Does Injury Cause Breast Cancer
Generally, doctors don’t believe that an injury to the breast can lead to cancer, according to Cancer Research UK.
An injury can cause fibrous scar tissue to form and this may be mistaken for cancer. Or inflammation may make a breast lump that is already there more obvious. Some women wonder if a past injury could have caused their breast cancer.
One study by scientists at the University of Lancaster found that physical trauma could cause breast cancer.
However, other experts contest that because of trauma to the breast, the breast itself is being examined and followed more closely than usual, and that is why breast cancer is detected, rather than it being due to the actual injury.
Experts add that cancers are fundamentally caused by faulty or damaged genes and take a very long time to develop, and it’s much more likely that injuries draw attention to tumours that are already there.
When To See Your Doctor
It’s important to talk to your physician if you have breast pain from any cause. Even if it’s not due to cancer, many women find that breast pain decreases their quality of life. In one study,15% of the women experienced breast pain at some time in their life that interfered with work and family activities. So, make sure to talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any suspicious discomfort.
On How It Feels To Take Control Of Their Own Health:
Knowing my family history and own risk factors provided the information I needed to take control of my health.
“How empowering it can be. My mother fought breast cancer twice and my aunt died from metastatic breast cancer. My aunt just barely made it to see her son graduate from high school. I knew that I didn’t want to miss a single moment of watching my own son grow into adulthood, his graduations, his wedding, all those moments that I look forward to. My results from a genetic test and risk assessment revealed I had a significantly increased risk of breast cancer. The risk was high enough for me to make a personal decision to have a prophylactic mastectomy. Knowing my family history and own risk factors provided the information I needed to take control of my health. I’m lucky to have had the surgery when I did because when I received the final pathology report, it revealed that I already had two early-stage breast cancers. If I hadn’t known the results of my assessment and acted on those results, the outcome could have been much worse for me. Everyone deserves access to those answers.”
Nicole Lambert
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Risk Of Heart And Lung Problems From Breast Radiation Higher For Smokers
- Tags:Early-stage: Stage 0 — DCIS , Early-stage: Stage IA, Early-stage: Stage IB, Early-stage: Stage IIA, Early-stage: Stage IIB, Early-stage: Stage IIIA, Radiation to the Breast, Radiation After Surgery , Planning/Considering Radiation, Whole-Breast External Radiation, Smoking, and Heart Problems
For women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy has been shown to be as effective as mastectomy without radiation for removing the cancer AND minimizing the risk of the cancer coming back . Radiation therapy after lumpectomy can destroy any cancer cells that may have been left behind after surgery, making recurrence less likely.
Still, studies have found a link between radiation therapy for breast cancer and a higher risk of heart and lung problems, especially if the cancer is in the left breast, the same side as the heart. Radiation therapy uses a special kind of high-energy beam to damage cancer cells. Over time, radiation damages cells that are in the path of its beam — normal cells as well as cancer cells. But cancer cells are more affected by radiation than normal cells because theyre less organized.
A study looking at results from a number of other studies found that smokers have a much higher risk of dying from lung cancer or a heart attack as a result of radiation therapy for breast cancer.
- 23% were treated with tamoxifen
- 19% were treated with chemotherapy
- 5.7 Gray for the whole lung
- 4.4 Gray for the whole heart
How To Treat A Breast Trauma
Most of the time, breast injury and inflammation can be treated at home.
If you need help with managing pain, see your doctor. They can advise you on the best methods of pain control for you. You can usually ease pain from a traumatic injury with a pain reliever such as ibuprofen . However, if your pain is from surgery or if you have certain medical conditions, you should not take pain relievers. Talk to your doctor about other options for pain management instead.
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When To See A Doctor For Breast Pain
Most breast injuries will heal over time. The pain will lessen and eventually stop.
However, you should follow up with a medical professional in certain cases. For example, follow up if your breast injury and pain has been caused by a significant trauma, such as a car accident. A doctor can make sure there is no significant bleeding. Also see a doctor if your pain increases or is uncomfortable, especially after breast surgery. If you feel a new lump in your breast that you have never noticed before and dont know the cause of, see your doctor. Its important to have a doctor confirm that a lump is noncancerous, even if it appears after an injury to your breast.
What Treatment Is There For Breast Injury:
- These symptoms usually heal on their own after a few days.
