Breast Cancer Surgery

Breast Cancer Incidence Increases, Death Rates Decline

Some women are more likely to develop breast cancer than others. The risk is higher in women over the age of fifty, women who have not given birth or breast-fed, women who menstruate early and stop menstruating late, women with close relatives who have breast cancer, and women who use estrogen!

In the Western world, breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in women after lung cancer. Although it is difficult to say that the data for our country is very reliable, it is observed that breast cancer is very common in our country and is increasing day by day. In our country, early diagnosis and treatment programs have reduced breast cancer deaths. These programs consist of women being regularly examined by breast surgeons and having mammography and ultrasonography performed during the examinations. According to the statistical data in our country, the highest number of breast cancers is seen in Istanbul and Izmir, followed by Antalya and Ankara.

What are the reasons for the increase in the incidence of breast cancer in recent years?

One of the most important factors is obesity. In the last 10-15 years, the rate of obesity has increased a lot, especially in women. It increased by around 30 percent in total. Currently, 30 percent of women in Turkey are obese. In addition, environmental factors, urban living conditions and the ability to be diagnosed more often are other factors that increase the incidence of breast cancer. However, it should be noted that while early diagnosis is increasing, the number of women with breast cancer seems to be increasing accordingly. However, life losses are decreasing due to more early cancers caught. The increase in the level of awareness and the importance attached to routine controls by healthy women have been effective in reaching this point.

How does such a widespread problem manifest itself? What are the symptoms?

Genetic factors are effective in 10 percent of breast cancers. The likelihood of breast cancer increases in those with first-degree relatives with breast cancer. In addition, having cancer in relatives at an early age increases the risk of genetic transmission. Namely, the risk of a person with first-degree relatives with breast cancer increases one and a half times. The risk also increases as the number of cancer patients increases. There are also genetic cancer families. In this condition called Linch syndrome, large intestine, ovarian cancers and breast cancer can be seen together. The possibility of breast cancer is very high in these families. If more than two people in a family have breast cancer, genetic tests should be performed. If the test result is positive, the risk of breast cancer increases and the probability rises above 70 percent. Preventive drug treatments and mastectomy can even be performed in those with a positive genetic test.

Breast Check Up package

Since early diagnosis of breast cancer is vital, it is of great importance to have regular breast examinations. Your first step to stop cancer and take the necessary precautions is breast examination. If your doctor deems it necessary after the examination, depending on your age, Breast USG or Mammography service is offered in our hospital within the scope of breast check up package.

Pourquoi le cancer du sein est-il important ?

One in 10 women after the age of 50 will develop breast cancer, which increases its importance. In addition, there are a few cancers that do not affect life expectancy when caught early, and breast cancer is one of them. When it is caught very early, it can be completely cured. When it is delayed, it causes fatal consequences. Therefore, it is an important cancer.

Is breast cancer in men different?

Yes, male breast cancers are more aggressive, faster and more common than those in women. There is also a higher risk of breast cancer being genetic. For this reason, relatives of male breast cancer patients should definitely undergo genetic testing.

What is the prognosis of breast cancer?

Many factors play a role in this. For example, the age of the patient is very effective and breast cancers seen at an early age are more aggressive, while those seen after menopause have a slower course. Treatments for pre- and post-menopausal cancers are also different.

The likelihood of breast cancer increases in those with first-degree relatives with breast cancer. In addition, having cancer in relatives at an early age increases the risk of genetic transmission.

Breast Cancer Can Occur Without Symptoms

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

It is important to catch them before they occur rather than the symptoms. Routine examination and imaging methods should be applied after a certain age. Because breast cancer can be seen without any symptoms. Some features in mammography can show us breast cancer before it develops clinical symptoms. The most important clinical reason for the decrease in the frequency of deaths from breast cancer is that we can catch cancers that have not yet developed any symptoms with mammography. In addition, if the cancer has reached a certain size, a mass and pain in the breast is not a determining feature for cancer. Symptoms include the nipple retracting inwards and losing its symmetry compared to the other breast, discharge from the nipple, redness and pits on the breast skin. It may be overlooked during pregnancy, but breast cancer can also occur during this period. In pregnancy, especially the physicians who perform follow-ups should be very careful about this issue. For early diagnosis, it is important for women to regularly examine themselves. In this examination, women first recognize their own breasts, and then they can easily recognize the changes that occur.

At what stage does breast cancer occur in a person with these symptoms?

If there are pits in the breast, we can say that the cancer is at an advanced stage. However, nipple bleeding is a sign of early breast cancer, although not very early. In addition, a 1-2 cm. mass that patients can notice during self-examination is seen when the cancer is not at a very advanced stage. For this reason, masses in the breast should be very important. Non-cancerous masses are the most common masses in the breast. Adenomas and fibrocysts are among them. Even if these masses do not turn into cancer, they must be differentiated from cancer.

Early diagnosis of breast cancer is either through breast self-examination or during routine check-ups. Women should go for breast examinations once a year after the age of 40. Those with a family history of breast cancer should have these examinations at an earlier age. During the check-up, the physician examines the breasts and armpits. They are then checked with ultrasound. After the age of 45, mammography should be performed. Mammography is a very important diagnostic method for catching breast cancer early.

How is breast cancer treated?

La masse est enlevée avec des marges chirurgicales et les ganglions lymphatiques de l'aisselle sont nettoyés. Après la détermination du stade pathologique, une radiothérapie et une chimiothérapie sont effectuées si nécessaire. Si le cancer du sein est de petite taille, que la tumeur est située sur les bords du sein plutôt qu'au centre et qu'elle est unifocale, la patiente peut subir une chirurgie mammaire conservatrice. Cependant, la patiente doit recevoir une radiothérapie après ces opérations. La patiente doit donc être en mesure de recevoir une radiothérapie. En outre, le rapport entre le sein et la tumeur doit être d'un certain niveau dans le cadre d'un traitement conservateur du sein. En outre, la patiente doit être en mesure d'effectuer un contrôle de routine, car la récidive chez les femmes ayant subi un traitement conservateur du cancer du sein peut être plus élevée que chez les patientes dont tout le sein a été enlevé.

In general, if there is a mass in the breast, the breast is removed. However, not all patients have their axillary lymph nodes removed. Because removing the lymph nodes has some complications. For this reason, we determine whether there is an involvement of the lymph nodes with a method we perform during surgery. We find the lymph node closest to the breast, which we call sentinel lymph node or sentinel lymph node, and analyze it. If there is a tumor here, the axillary lymph nodes are cleaned, if there is no tumor here, there may be no need to remove the axillary lymph node. If the patients wish, breast reconstruction, that is, aesthetics, can be performed during or after the surgery session in which the breast is removed.

What is the life expectancy in breast cancer?

This depends on the stage. In breast cancer caught at a very early stage, the normal life expectancy is around 80 percent, while in stage two, the five-year life expectancy is around 80 percent. In stage three, this rate drops to 50 percent. In stage four, it is 30 percent.