Breast cancer

Breast Cancer
Understanding the Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a highly prevalent type of cancer affecting women worldwide. Every year, numerous women receive a diagnosis, emphasizing the significance of early detection and prevention. Recognizing the early symptoms of breast cancer is crucial for identifying and managing the disease in its early stages. In this article, we will explore the various signs and symptoms of breast cancer, provide guidance on conducting self-examinations, and offer advice on when to seek medical attention. By gaining knowledge and awareness, you can take proactive measures toward breast cancer prevention and early detection. Join us as we delve into vital information about understanding the early symptoms of breast cancer.

The Importance of Early Detection in Breast Cancer

Early detection plays a crucial role in the successful treatment and recovery of breast cancer. Detecting the disease at an early stage improves the chances of effective treatment and prevents its spread to other parts of the body. Moreover, early detection can lead to less invasive treatment options and a higher likelihood of preserving breast tissue.

It’s important to note that not all breast tissue changes or lumps are cancerous. However, being aware of any changes and promptly reporting them to your doctor is essential. Understanding the early signs and symptoms of breast cancer and regularly undergoing screenings can help detect the disease early and increase the chances of survival.

Understanding Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer can affect both men and women, although it is more common in women. The disease occurs when breast tissue cells begin to grow abnormally and form a tumor that can spread if left untreated. While various types of breast cancer exist, certain early symptoms are common among all types. These symptoms include lumps in the breast tissue, changes in breast appearance, nipple discharge, and pain. Awareness of these symptoms and seeking medical attention if they occur is crucial.

Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Early symptoms of breast cancer can differ from person to person. However, some common signs include changes in breast appearance, nipple discharge or pain, and lumps or thickening in the breast tissue. It’s important to remember that not all breast tissue changes or lumps are cancerous. Nonetheless, any changes should be reported to a doctor for evaluation.

Physical Breast Cancer Symptoms to Look Out for

Breast Appearance Changes

Changes in the appearance of the breast are often an early indication of breast cancer. These changes can involve swelling, redness, and alterations in the skin texture. Additionally, the breast may exhibit dimpling or puckering, and the nipple may become inverted. Such changes can manifest in one or both breasts.

Nipple Discharge and Pain

Nipple discharge or pain is another common early symptom of breast cancer. The nipple may release a clear or bloody discharge, and the breast may experience tenderness or soreness. It is crucial to report any nipple discharge or pain to a doctor, as they could be indicative of breast cancer.

Lumps and Thickening

The presence of lumps or thickening in the breast tissue is another frequent early symptom of breast cancer. These lumps may feel hard and immovable, and they can be found in one or both breasts. It is important to note that not all lumps are cancerous, but they should be reported to a doctor for further evaluation.

Other Symptoms to Note

In addition to the physical symptoms mentioned above, there are other symptoms to be aware of, such as fatigue, unexplained weight loss, or swelling in the armpit. If any of these symptoms occur, it is important to seek medical attention.

When to Seek Medical Attention

Any changes in breast tissue should be reported to a doctor immediately. Additionally, if any of the symptoms mentioned above are experienced, it is crucial to seek medical attention. A doctor may perform a physical examination, imaging tests, or a biopsy to determine if the changes in breast tissue are cancerous.

Related: How to do a breast self-exam?

Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis

Breast cancer screening is a vital tool for early detection. Women over 40 should have a mammogram every one to two years, and those at higher risk may need more frequent screenings. Regular self-examinations are also recommended to check for any changes in breast tissue. If breast cancer is suspected, a doctor may perform a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, involving the examination of a small tissue sample under a microscope.

Final Thoughts

Breast cancer is a life-altering disease that impacts numerous women annually. However, by detecting and treating it early, women can enhance their chances of survival and recovery. Understanding the early symptoms of breast cancer is vital for recognizing and effectively managing the disease. It is crucial to be vigilant about any changes in breast tissue and promptly inform your doctor. Regular breast cancer screenings and self-examinations are also important to monitor for any alterations in breast tissue. With the right knowledge and awareness, women can actively engage in breast cancer prevention and early detection.

June 2, 2023

Surgery Group LA
What Detecting the BRCA1 or BRCA2 Gene Mutation means for you?

The term BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutation has spread throughout the breast cancer community. 

Let’s help clarify the chatter.

BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes affect the body’s process of replicating and dividing specific calls in the human body. Any mutation of these genes can cause the cells that these genes are responsible for to grow out of hand in troubling ways, causing growth and cancer.

So does having BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mean I will die from breast cancer or ovarian cancer?

Just because you have a BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutation does not mean you will develop breast cancer or that you will perish from cancer.

But the truth is that BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutations will increase your chance of breast and ovarian cancer.

About 50 out of 100 women with BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutations will develop breast cancer, while 30 out of 100 women will develop ovarian cancer. 

This is compared to 7 out of 100 and less than 1 out of 100 on women without this mutation.

Signs you should be tested for the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene mutation:

  • One or both parents possess the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutation
  • You are a male with breast cancer
  • Cancer in both breasts
  • Breast cancer in parents before the age of 50

What can I do if have these mutations?

