IMOR Institute is a foundation dedicated to fighting against cancer. And we always want to do it using the best methods available to us, with the best that technology offers in the field of oncology, i.e. our specialization area. This time, we will talk about breast cancer.
Before specifying some of the symptoms that can be experienced by a patient with breast cancer, let’s talk about its prevention. A tumor of this type can hardly be prevented but some studies demonstrated that the risk is reduced with regular physical exercise (about 4 hours a week) and a good diet (special care in regular alcohol consumption).
Also, menopause has a lot to do with it. Therefore, it is important to avoid any signs of obesity, as well as the use of hormone replacement treatments during the menopause period since breast cancer risk levels may increase.
Symptoms of breast cancer
Before listing them, it should be noted that the warning signs of breast cancer can be very different in each person. It is possible that the symptoms manifest differently depending on the characteristics of the patient and those of the tumor. You may have some symptoms with greater intensity, others with less… There are even people who do not have any type of symptoms.
In general, some symptoms that may indicate the presence of a tumor in the chest wall include:
- Appearance of a lump in a breast (or in the armpit).
- The skin appears irritated or sunken.
- The thickness or swelling of an area of the breast increases.
- Redness in the area of the areola.
- Nipple pain (and possibly sunk nipple).
- In some cases, there can be blood discharge from the nipple.
- Pain of any intensity in any area of the breast.
In general, women should be alert to any sign that indicates a change in the size or the usual state of the breasts. Likewise, please note that these warning signs can also manifest with other conditions that are not cancer or not concomitant. For any doubt about a symptom, even a small one, consult a breast cancer specialist immediately.
How can it be treated?
At IMOR Institute, after the surgery, we opt for breast radiotherapy or breast brachytherapy in order to avoid side effects in any area of the chest wall or breasts. These much less invasive techniques act more effectively on the tumor, allowing applying the doses in less time and radiation only on the cancer cells within the area to be treated, minimizing collateral damage and providing greater health and lower risk during the treatment. Something unthinkable and impossible in chemotherapy sessions.
The use of external radiotherapy may be advisable in many cases. The IMOR Institute has an intensity-modulated radiotherapy treatment. It is one of the latest and most advanced methods used to apply external beam radiotherapy directly on the affected area of the breast. The intensity and direction of the radiation are modified to target the tumor with maximum precision and the radiation is spread evenly throughout the cancer cells only in that area.
In addition, thanks to intensity-modulated radiotherapy or IMRT (for its acronym referring to its name in English), it is possible to reduce the radiation doses maintaining the efficiency on the affected area but substantially reducing the damage to nearby or adjacent organs (for example, heart or lung) as well as to entail some side effects but always lower than with other traditional treatments.
Radiotherapy can be applied both before and after surgery. Before surgery, it is usually done to make the tumor smaller, reduce its size and facilitate its excision. However, this method is less frequent than the treatment that is applied after surgery and used to treat breast cancer after a lumpectomy or mastectomy. In both cases, the treatment usually takes about 5 or 6 weeks, after which the results are evaluated.
More information
Do you need to receive more information about our breast radiotherapy treatments? Or do you need for immediate medical attention for a diagnosis? The IMOR Institute offers image-assisted diagnostics that is more precise and allows us to decide the best treatment for different cancer cases.
Contact IMOR Foundation now to ask for help. Do not hesitate about any symptom of breast cancer. Although it may also be due to another reason, it is better to ensure that you receive the best medical attention and an accurate diagnosis by oncology professionals who can rule out any tumor.