What causes breast cancer?

Do you know anything about breast cancer? Do you know how this disease occurs? Let's take a look at the relevant knowledge below.

(I) Causes of breast cancer: The causes of breast cancer are not yet fully understood, and some of the confirmed risk factors are still controversial. Most scholars believe that premenopausal and postmenopausal estrogen are obvious factors that stimulate breast cancer. According to clinical data, the age of onset of breast cancer is mostly between 40 and 60 years old, with the most common ages being 45 to 49 (menopause) and 60 to 64.

1. Genetic factors

2. Women in the family with a history of breast cancer in the first-degree direct family have a 2 to 3 times higher risk of breast cancer than the normal population.

3. Other breast diseases

4. Age: In women, the incidence rate increases with age. It is rare before menarche and before the age of 20, but it rises rapidly after the age of 20. It is higher at the age of 45 to 50, but it is relatively flat. The incidence rate continues to rise after menopause and reaches its peak at around the age of 70. The mortality rate also increases with age. After the age of 25, the mortality rate gradually increases and keeps rising until the elderly.

5. Age of menarche: The risk of developing the disease in women whose menarche occurs earlier than 13 years old is 2.2 times that of those whose menarche occurs more than 17 years old.

6. Age of first pregnancy: The risk gradually increases with the delay of the age of first birth. Those who give birth at the age of 35 or above have a higher risk than those with no childbearing history.

7. Age of menopause: Those who reach menopause at an age greater than 55 have an increased risk compared to those who reach menopause at an age less than 45.

8. Estrogen supplementation after menopause: Long-term use of estrogen during menopause may increase the risk of breast cancer.

9. Oral contraceptives

10. Food: Especially fatty diet, can increase the risk of breast cancer.

11. Women who drink alcohol regularly have a higher incidence of breast cancer than those who do not drink alcohol.

12. Weight gain may be an important risk factor for breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

(B) Pathological types of breast cancer: According to the degree of differentiation of tumor cells, it is divided into two categories: low differentiation and high differentiation.

1. Well-differentiated breast cancer: characterized by high tumor cell differentiation and low malignancy.

① Ductal carcinoma (also called intraductal carcinoma): uncommon, originating from medium and small milk ducts. A lot of extremely proliferative milk duct-like tissue can be seen in the section, and the lumen is full of cancer cells. The central part of the cancer cells may be necrotic. The section of the mass can be seen to be filled with grayish white semi-solid granular material in the small lumen, and a toothpaste-like substance can be squeezed out, just like the contents of acne, so it is also called acne cancer. This type of cancer is low in malignancy and metastasizes late.

② Adenocarcinoma: less common, originating from alveoli or small milk ducts. Cancer cells are arranged in glandular structures. Clinical features: the tumor is often large, of moderate malignancy, and metastasis is late.

③ Eczematoid carcinoma (also known as Paget's nipple disease): It is rare and originates from the large milk ducts in the nipple. The cancer cells are vacuolar and infiltrate deep into the epidermis of the nipple and areola. The clinical features are itching and roughness of the skin around the nipple and areola, or thickening and mild erosion of the skin, accompanied by gray-yellow crusts, etc. This type of cancer has a low degree of malignancy and lymph node metastasis is very late.

④ Papillary carcinoma (also called papillary adenocarcinoma): uncommon, originates from the large milk ducts near the nipple. It can also be formed by the malignant transformation of intraductal papilloma. This type of cancer has a longer course, larger masses, and sometimes cystic changes. It is less malignant and metastasizes later.

2. Poorly differentiated breast cancer: characterized by low cell differentiation and high malignancy.

① Mucinous carcinoma (also known as colloid carcinoma): It is very rare. The tumor is translucent and jelly-like in cross section. The sections show that there are few cancer cells, surrounded by a large amount of mucus. The clinical characteristics are that the tumor grows slowly and metastasizes later.

② Diffuse cancer (also known as inflammatory cancer): very rare. The sections show diffuse growth of cancer cells, and the lymphatic vessels and capillaries in the skin are filled with a large number of cancer cells and can form cancer cell emboli; there is very little intercellular fibrous stroma, obvious edema and a large number of lymphocyte infiltration. The clinical manifestations of this type of breast cancer are quite special. The main characteristics are obvious edema of the skin, mostly dark red in color, rapid tumor development and often involving the entire breast, no obvious localized mass can be palpated; sometimes it can be manifested as dry skin, diffuse scaling, thickening like armor, so it is also called armor cancer. This type of cancer is more common in young women, with a very high degree of malignancy, early and extensive metastasis, and often distant metastasis is found at the first diagnosis. The prognosis is extremely poor, and most of them die in a short period of time.

③ Medullary carcinoma: This type is rare. The sections show that there are more cancer cells, which are larger in size, closely arranged, and distributed in cords and sheets; there is very little fibrous stroma between cells. The clinical characteristics are large lumps, soft texture, and easy to ulcerate; the malignancy is high, and metastasis is common in the early stage.

④ Hard cancer: This type is the most common, accounting for about 2/3 of the total. The sections show fewer cancer cells, which are smaller in size and arranged in cords and sheets, with more fibrous tissue in between. The clinical characteristics are small lumps, hard texture, high malignancy, and early metastasis.

The above is some knowledge about breast cancer that we have prepared for you today. I hope it will be helpful to you. If you have any other needs, you can also consult our online consulting experts at Feihua Health Network. We are always here to answer your questions. Feihua Health Network is always by your side and cares about your health issues! Feihua Health Network wishes you good health!

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