The good news is that their preventative measures you can pursue in order to increase your odds of being cancer free.

Surgery to reduce cancer risk

Prophylactic surgeries of breast tissue, as well as the ovaries and fallopian tubes respectfully, have proven to be effective methods of preventing cancers from forming.

A prophylactic mastectomy has proven to reduce the chance of breast cancer in women with BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutations by 90%. 

Prophylactic oophorectomy has also proven to greatly reduce the chance of ovarian cancer in women and has even proven to prevent breast cancer to a certain degree.

Drug Treatments for BRCA 1 and BRCA 2

As effective as prophylactic surgery can be, the results are also dramatic and can be too harsh to bear if there are other alternatives. Drugs like Opalarib are PARP inhibitors, that stop cancer cell ability to repair themselves and their DNA. 

While symptoms vary from person to person, Opalarib can leave weakened, and increase your chance of infection due to the nature of the drug. 

Speak to a medical professional about medical history before considering Opalarib.

While PARP inhibitors have proven effective, medical professionals are working on drugs with lesser side effects and more powerful efficacy by the day.

Speaking to a doctor is key

Dr. Euhus of John Hopkins said better than anyone, “ Recommending any preventive treatment should be based on carefully calculating the actual risk to the patient.” 

If you or a loved one believe that they have BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutations, it’s time to speak to a medical professional today.

October 15, 2022

Surgery Group LA
Types of Breast Cancer

Coming into breast cancer awareness month we here at the Surgery Group of Los Angeles would like to key you in on the different types of breast cancer you may face:

Early Stage Cancers

Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) is a noninvasive form of breast cancer. DCIS occurs when abnormal cells begin to form and multiply around the breast’s milk duct. 

Region: Milk Duct

Non-invasive

Highly treatable at early stages

Potential symptoms:

  • Usually, no symptoms but can include:
    • A breast lump
    • Bloody nipple discharge

Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS) is very similar to DCIS but the abnormal cells begin to form and multiply in lobules or milk glands of the breast. 

Region: Lobular (aka Milk glands)

Noninvasive but can spread to both breasts

Highly treatable at early stages

Potential symptoms:

  • Usually, no symptoms but can include:
    • A breast lump
    • Bloody nipple discharge

Triple Negative Breast Cancer is a form of cancer tumor that does not contain the three most common receptors hormones – breast cancer growth estrogen, progesterone, and Her 2/Neu Gene. 

Because of this TNBC does not respond to common triple hormone therapy.

Region: Varies

Makes up 10 – 15% of cases

Chemotherapy may be the preferred treatment

Breast Cancer during Pregnancy, while not a unique form of cancer, pregnancy brings serious complications to any breast cancer case. 

The traumatic implications this creates might make soon-to-be mothers lose hope, but doctors are working every day to ensure that any treatment plan for pregnant women will also ensure the protection of the unborn child.

Invasive forms of Breast Cancer

Medullary Carcinoma is a rare type of breast ductal cancer but it is very invasive, leading to 3-5 percent of breast cancer cases. Despite its aggressive characteristics, Medullary Carcinoma is less likely to affect the lymph nodes and has a better prognosis than other invasive cancer.

Region: Breast Ducts

Invasive

Likely to require surgery and radiation

Potential symptoms:

  • Can cause breast tissue to feel spongey

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) happens when abnormal cells that have formed about the breast ducts begin to aggressively grow beyond the ducts into other parts of breast tissue.

Region: Starts in the breast ducts but can move into other areas of the breast, and even beyond the breast

Makes up 70 – 80% of breast cancer cases

Most common breast cancer for men

Inflammatory Breast Cancer is an especially fast and aggressive breast cancer that affects the skin and lymph nodes of the breast. Symptoms are often unusual compared to other breast cancers.

Region: Skin and Lymph nodes of breast

IBC require urgent treatment, usually with chemotherapy and surgery.

Potential Symptoms:

  • Constant itching and rashes
  • Small irritations similar to bug bites
  • Skin changes like orange indentations
  • Nipple changes

Metastatic Breast Cancer, also known as Stage 4 breast cancer, means that cancer has spread into other parts of the body including the liver, lungs, bones, and brain.

Depending on the regions that cancer has traveled to symptoms will vary greatly. However metastatic cancer usually causes great pain and weakness in the area it has spread.

You are not alone. There are many different types of breast cancer, and each one has its own story. A cancer diagnosis can be a traumatic and stressful time, but doctors are here to help, if you have any questions about breast cancer and potential symptoms, speak to a doctor right away.

October 15, 2022

Surgery Group LA
How to do a breast self-exam

The Surgery Group of LA would like to humbly suggest that all women perform a breast self-examination every month in a communal effort to help detect breast cancer earlier and save lives. 

This is because thirty to forty percent of breast cancer cases were detected by feeling a lump. Breast self-examinations are also amazing ways for women to become more familiar with the look and feel of their breasts and to detect changes quickly if they arrive.

So how do I actually perform a breast self-examination?

A breast self-exam requires you to visually see your breasts and feel them for about 5 minutes, every month. 

