Saturday, April 20, 2024
HomeEditor PicksBreast Cancer And Irregular Periods

Breast Cancer And Irregular Periods

Can Endometrial Polyps Cause Vaginal Bleeding

Causes of irregular periods | Explains Dr. Tanushree Pandey

Similar bleeding episodes may have occurred previously. Patients may have a history of endometrial or endocervical polyps or fibroids or recent use of hormonal agents any of these factors could contribute to vaginal bleeding. Patients who develop oligomenorrhea within the year before menopause may develop episodes of uterine bleeding due to changes in their estrogen levels.

Previous Breast Cancer Or Lump

If you have previously had breast cancer or early non-invasive cancer cell changes in breast ducts, you have a higher risk of developing it again, either in your other breast or in the same breast.

A benign breast lump does not mean you have breast cancer, but certain types of breast lumps may slightly increase your risk of developing cancer.

Some benign changes in your breast tissue, such as cells growing abnormally in ducts , or abnormal cells inside your breast lobes , can make getting breast cancer more likely.

Why Is The Menstrual Cycle Important In Breast Cancer Research

It helps in matching patients according to the changes in their breast tissue corresponding to their menstrual cycle, for different epidemiological studies relating to breast cancer. Certain studies have suggested that surgery for breast cancer, when performed in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, has a better prognosis.

Don’t Miss: Can Breast Pain Mean Cancer

What Counts As A Missed Period

Understanding the length of a menstrual cycle can help a person identify a missed period.

Typically, a persons cycle lasts . The exact length varies for everyone, and it may change by a few days each month.

A person who knows what is typical for them can spot irregular or missed periods.

Irregular periods occur when the time between the start of each period changes frequently. A missed period is when no bleeding happens for an entire menstrual cycle.

Missing a period does not cause ovarian cancer. However, there may be a link between missing periods and an increased risk of developing the disease.

A 2016 study revealed that people with irregular menstrual cycles might have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. The researchers found that this risk increased with age.

In fact, those with irregular menstrual cycles were twice as likely to have developed ovarian cancer by the age of 70 years as those with regular menstrual cycles.

Understanding why the risk of developing ovarian cancer may increase for people with irregular periods will require more research, as scientists have yet to find a causal link.

Although a missed period may sometimes indicate ovarian cancer, it is usually due to other factors.

According to the National Cancer Institute, about 1.1% of females in the U.S. will receive an ovarian cancer diagnosis at some point in their lifetime.

12 times in a month.

If a doctor suspects ovarian cancer, they may order one or more tests. These :

  • low body weight

Can A Tumor Cause Missed Period

Invasive ductal breast cancer metastatic to the sigmoid colon

People with ovaries can develop tumors or cysts on their ovaries. Usually these are benign not cancerous and will stay in or on the ovaries. Less commonly, ovarian tumors are cancerous. Some ovarian tumors cause abnormal vaginal bleeding or missed periods, but its unlikely to be the only symptom.

Recommended Reading: Is Turmeric Good For Breast Cancer

How To Reduce Risk

There is no guaranteed way to prevent breast cancer, but there are certain steps a person can take to lower their risk.

Actions that may lower the risk of breast cancer include:

  • Get to a healthy weight: High body weight and weight gain as an adult increase the risk of breast cancer after menopause. The

Several benign breast conditions can cause symptoms that resemble those of cancer. Some of these issues require treatment, while others go away on their own.

Though these conditions are benign, they can cause:

  • discomfort or pain

Some common benign breast conditions include:

If a person is unsure what is causing any breast-related symptom, they should talk with a doctor as soon as possible.

As with most cancers, early breast cancer detection and treatment leads to a better outcome. People should attend regular breast examinations and tell a doctor about any breast-related symptoms or changes.

According to the ACS , when a doctor diagnoses breast cancer before it has spread beyond the breast, the relative 5-year survival rate is 99%.