- If you have a persistent lump or pain in your breast seek medical advice.
- Prevent breast injury and increase confidence by using a chest protector.
Don’t hesitate when you compete – protect your chest with a range of strong and comfortable upper body, full chest or breast only protection.
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What Is Metastatic Breast Cancer
Metastatic breast cancer is not a specific type of breast cancer. Its the most advanced stage of breast cancer.
Metastatic breast cancer is breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body .
Although metastatic breast cancer has spread to another part of the body, its still breast cancer and treated as breast cancer.
For example, breast cancer that has spread to the bones is still breast cancer . Its not the same as cancer that starts in the bone. Breast cancer cells have invaded the bones. So, its treated with breast cancer drugs rather than treatments for cancer that began in the bones.
What Are The Signs Of Breast Cancer
A woman who has breast cancer may have no problems, or she may find a painless lump in her breast. If women examine their breasts monthly, they can help find lumps or other changes that a doctor should examine.
Most breast lumps are not cancer, but all lumps should be checked out by a doctor to be sure. Breast lumps that are not cancer may be scar tissue or cysts or they can be due to normal breast changes associated with hormone changes or aging.
Girls who are beginning puberty might notice a lump underneath the nipple when their breasts start developing. Usually, this is a normal. You can ask a parent or your doctor about it to be sure.
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You Notice Changes That Aren’t Related To Your Boobs At All
Back pain, neck pain, and unexplained weight loss were all listed as other breast cancer symptoms that led women to seek medical care and ultimately get diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the study published in Cancer Epidemiology.
That’s because breast cancer can spread before it’s caught, causing symptoms in body parts that have nothing to do with your boobs. It’s not possible to identify every possible sign of breast cancer so when it comes to early detection, you are your own best weapon, says Dr. Denduluri. Overall, any persistent, noticeable change should be checked by a doctor.
Can A Breast Injury Cause Cancer
It is a common misconception that a breast injury could cause cancer. No available research exists that indicates a link between breast injury and cancer.
Some people may believe that a breast injury could lead to cancer because breast injuries can cause a lump to develop after an injury. But a lump could be due to what is called fat necrosis.
Fat necrosis is scarring of dead or injured fatty tissue in the breast that can cause a lump. According to the American Cancer Society, fat necrosis does ânot increase a womanâs risk of breast cancer.â
A lump in the breast after an injury can also be due to a deep bruise that is known as a hematoma.
There are several potential complications of a traumatic breast injury:
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How Do You Get Rid Of Scar Tissue In The Breast
Are there treatments for scars?
Causes Of Breast Cancer: How Did This Happen
When youre told that you have breast cancer, its natural to wonder what may have caused the disease. But no one knows the exact causes of breast cancer. Doctors seldom know why one woman develops breast cancer and another doesnt, and most women who have breast cancer will never be able to pinpoint an exact cause. What we do know is that breast cancer is always caused by damage to a cells DNA.
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What Is External Beam Radiation Therapy
During external beam radiation therapy, a beam of radiation is directed through the skin to the cancer and the immediate surrounding area in order to destroy the main tumor and any nearby cancer cells. To minimize side effects, the treatments are typically given five days a week, Monday through Friday, for a number of weeks. This allows doctors to get enough radiation into the body to kill the cancer while giving healthy cells time each day to recover.
The radiation beam is usually generated by a machine called a linear accelerator. The linear accelerator, or linac, is capable of producing high-energy X-rays and electrons for the treatment of your cancer. Using high-tech treatment planning software, your treatment team controls the size and shape of the beam, as well as how it is directed at your body, to effectively treat your tumor while sparing the surrounding normal tissue. Several special types of external beam therapy are discussed in the next sections. These are used for specific types of cancer, and your radiation oncologist will recommend one of these treatments if he or she believes it will help you.
What Hereditary Breast And Ovarian Cancer Week Means For You
This week is National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week and its time for you to reevaluate your family history of hereditary cancer. Did you know that ¾ of a million people in the US alone have the infamous BRCA gene for breast or ovarian cancer and 90% dont know it? I have the BRCA1 gene and did not know it until I had cancer.
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When Can Metastatic Breast Cancer Occur
Some people have metastatic breast cancer when they are first diagnosed with breast cancer . This is called de novo metastatic breast cancer.
