Breast cancer is when abnormal cells develop in the breast tissue. They can grow and spread to other parts of the body, especially if they aren’t treated. A lump is a hard area of your breast that feels different from the surrounding tissue. It can be painless or painful. It might feel marble-like or pitted and can change shape over time. It might hurt when you nip or press on it. Breast changes can be caused by a lot of things, but they could also be a sign of breast cancer.
When you have a breast cancer lump, it’s important to see your doctor right away, even if it’s not painful. The sooner you get a diagnosis, the more likely it is that treatment will be successful.
You might have an ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test to find out more about the lump. These tests may also show how the tumor is growing or if it has spread. They might need to be repeated if the results aren’t clear. You might also have a sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary clearance to look at the lymph nodes in your armpit that are close to your breasts. These are removed and looked at under a microscope to check for cancer cells.
If the lump is breast cancer, you might have surgery to remove it and some of the surrounding tissue. You might have a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. Your doctor will also talk to you about having a reconstruction surgery to make your breast look the same.
This stage means the breast cancer hasn’t spread to other tissues or to the lymph nodes in your armpit. You might have a lumpectomy or mastectomy and have some of your healthy breast tissue removed too. You might have radiation and chemotherapy after surgery. You might also have hormone therapy if you’re still premenopausal or menopausal. You might take bisphosphonates (zoledronic acid or sodium clodronate). These drugs can reduce the risk of cancer spreading to your bones.
At this stage the cancer is smaller than 2 centimeters and hasn’t spread to the nearby lymph nodes or near the breast bone. You might have a lumpectomy or have your whole breast removed, along with some of your healthy tissue. You might have radiation and chemotherapy after surgery.
Your doctor might give you a targeted therapy drug called fulvestrant to help keep the cancer from growing. You might be given it as a drip into a vein or as tablets.
The doctor might also treat your other health conditions, such as a blood disorder or an infection. They might also give you other medicines to prevent or relieve side effects. You might be given a bone density scan to see how the cancer affects your bones. You might have other tests to check your heart and lungs, such as a CT or X-ray of your chest. You might also have blood tests to measure your levels of certain proteins in your body.