Relative survival rates can help people understand the likelihood of treatment being successful. A relative 5-year survival rate indicates the percentage of people living 5 years after their diagnosis compared to people without the disease.

When breast cancer has spread beyond the breast to the lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 86%. The same survival rate for cancer that has spread to other organs is 29%.

I Symptoms Of Irregular Periods

In regular period, a womans cycle can be predictable. A menstrual cycle often lasts around 28 days however, depending on the individual, it can vary between 24 days and 35 days. Each year, most of the women have 11-13 menstrual periods. Bleeding often lasts about 5 days however, it can also vary between 2 days and 7 days.

When the first menstrual period starts, it may need 2 years to build a regular cycle. Most womens menstrual cycle is regular after puberty. The times length between each period is similar. Nonetheless, in some cases, the time between each period and the blood amount shed vary. And, this condition is called irregular periods.

The main symptom of irregular cycle is when the menstrual cycle is longer than 35 days, or bleeding lasts more than 7 days. If there is any change in blood flow, or there are clots that are over 2.5cm in diameter, this condition is also considered as irregular periods.

List of 36 Tips How To Delay Periods For Few Days Naturally At Home will show you some of the best natural remedies that help you delay menstrual periods for several days, so check it out!

Also Check: What Is Triple Negative Breast Cancer

How Many Menstrual Cycles Are There To Have A Low Risk Of Breast Cancer

Heres the answer: The lower your menstrual life the lower your risk of breast cancer. If you had fewer than 350 menstrual cycles , you have a low risk of breast cancer. If you had between 350 and 450 menstrual cycles , you have a high risk of breast cancer. If you had more than 450 menstrual cycles

Cognitive Function And Breast Cancer Treatment

Abnormal Periods

The link between cognitive problems and chemotherapy remains unclear.

Problems with cognitive function may be related to the breast cancer treatment, regardless of the type of treatment . For example, women treated with hormone therapy have also reported cognitive problems .

Stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia can affect cognitive function . After a breast cancer diagnosis, women may have cognitive problems, even before treatment begins . These symptoms may first appear with the stress related to diagnosis and treatment and then become worse after chemotherapy or other treatment begins .

Medications used to treat the side effects of chemotherapy, such as sleeping aids and anti-nausea medications, can also cause these problems.

Age and genetic factors may also play a role. Some studies show older women with breast cancer tend to have more cognitive problems after chemotherapy than younger women . Genetic factors may also decrease cognitive function in older women with breast cancer .

The true extent of the cognitive effects of chemotherapy is not well understood. More research in this area is needed.

You May Like: Breast Cancer Recurrence Rates Calculator

Can Cancer Symptoms Be Mistaken For Menopause

Eleonora Teplinsky, MD, is the head of breast medical oncology at Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care in Paramus, New Jersey, and is a clinical assistant professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She specializes in the treatment of breast and gynecologic cancers. Her research interests focus on the role of exercise and nutrition in cancer and survivorship. She is also a member of the Cancer.Net Editorial Board. You can follow Dr. Teplinsky on . View Dr. Teplinskys disclosures.

People approaching or going through menopause may be concerned that the symptoms theyre experiencing are related to menopause or another medical condition, such as cancer. But can the symptoms of menopause mimic those of certain types of cancer? Or, can menopause and its treatment increase a persons risk of cancer?

Heres what to know about how the symptoms of menopause can be similar to those of cancer and whether menopause impacts cancer risk.

Changes Caused By Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy causes changes to the ovaries which may lead to changes to periods. Although chemotherapy destroys cancer cells it can also affect any cells that grow and divide rapidly this includes cells in the ovaries. In turn this can affect the functioning of the ovaries, reducing the number and quality of eggs.

What happens to a womans periods during chemotherapy depends on the type of drugs used, the dose given and the age of the woman having treatment. Some women continue to have periods throughout treatment but its common for periods to stop during chemotherapy and this can be temporary or permanent. They may restart again at the end of treatment or even months or years later again this can depend on age. The younger someone is the more likely it is their periods will return. You can read about other womens experiences by visiting our Forum.

