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The cause of a particular type of breast cancer is unknown. But, there are certain risk factors that can increase the chances of getting breast cancer. Such factors include:

• Age: For some people as their age increases, their chances of getting breast cancer also increases.
• Genetic mutations: Having a personal or family history of breast or ovarian cancer with gene mutations, then both men and women in their families are at increased risk
• Previously treated with radiotherapy, mainly to the chest area
• Certain hormone therapies
• Being overweight
• Conceiving after 30 yrs or not breastfeeding can also fall under risk factors
• Lifestyle risk factors including drinking alcohol and not being physically active can also increase your risk. So, try to follow a healthy lifestyle and stay physically active to avoid the risk.

The next important step after diagnosis is the staging of cancer. Your doctor will assign a stage to your breast cancer based on the results of diagnostic tests. A particular stage defines the severity of cancer and how far it has spread. Generally, breast cancer can be described in 5 stages, from stage 0 to stage 4.

Stage 0: Cancer is present only in the milk-producing ducts and is less likely to affect nearby healthy tissues. The 5-year survival rate is 100% for every woman at this stage.

Stage I: In this stage, tumours are smaller and cancer is confined to the breast. It is the earliest stage of breast cancer and the 5-year survival rate is 100%.

Stage II: Here, tumours can be smaller or slightly larger and may spread to lymph nodes in the underarm region. Women with this stage can have a 50% chance of having a 5-year survival rate.

Stage III: Breast cancer is locally advanced at this stage and has spread to surrounding healthy tissues and lymph nodes. Women with this stage can also have a 50% chance of having a 5-year survival rate.

Stage IV: This is the last stage, also called the metastatic stage. Here, cancer has spread to distant organs such as the liver, lungs, bones and brain, and the 5 yr survival rate is low.

Early-stage breast cancers have higher chances of getting cured including stage 3, Only stage 4 is complicated to cure but it can be treated to prolong life to some extent.

Along with the staging, doctors also find out the grade of your breast cancer with the help of a biopsy. Grade refers to the characteristics of cancer cells and is explained as grade 1, grade 2 and grade 3. In grade 1, cancer cells look almost like normal cells and grow slowly, so there are fewer chances of getting metastasized, whereas grade 3 cancer cells are aggressive and spread rapidly.

Breast cancer first spreads to nearby lymph nodes in the underarm region, around the collarbone and breast, and can also affect surrounding healthy tissue. If undetected at this stage, it gradually metastasizes and spreads to the liver, lungs, bones, and brain.

Signs may vary depending on where the breast cancer has spread. Some of the signs it shows while spreading are as follows.

• Bone pain or fractures if spread to bones
• Headaches or dizziness if the brain is affected
• Chest pain, shortage of breathing, coughing and fatigue if spread to the lungs
• Breast pain, unusual discharge from the nipple, lumps or thickening of breasts or in the underarm if the chest wall is affected
• Nausea, swelling of feet or hands and jaundice if spread to the liver
• Pain, memory loss, headaches, blurred vision, double vision, difficulty with movements and seizures if the brain or spinal cord is affected

Women or men with a personal or family history of breast or ovarian cancer due to genetic mutations are at a very higher risk for breast cancer. In addition, growing age, a history of radiotherapy to the chest area, being overweight, being an alcoholic, physically inactive lifestyle, and certain hormonal therapies can increase the risk of breast cancer.

Yes, gynaecologists can perform clinical breast examinations to check for any signs of cancer. It is recommended to make an appointment with a gynaecologist once a year from the age of 13 or 15. During the consultation, your gynaecologist will look for any lumps, enlarged lymph nodes and skin changes in the breasts or underarm area. If your doctor finds any indicative signs of breast cancer, then diagnostic tests will be offered or else you will be referred to a relevant oncologist.

If you are at risk of developing breast cancer, it is important to go for screening to find it early. Mammograms are the standard screening tests that can effectively detect breast cancer. It takes an x-ray of the breasts and the procedure lasts for 3 – 5 min. There are several types of mammograms and your doctor can recommend the right one for you. Women aged between 40 to 44 years can go for screening once a year with a doctor’s approval. Women between the ages of 45 to 54 are advised to undergo mammography every year. But women over 55 can get a mammogram every two years. If any woman has higher risk factors like genetic mutations, personal or family history of breast cancer, then screening with a mammogram along with a breast MRI is recommended every year starting at age 30.

Early-stage breast cancers have higher chances of getting cured. Stages 1 and 2 can be effectively cured with surgery and subsequent radiation therapy. There are cases where even a stage 3 breast cancer patient was also cured and lives in remission. But metastatic breast cancer that is at stage 4 and has spread to other body parts cannot be cured but can be treated to prolong the life span.

Long-term side effects are seen in a few people depending on the kind of treatment they received. Breast cancer treatment commonly causes changes in the physical appearance of breasts, persistent pain, fluid accumulation in lymph, fatigue, weakness, respiratory system problems, and problems in remembering things, inability to pay attention, and problems in taking decisions.

After finishing the treatment, you are considered breast cancer free if you have been in remission for five years or more with no signs of cancer recurrence. For some people, there are chances of cancer recurrence. So, you should have regular follow-ups with your doctor for monitoring your health.