several years. But it does not mean that all polyps have the tendency to become cancerous. The chance of changing a polyp into colorectal cancer depends on the type of polyp that grows. 

Colorectal cancer can affect men and women equally. However, studies have proven that men might develop it at a younger age.

What causes colon cancer?

There is no definite cause of colorectal cancer, but old age and certain lifestyle factors can increase colorectal cancer risk. Some of these colorectal cancer risk factors include the following:

Types of Colorectal Cancer

A majority of colorectal cancers are adenocarcinoma. If you have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, there are 95 percent chances that it is an adenocarcinoma. But there are some other types of colorectal cancer such as carcinoid, gastrointestinal stromal, lymphomas, and sarcomas.

Colorectal Cancer Symptoms

There are no early signs of colorectal cancer, but once it grows, the patients may experience the following colon cancer symptoms:

• Fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath
• Change in bowel habits, including diarrhoea or constipation
• Blood in stool
• Abdominal discomforts such as cramps, bolting or pain
• Dramatic weight loss

Mastectomy refers to the partial or complete surgical removal of one or both the breasts. This surgery is most often indicated for breast cancer.

A lump in the breast or armpits is one of the earliest signs of breast cancer. It can cause a change in the shape, size, or color of the breast or nipple. Nipple tenderness, inward folding of the nipple, discharge from the nipple, and orange peel appearance of the skin of the breast are the other signs of breast cancer. Patients who observe any of the above-mentioned signs must see their physician immediately.

Who are advised to undergo breast cancer mastectomy?

Your physician may recommend you to undergo a partial or full mastectomy in the following conditions:

• If you have a massive malignant tumor in the breast or invasive ductal carcinoma
• If you have had a recurrent breast cancer after initial lumpectomy
• If you are pregnant and have been diagnosed with breast cancer and radiation therapy is contraindicated
• If you have a medical history of scleroderma and have been diagnosed with breast cancer
• If you are diagnosed with breast cancer and have a lump in the armpits

Additionally, if you have a family history of breast cancer or deleterious mutation of BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes, you are advised preventive mastectomy.

Ovarian cancer refers to the abnormal growth of cells in the ovaries, which are an important part of the female reproductive system. Ovaries are two small glands, located on either side of the uterus. They help produce female sex hormones and store or release eggs. An ovarian tumor is it is the eighth most common type of cancer among women. It is the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths in women around the world. Ovarian cancer can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated on time, however, the chances of survival are great in the case of early diagnosis.

Ovarian cancer forms when normal ovarian cell growth fails, and there is an uncontrolled growth of cells. Most of the ovarian cancers arise from the lining cells (epithelium) of the ovary. The ovarian tumor can metastasize and spread to other organs of the body.

Ovarian Cancer: Causes

There is no identified and known cause of ovarian cancer. However, there are some risk factors associated with the disease. Family history (genetics) of ovarian cancer, older age, breast cancer, obesity, and endometriosis are some of the known ovarian cancer risk factors. Other than these, menstrual cycles play a major role in ovarian cancer. The high number of total lifetime ovulations, greater the risk of ovarian cancer.  That is, women who have had their periods before the age of 12 are at an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

The risk of ovarian cancer is also high in women suffering from familial melanoma, which is characterized by the presence of certain genes. These genes are inherited from parents and mostly occurs when two or more relatives suffer from the aggressive form of melanoma or skin cancer.

Signs of Ovarian Cancer

Typically, the symptoms of ovarian cancer are subtle during the early stage. However, the patients may experience signs of ovarian cancer once the cancer advances and starts to grow. The following are some of the ovarian cancer symptoms:

• Pain in the pelvis or belly

• Bloating

• Frequent and urgent urination

• Changes in bowel habits

• Nausea and fatigue

• Weight loss

• Breathlessness

• Loss of appetite

These signs of ovarian cancer can be confused with those of ovarian cyst. However, patients must know that ovarian cysts are far more common and primarily affects women during their childbearing age.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. It typically affects people with lighter skin tone. Skin cancer is the uncontrolled and abnormal growth of destructive malignant skin cells. It occurs when unrepairable DNA damage that occurs in the skin cells triggers a mutation that makes them multiply rapidly and form malignant skin tumors.

Skin cancer is mostly caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunshine or tanning beds. Skin cancers have a limited potential to spread to other parts of the body and may become life-threatening if not treated on time. They are common and can be effectively treated but the treatment of some forms of skin cancers can be difficult. However, early diagnosis and treatment can increase the survival rate.

Types of Skin Cancer

The following are the three common types of skin cancers:

• Basal cell skin cancer: This type of skin cancer is present in sun-exposed areas of the skin. Basal cell skin cancer rarely spread to other body parts (metastasize) and do not cause death. They are very common and easily treatable.
• Squamous cell skin cancer: These skin cancers are also common but less common than basal cell cancers. They can metastasize but the metastasis rate is very low. They are also non-life threatening and can be treated easily.
• Melanoma: This type of skin cancer originates from the pigment that gives color to the skin called melanocyte. It is less common and more dangerous than the first two types of skin cancer. However, if melanoma is recognized and treated early, it is almost curable. Advanced stage melanoma can spread to other parts of the body and is hard to treat. It can be life-threatening as well.

There are also some other types of skin cancers such as Merkel cell skin cancer, Kaposi sarcoma skin cancer and lymphoma of the skin, but these are rare. Although, some of these are aggressive skin cancers and has a high risk of recurrence.

Skin Cancer: Symptoms

The typical skin cancer symptoms vary from patient to patient. The symptoms also vary depending on the type of skin cancer that the patient has.

However, basal and squamous skin cancers can have some common symptoms, which include:

• Flat, firm, pale or yellow areas, similar to scars
• Raised reddish patches that might be itchy without pain
• Small, pink or red, shiny, translucent, pearly bumps, which may have blue, brown or black areas
• Raised growth and lumps with a lower area in their center, which might contain abnormal blood vessels spreading out
• Open sores that do not heal, or come back after healing
• Rough or scaly red patches, which may crust or bleed

Melanoma skin cancer can have some different types of skin cancer symptoms. There is an ABCDE rule guide that explains the melanoma symptoms:

• A is for Asymmetry: One half of a mole or birthmark that does not match the other half.
• B is for Border: The edges are ragged, irregular, notched, or blurred.
• C is for Color: The color is not the same throughout the mole and may include different shades and patches of brown or black, pink, red, white, or blue.
• D is for Diameter: The spot or skin growth is larger than 6 millimeters across, although melanomas can sometimes be smaller than this.
• E is for Evolving: There is a change in size, shape, color, or surface of the mole.