Many younger women with breast cancer believe the return of their periods means they may be able to have children if they want to. However, this isnt necessarily the case. The reverse is also true, just because periods are absent or stop/start doesnt mean you cant get pregnant, so contraception will be important unless youre planning for a baby.

Recommended Reading: How Long Can Someone Live With Metastatic Breast Cancer

Early Menopause And Fertility

If youre hoping to have a child after breast cancer treatment, there are things you can do. Talk with a fertility specialist before starting treatment to discuss your options. Some options are described below.

Storing eggs

The most common way to preserve fertility is to store eggs before chemotherapy begins.

In both procedures, some of your eggs are collected, frozen and stored. The eggs may be fertilized by sperm from a spouse, partner or donor. Or you may store unfertilized eggs, which dont require a sperm donor.

After treatment, the eggs can be thawed and implanted into the uterus.

Insurance coverage for fertility services varies from state to state. Check with your insurance company to find out whats covered.

Protecting the ovaries

There are no known treatments guaranteed to protect the ovaries from chemotherapy.

However, drugs that shut down the ovaries during chemotherapy may help women return to regular menstrual periods after treatment ends. This may help preserve fertility.

Can Treatment For Menopause Increase My Cancer Risk

Solitary breast metastasis from myxoid liposarcoma

One of the biggest questions around menopause is the use of menopausal hormone therapy , also called hormone replacement therapy, for managing the symptoms of menopause and how it impacts a persons risk for cancer. Because the symptoms of menopause are mostly due to low levels of estrogen in the body, MHT is sometimes used to treat these menopausal symptoms. MHT can consist of either estrogen alone or combined estrogen-progestin therapy .

The use of MHT declined significantly after the initial publication of the Womens Health Initiative study in 2002, which showed that people taking EPT had a higher risk of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, and blood clots. Although further analysis showed that some of the risks were over-estimated and there were found to be some benefits of MHT, MHT is currently prescribed to only about 3% to 4% of perimenopausal and postmenopausal people.

MHT can also increase the risk of developing a gynecologic cancer. This risk varies based on the type of MHT used. Because estrogen-alone MHT increases the risk of uterine cancer, for example, it cannot be given to people who still have a uterus. For these people, combined estrogen-progestin therapy is recommended, which eliminates that increased risk of uterine cancer. The risk of ovarian cancer is very slightly increased with either estrogen alone or combined estrogen-progestin MHT. MHT does not increase the risk of cervical cancer.

Recommended Reading: Is Breast Cancer Surgery Outpatient

What Does It Mean When You Have A Lump In Your Breast

For some people, the first indication is a new lump or mass within the breast. People with this type of cancer may also experience: swelling of all or part of the breast. pain in the breast or nipple. irritation or dimpling of the breasts skin. redness, scaling, or thickening of the nipple or skin.

Measurement Of Gene Expression

Total RNA was extracted from two 10m sections of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded breast tumour samples using the RecoverAll kit according to the manufacturers procedure. The NanoString nCounter gene expression system was used to measure gene expression without target amplification. In brief, an nCounter CodeSet containing gene-specific probe-pairs for the 50 genes selected above as well as six exogenous positive control RNA targets, and eight exogenous negative control sequences, was hybridised to 200ng total RNA in a single 30l hybridization reaction. After overnight hybridization at 65°C, the samples were processed using the NanoString nCounter Prep Station and Digital Analyzer according to the manufacturers instructions. Assay validity was confirmed by assessing the linearity of six internal positive RNA controls and the non-specific background from signal in eight internal negative controls included in each reaction. The raw nCounter counts for each gene of interest were corrected for background by subtracting the geometric mean of the negative controls, normalised to the geometric mean of the five housekeeping genes to allow for variation in the amount and quality of input RNA and log2 transformed . The housekeeping genes did not show any significant changes in expression between individual windows or between the combinations of windows .

