Is Breast Cancer Still a Leading Cause of Death in Women?

 Breast cancer starts in the cells that make up the breast, usually in the glands or milk ducts. Breast cancer can come in a variety of forms, some more aggressive than the others, and its growth, dissemination, and reaction to therapy can all differ greatly. 70–80% of all instances of breast cancer are of the most frequent kind, invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Go to this page for a more thorough explanation of the many forms of breast cancer. Breast cancer's global prevalence underscores its importance as a public health concern. With 2.3 million new cases of breast cancer identified globally in 2020, breast cancer is the most frequent cancer overall. Learn more about global breast cancer trends here.

Although the precise origin of breast cancer is still unknown, there are a number of risk factors that have been found to raise the chance of getting the illness. 

1. Age: Women over 50 are more likely than any other age group to be diagnosed with breast cancer. But young women, especially those with a strong family history, can potentially develop breast cancer. Find out more about the hazards associated with aging here. 

2. Family History: Women who have a mother, sister, or daughter as a first-degree relative and who have been diagnosed with breast cancer are more vulnerable. Genetic abnormalities in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can raise the risk of breast cancer considerably under certain situations. Here is more information regarding mutations in the BRCA gene.

 Increasing the rate of survival for breast cancer requires early detection. Breast cancer has a far greater survival rate and is extremely curable when detected in its early stages. 

1. Mammograms: Mammograms are breast X-ray scans that allow for the early detection of cancers before they manifest symptoms. For women over 40, routine mammograms are advised, while for high-risk individuals, recommendations start as early as 30.

2. Clinical Breast Exams: These physical examinations, carried out by medical professionals, aid in the detection of lumps or anomalies in the breast tissue. 

3. Self-Examinations: Women who regularly examine themselves can identify any changes, such as lumps, sore spots, or alterations in their skin. The process of conducting a self-examination of the breast..

The options for treating breast cancer have changed dramatically in recent years, based on the kind and stage of the disease. 

1. Surgery: When treating breast cancer, surgery is frequently the initial step. Surgery can be divided into two categories:

Lumpectomy: In order to preserve the majority of the breast, the tumor and a limited quantity of surrounding tissue are removed. Mastectomy: The entire breast is removed during this treatment. 

2. Radiation therapy: To target and destroy cancer cells, radiation therapy uses high-energy rays. It is frequently utilized to get rid of any cancer cells that remained following surgery. Click here to find out more about radiation treatment for breast cancer.

 3. Chemotherapy: This treatment uses medications to destroy cancer cells all over the body.

4. Hormonal Therapy: Breast cancers that are hormone-receptor positive are treated with hormonal therapy. 

5. Targeted Therapy: This type of treatment aims to target cancer cells directly while minimizing harm to healthy cells. 

Women can lower their risk of breast cancer by taking a number of measures, even if some risk factors are uncontrollable.

1. Maintain a Healthy Weight: Diet and exercise combined with a healthy weight can help lower the risk of breast cancer.

2. Engage in Regular Exercise: Research has indicated that exercise can reduce the incidence of breast cancer

 3. Minimize Alcohol Use: Alcohol consumption, even in tiny doses, raises the risk of breast cancer.

While significant progress has been made in reducing breast cancer mortality, the disease remains a leading cause of death among women worldwide.