Breast cancer is reaching new heights with 1 of 10 women falling victim to it. There is no confirmed reason so as to why does it happen, but the fact remains it has resulted in the death of many. Cancer is known to be a terminal disease and hence, it is a major area of concern. A general trend that has been witnessed is that as the age increases, the probability of cancer increases with it and breast cancer is commonly seen in women post menopause. Upon spread, if not paid heed to in time, the cancer may reach a metastatic state.

Metastatic state is when the cancer has increased to such an extent that it is no more limited to the breasts. It may start by spreading to the chest followed by the shoulders to the rest of the body. The mode of travel is of course the circulatory system of the body which eventually puts all the body organs at risk. In the following sections, we would study the causes and symptoms of cancer along with the treatment procedures in place.

Causes: As stated earlier, the causes for breast cancer are not clear. However, some medical experts associate it with either hereditary while some with the living conditions. At the same time, some studies have revealed that women who are closer to reaching their menopausal state are more susceptible to acquiring it due to sudden hormonal changes witnessed by the body along with those who are prone to smoking (passive smokers included).

Symptoms: The most common symptom of breast cancer is the formation of a lump on the breast tissues. However, discovering one is not easy and at the same time, not all the lumps may be cancerous. It is a known fact that cancer is curable if diagnosed in the initial stages due to its slow growth rate. Hence, it is advised that women, who have had cases of breast cancer in the families in the past along with those who have reached the age of 50 and above, should get themselves screened for it at regular intervals. Some of the other common symptoms of breast cancer include physical changes in the size of the breasts and at times discharge from the nipples.

Treatment: Modes of treatment for cancer of all types and stages is the same. The difference comes in on whether it proves to be effective. Of all the treatments available, the most common is the surgery with most of the patients actually opting for it. Second come chemotherapy and radiotherapy, both being equally imparted from situation to situation. If there exists a tumor which is small enough to be removed from simple medications, utilization of the second option is the best. On the other hand, if it has grown or spread to different parts, the surgery cannot be avoided. Most surgeries are again followed by chemo and radiotherapy. While surgery is the most effective form, it would be worth the knowledge that even that is not hundred percent effective and the cancer cells may return in the future.