Recommended Reading: Can You Get Breast Cancer At The Age Of 13

Lobular Carcinoma In Situ

Lobular carcinoma in situ refers to an area of abnormal cells confined to the breasts milk-producing glands.

Because these cells do not spread to surrounding tissues, doctors do not lobular carcinoma situ to be cancer. However, it can increase the chances of developing other types of invasive breast cancer.

This condition rarely causes symptoms. Doctors lobular carcinoma in situ during a breast biopsy for another problem in the breast area. In some cases, tiny white specs of calcium called microcalcifications appear on a routine mammogram.

Original Articlethe Impact Of Menstruation Persistence Or Recovery After Chemotherapy On Survival In Young Patients With Hormone Receptor Negative Breast Cancer

Does an Irregular Lump Mean That You Have Breast Cancer?

Menstruation often recovers after chemotherapy in young breast cancer patients.

This is currently accepted for those with a hormone receptor negative subtype.

The cell type such tumors arise from is possibly sensitive to paracrine stimulation.

Recovery of menstruation may still negatively affect outcome in these patients.

Also Check: When To Get Checked For Breast Cancer

Documentation Of Breast Cancer

New cases of breast cancer were identified through biennial questionnaires mailed between 1991 and 2001. Deaths were reported by family members or by the Postal Service in response to the follow-up questionnaires, and the National Death Index was searched to investigate the death of nonresponders. When a case of breast cancer was reported, we asked the participant for confirmation of the diagnosis and for permission to obtain relevant hospital records and pathology reports. We confirmed 98% of the breast cancer cases with pathology reports. Cases of carcinoma in situ were censored at the time of diagnosis. Breast cancer rates in the Nurses’ Health Study are comparable with those reported by the national Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results study .

What Are The Main Causes Of Irregular Periods

There are many causes of abnormal periods, ranging from stress to more serious underlying medical conditions:Stress and lifestyle factors. Birth control pills. Uterine polyps or fibroids. Endometriosis. Pelvic inflammatory disease. Polycystic ovary syndrome. Premature ovarian insufficiency.

Read Also: Can You Get Breast Cancer From Your Phone

Cancer Symptoms Women Shouldn’t Ignore

The warning signs of gynecologic cancers can be vague and similar tothose of other conditions. That’s why its important to know what tolook for.

Cancer may not be on your radar, especially if youre relatively young and healthy. But it should be, regardless of your age or family history.

Each year, nearly 90,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer, such as endometrial , ovarian cancer or cervical cancer. More than 242,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer.

Most of these cancers occur in women after menopause. But gynecologic cancers can strike women before menopause, too.

“Your risk for all cancer types rises as you age, but its important to know what to look for at any age,” says Therese Bevers, M.D., medical director of the Cancer Prevention Center. “That way, if symptoms appear, you can tell your doctor right away.”

The signs of cancer, particularly gynecologic cancers, can be vague and similar to those of other conditions. Only breast and cervical cancers can be detected through screening. So recognizing these symptoms and talking about them with your gynecologist or primary care doctor can increase your odds of finding cancer early, when its most treatable.

Here are 10 cancer symptoms that every woman should be on the lookout for.

3. Vaginal discharge colored with blood. Bloody, dark or smelly discharge is usually a sign of infection. But sometimes, its a warning sign of cervical, vaginal or endometrial cancer.

Can Tamoxifen Cause Vaginal Bleeding

Solitary breast metastasis from myxoid liposarcoma

Vaginal bleeding can also be a presenting symptom of benign endocervical polyps or endometrial hyperplasia caused by tamoxifen treatment. It is important to consider endometrial malignancy in premenopausal women who present with abnormal vaginal bleeding and any postmenopausal woman who presents with any vaginal bleeding.

Recommended Reading: How Does Breast Cancer Look

RELATED ARTICLES

Popular Articles