The optimal time to perform one is approximately 3-7 days after the first day of your period when your breasts are less tender and lumpy.

Who needs to do them?

Women in their 20’s and 30’s are strongly urged to do self-exams, but it’s never too early or too late to start. 

This is because women aren’t required to have regular mammography screenings until age 40 and can be a quick and affordable line of detection while the risk of breast cancer is still too low to need constant medical supervision.

Woman over the age of 40 are recommended to get a mammogram every year as well, but they are also encouraged to perform a monthly self-examination to increase the chance of detection as cancer risk rise.

What do I do if I find a lump?

The first thing to remember is that some changes in the breast can be normal. 

Breast changes even if they might require some medical attention, are usually not cancer. More likely reasons include period issues, birth control pills, pregnancy complications or the pregnancy itself, aging, and menopause.

Which lumps are most likely to be cancerous?

Keep an eye out for hard and painless lumps, especially if they come with an odd or strange texture. 

The size of the change has no relation to whether it’s minor or not, or cancer or not. Any changes in verified lumps, the breast skin, and the nipple area should be checked out by a doctor.

What are common tips and mistakes?

Generally speaking, you want your hands to be clean and moisturized ideally. Doing it in the shower can be a great way for you to really get a feel without causing too much irritation. Focus on a pattern and use the pads, not the nails of your fingers. Don’t try to feel it all at one pressure, try to oscillate between soft and tough as go.

Avoid:

  • Rushing
  • Performing them right before or right during your period
  • Missing key spots near the upper chest and armpit

Performing breast self-examinations maybe anxiety inducing but they are the best way to detect changes in the breast, and not for yourself if your breasts are as they should or not. If something is happening to your breasts that is abnormal for you, make sure your doctor knows right away.

August 30, 2022

Surgery Group LA
Treatment Options for Breast Cancer Besides Chemotherapy
Medicine Pictures, Medicine Stock Photos & Images | Depositphotos®

Since its development in 1956, Chemotherapy has become almost interchangeable for the term cancer treatment. Chemotherapy has helped millions of people who have suffered from cancer, but the side effects from these treatments can often be taxing and brutal on the human body.

However thankfully for breast cancer patients, new treatments have been developed that could possibly curtail the need for chemotherapy. Breast cancer has now been found to be not one disease, but a group of diseases, each that require its own unique form of treatment. This means that chemotherapy is no longer the only treatment for a vast majority of breast cancer treatments.

Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer

For about 70 -80 percent of cases of breast cancer, their cancer cells require estrogen or progesterone in order to help grow and spread throughout the body. Drugs like Tamoxifen works like estrogen in healthy tissues in the body without triggering the hormone receptors of cancer cells. When done without complications, these treatments are highly effective and have proven to work even without the assistance of chemotherapy. 

Surgical Breast Cancer Treatment

While Surgery is not a replacement for chemotherapy, most breast cancer patients will require surgery as some part of their treatment plan. These surgeries are usually categorized as either:

  • Breast-Conserving Surgery – where the cancer cells are surgically removed as well as some of the surrounding tissue. This helps conserve as much tissue as possible
  • Mastectomy – where the whole breast is removed, as well as other connecting tissues

The good news is that these surgeries are being perfected every day in order to conserve and repair as much breast tissue as possible.

Clinical trials

For patients who are not responding to traditional treatments but want to keep trying, clinical trials can be a great option. It can offer people more control and information in their case, new treatments, and allow them to evolve medical information for future generations. 

While each treatment should be thoroughly discussed with your medical professional, breast cancer treatment has evolved into a field with a variety of options that can be tailored to you. If you or a loved one is suffering from breast cancer, please speak to a medical professional today.

February 26, 2022

Surgery Group LA
AstraZeneca Reports Positive Results from New Breast Cancer Treatment Trial

Drug researchers from AstraZeneca PLC have reported that results from the late-stage trials of their drug Enhertu have been shown to improve the survival rates of their breast cancer patients. 

Enhertu is the latest of a series of drugs developed to target the cancer-linked protein HER2. 1 in 5 breast cancer patients has HER2-producing genes, and these proteins can often cause a more aggressive and damaging form of cancer.

This is crucial news for the 1 in 8 women in the United States who will get some form of invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. While new screening processes and treatments have lowered the mortality of breast cancer patients, nearly 44,000 people died from breast cancer last year in the US alone.

The great news is that drugs like Enhertu specifically target these HER2 proteins, rather than indirectly destroying them in treatments such as chemotherapy. These studies at least suggest that HER2 treatments perform better than even a physician’s recommended form of chemotherapy treatment, and if these results could continue could cause a paradigm shift in breast cancer treatment.

If you or a loved one has questions or concerns in regards to breast cancer screening, testing, or treatment, please speak to a medical professional right away.

February 26, 2022



Surgery Group of LA is a multi-specialty surgical practice based in Los Angeles, dedicated to providing expert, compassionate care across a wide range of specialties including colorectal, thyroid, general, and minimally invasive surgery. Our board-certified surgeons are committed to delivering personalized treatment using the latest technology and techniques.

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