Benign neoplasm
To benign neoplasms of mammary glands include fibroadenomas, cysts and abscesses. Fibroadenoma - a tumor consisting of glandular and connective tissue. Often it is painless, but pain syndrome can occur when the accumulation of excess fluid in the breast tissue. Fibroadenomas can be single and multiple. They are mobile within the breast tissue, soft and elastic to the touch. Cysts of the breast can be single or multiple, hard or soft to the touch; usually occur asymptomatically, but can be painful. Abscesses of the mammary gland are hyperemic painful cavities filled with pus; accompanied by severe soreness.
Mammary cancer
Malignant breast tumors are usually denser to the touch, have an irregular shape and are less mobile than fibroadenomas. Often they are painless. Folds and ulcers may appear on the adjacent skin. Axillary lymph nodes, as a rule, are enlarged, sometimes there are spots from the nipple. When metastasizing the tumor to other organs, symptoms such as back pain, headaches, dyspnea and ascites occur.
Benign tumors
The development of a mammary gland fibroadenoma can be associated with hormonal factors. Cysts often occur in nulliparous women, as well as against violations of the menstrual cycle. Breast abscesses are often associated with infection with the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus).
Breast Cancer
Factors associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer include: hereditary predisposition. It is believed that in 10% of cases, breast cancer is caused genetically. Currently, for example, it is known that the BRCA 1 gene is responsible for 30% of breast cancer cases in women under 45; previous cases of primary cancer of the ovaries, uterus or mammary glands; early onset of menstruation; the first full-term pregnancy over the age of 35; taking hormonal contraceptives - accompanied by a slight increase in risk, which decreases after the end of their admission; hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (the appointment of estrogens after the onset of menopause) for more than 10 years - increases the risk of developing breast cancer by 50%; overweight in women during menopause; smoking for more than 30 years; radiation therapy for Hodgkin's disease - these women are at high risk.
Benign neoplasm
Fibroadenomas are more common in girls and young women under 30 years of age. Cysts of mammary glands are more typical for women 40-50 years old. Abscesses of the breast are mainly found in breastfeeding women.
Mammary cancer
Breast cancer takes the first place in the structure of morbidity in women. It is rare in young women, but its frequency progressively increases with age. If a woman has any neoplasm of the breast, a thorough examination is necessary to determine the nature of the pathological focus. The examination plan includes ultrasound, mammography and aspiration biopsy, in which a small sample of the tumor is sampled using a special needle for subsequent microscopic examination.
Cysts of the breast
The fluid aspirated from the cyst is also examined under a microscope. A surgical biopsy may be needed to establish a definitive diagnosis.
Screening
Mammography can detect breast cancer at an early stage, with a tumor size of 1 mm in diameter, before it begins to be determined palpation (from 1 cm in diameter). Mammography is the most informative in older women with a lower density of glandular tissue. Mammography is recommended for all women over 40 years of age once every 2 years. Patients with pathological results should undergo further examination. With a burdened family history of breast cancer, mammography can be prescribed before 40 years. Depending on the nature of the tumor, surgical treatment, radiation or chemotherapy is prescribed. For different types of benign neoplasms, there are various treatment regimens:
- Fibroadenoma
If the tumor increases in size or causes anxiety, it is surgically removed.
- Cysts
They can often be emptied with a puncture. With relapse, surgical excision of the cyst is possible.
- Abscesses
In some cases, the effective use of antibiotics, such as penicillin series, but often requires the opening and drainage of the abscess. Treatment consists in removing the tumor, as well as preventing relapses and metastasis. If the tumor is estrogen dependent, it is of great importance that the level of estrogen is reduced by medication or by surgery.
Surgery
Options for surgical treatment include tumor removal, partial or complete removal of the mammary gland (mastectomy). Also, axillary lymph nodes are often excised to prevent metastasis. Ovarian removal (oophorectomy) is recommended to reduce the production of estrogen.
Radiation and chemotherapy
Effective treatment regimens are now available that provide a longer period of relative well-being; for example, chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil reduces mortality in premenopausal women by 25%. Approximately every fifth fibroadenoma disappears independently without treatment, and only in some cases it continues to increase in size. Most fibroadenomas remain unchanged before the onset of menopause, against which often their resorption is observed. Approximately 1 in 10 mast cysts recur after emptying, and in 50% of cases with a single cyst later one more develops. Different types of breast cancer. Improvement of treatment methods in recent years can significantly reduce the mortality from breast cancer. The early onset of treatment is extremely important, since the smaller the size of the tumor, the more favorable the prognosis for the patient. The five-year survival rate among women with tumors less than 2 cm is up to 90%, from 2 to 5 cm - up to 60%.