Most often, metastatic breast cancer arises years after a person has completed treatment for early or locally advanced breast cancer. This may be called a distant recurrence.
A diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer is not your fault. You did nothing to cause the cancer to spread.
Metastatic breast cancers come from breast cancer cells that remained in the body after treatment for early breast cancer. The breast cancer cells were always there but were dormant and could not be detected. For some unknown reason, the cancer cells began to grow again. This process is not well-understood.
During Your Radiation Therapy
On the day of your first radiation treatment, youll start putting triamcinolone 0.1% ointment on your skin in the treatment area. This is a prescription ointment that will help protect your skin. Youll use it every day, once in the morning and once in the evening. This includes the days you dont have treatment. Your radiation nurse will give you more information about it before your first treatment.
Your radiation oncologist may also recommend using Mepitel® Film to protect your skin in the treatment area. If they do, put it on your skin in the treatment area before your first treatment. Keep it on until the edges start to peel up.
Youll stay in one position for about 10 to 20 minutes during each of your radiation treatments, depending on your treatment plan. If you think youll be uncomfortable lying still, you can take acetaminophen or your usual pain medication 1 hour before your appointments.
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The Risk Of Metastatic Breast Cancer
If youve been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, youre not alone. Its estimated there were more than 168,000 women living with metastatic breast cancer in the U.S. in 2020 . Men can also get metastatic breast cancer.
The risk of metastasis after breast cancer treatment varies from person to person. It depends on:
- The biology of the tumor
- The stage at the time of the original diagnosis
- The treatments for the original cancer
Can Squeezing Or Being Hit In The Breast Cause Cancer
An injury, such as falling or being hit in the chest, will not cause breast cancer. Squeezing or pinching the breast or nipple will not cause breast cancer either.
It may cause bruising and swelling to the breast, which can be tender or painful to touch.
Sometimes an injury can lead to a benign lump known as fat necrosis. This is scar tissue that can form when the body naturally repairs the damaged fatty breast tissue.
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If Someone In My Family Has Cancer Am I Likely To Get Cancer Too
Not necessarily. Cancer is caused by harmful changes in genes. Only about 5 to 10 percent of cancers are caused by harmful mutations that are inherited from a persons parents. In families with an inherited cancer-causing mutation, multiple family members will often develop the same type of cancer. These cancers are called familial or hereditary cancers.
The remaining 90 to 95 percent of cancers are caused by mutations that happen during a persons lifetime as a natural result of aging and exposure to environmental factors, such as tobacco smoke and radiation. These cancers are called non-hereditary or spontaneous cancers. For more information about the risk of getting cancer, see the NCI fact sheet on Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes and Cancer Causes and Risk Factors.
How Breast Cancer Pain May Feel
If breast cancer is the cause of breast pain, it will often be present in only one breast, whereas benign breast pain is often on both sides.
Breast cancer pain can be persistent and very specific, usually hurting in just one spot. But, breast cancer can be present in your breast before it causes pain. If you have other symptoms of breast cancer, such as nipple retraction, sudden swelling of your breast, or sudden skin changes, consult your doctor for a clinical breast exam.
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What Will The Doctor Do
Sometimes a doctor will discover a lump in a woman’s breast during a routine examination or a patient might come to the doctor with questions about a lump she found.
In other cases, a mammogram may find a lump in the breast that can’t be felt. A mammogram is a special kind of X-ray of the breast that helps doctors see what’s going on inside. Sometimes, other kinds of pictures, like an MRI, also can be taken.
When a lump is found, the doctor will want to test it. The best way to do this is usually with a biopsy. In a biopsy, a small amount of breast tissue is removed with a needle or during a small operation. Then, the tissue is examined under a microscope to look for cancer cells.
The biopsy may be benign , which means the lump is not cancer. If the biopsy shows cancer cells, the lump is malignant . If a breast lump does contains cancer cells, the woman, along with her doctor and family, will decide what to do next.
Know The Signs That You May Have A Hereditary Risk Of One Of These Gene Mutations For Cancer:
Do any of these apply to you or your family?
- Having a blood relative who has tested positive for one of the genes
OR, if you or any blood relative has had one of these cancers:
- Pancreatic, ovarian, fallopian tube,
- Stomach cancer
- Rare or young-onset cancers
If you or someone you love answered yes to these questions, ask your physician to send you to a cancer genetics specialist.
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