What is invasive breast cancer?

Written by Fan Hong Qiao
Breast Health Department
Updated on September 23, 2024
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Invasive breast cancer is the most common tumor in women, accounting for 22% of all malignant tumors in females. Invasive breast cancer refers to a malignant tumor where cancer cells have broken through the basement membrane of the breast ducts or lobular alveoli and invaded the interstitium. The vast majority of invasive breast cancers are adenocarcinomas, originating from the epithelial cells of the breast parenchyma, especially from the terminal duct lobular units. Its characteristics include the tumor's infiltration into adjacent tissues and a marked tendency for distant metastasis.

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What should I do if I have advanced breast cancer with breast necrosis?

Firstly, radiotherapy can be used, localized radiation therapy, which will achieve certain local control effects. It can also provide surgical opportunities for some breast cancer patients who are otherwise inoperable. Additionally, it can relieve pain, reduce compression symptoms, and stop bleeding in ulcerated cancer lesions, thereby improving the patient's quality of life. If chemotherapy is possible, it should be pursued as it can reduce distant and extensive metastases. Then, if surgery is feasible, the ulcerated or already healed surgical incisions can be excised and sutured to improve the patient's quality of life.

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Breast cancer is a disease.

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor of the breast that can occur in both women and men, though it is more commonly seen in women. Breast cancer arises when breast epithelial cells undergo genetic mutations under the influence of various carcinogenic factors, losing the characteristics of normal cells. Consequently, the structural organization of breast cancer tissue is disrupted, with loose cell connections, allowing cancer cells to easily detach and spread throughout the body via pathways such as blood or lymphatic fluid, leading to metastases in the lungs, brain, bones, etc. Therefore, this disease directly affects patient survival outcomes and should be taken seriously by everyone.

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Written by Zhang Chao Jie
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Breast cancer IIA is stage 2.

Breast cancer stage IIa is considered early stage. Breast cancer is classified into stages 0, I, IIa, IIb, III, and IV. Stage III is further divided into IIIa, IIIb, and IIIc. Strictly speaking, breast cancers at stage IIa and earlier are considered early-stage breast cancer, while stage III is considered locally advanced breast cancer, including IIIa, IIIb, and IIIc, and stage IV is considered advanced breast cancer. However, since most operable breast cancers, which include up to stage IIIa (stages 0, I, II, and including IIIa), generally have favorable treatment outcomes, many research institutions and medical organizations in Western countries define all stages up to IIIa as early-stage breast cancer. Therefore, breast cancer stage IIa is classified as early-stage cancer.

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Breast Cancer Self-Examination Method

Breast self-examination helps to detect changes in the breasts in a timely manner, and to discover breast diseases promptly. For instance, breast lumps are often found by patients themselves during self-examination. However, finding a breast lump does not necessarily mean it is breast cancer, as many conditions can present as breast lumps, such as the most common one, fibrocystic breast changes. Besides breast self-examination, early detection of breast cancer also relies on regular physical check-ups. It is recommended that women of childbearing age should develop the habit of regular breast self-examinations and routine physical check-ups, and consult a doctor promptly if abnormalities are found.

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Symptoms of breast cancer metastasis

Symptoms of breast cancer metastasis first involve the lymph nodes, with multiple enlarged lymph nodes that can be felt beneath and above the collarbone. These can be diagnosed as metastases from breast cancer using color Doppler ultrasound and cytopathology puncture. The second symptom is bone metastasis. If there is pain in the pelvic or rib area, and an increase in alkaline phosphatase in the blood biochemistry, high suspicion of bone metastasis should be considered. It is necessary to conduct a PADCT or bone scan for further confirmation. If symptoms like coughing, expectorating phlegm, and blood-tinged sputum appear, lung metastasis should be considered, requiring further diagnosis with a CT scan.