Breast
cancer is a disease that affects both the body and mind. Beyond the obvious
stress of being diagnosed and needing various treatments, you may experience
physical changes you weren’t expecting. Here’s more about how breast cancer
affects the body and how to deal with those changes.
You
may not experience any symptoms or show any signs during the earliest stages of
breast cancer. As the cancer progresses, you may notice some physical changes,
including:
·
a lump in your breast or a thickening of the breast
tissue
·
unusual or bloody discharge from your nipples
·
newly inverted nipples
·
skin changes on or around your breasts
·
size or shape changes in your breasts
Early
detection is key for early treatment and better survival rates. It’s
recommended that women over age 50 have mammograms every other year. In
addition, it’s a good idea to routinely check your breasts for any of the above
changes.
You
can perform a simple checkup by following these steps:
1.
Stand without your top or bra on in front of a
mirror, first with your arms at your side and then with your arms above your
head.
2.
Look for changes in the shape, size, or skin
texture of your breasts.
3.
Then, lie down and use the pad (not the tips) of
your fingers to feel your breasts for lumps.
4.
Repeat this step again while you’re in the shower.
The soap and water will help you feel more detail.
5.
Lightly squeeze your nipples to check for any
discharge or blood.
The
exact cause of breast cancer isn’t entirely clear. There are biological and
environmental factors that increase a person’s chance of developing breast
cancer. Often, it’s a mix between these two things that puts someone at greater
risk.
Biological
risk factors include:
·
being a woman
·
being over age 55
·
being Caucasian
·
having a family history of breast cancer
·
having your period before age 12 or menopause after
age 55
·
carrying certain gene mutations
·
having dense breast tissue
Environmental
risk factors include:
·
engaging in a sedentary lifestyle
·
having a poor diet
·
being overweight or obese
·
frequently consuming alcoholic beverages
·
regularly smoking tobacco
·
having radiation therapy to your chest, especially
before age 30
·
taking certain hormones for menopause
Unfortunately, 60 to 70 percent of
people diagnosed with breast cancer have none of these known risk factors. On
the flip side, if you any of these risk factors apply to you, it doesn’t
necessarily mean you’ll develop breast cancer.
During
treatment, you’re likely to experience changes ranging from hair loss to weight
gain.
Hair Loss
Chemotherapy
can cause hair loss by attacking hair follicle cells. Hair loss during cancer
treatment is almost always a temporary issue and usually starts a couple of
weeks into your treatment. Your hair should regrow once you finish your
treatment. Sometimes, it may start to grow before you finish.
Menstrual Changes
Breast
cancer treatments can disrupt normal hormone production and lead to
interruption of your regular menstrual cycles. This means you may
experience:
·
night sweats
·
hot flashes
·
joint paint
·
weight gain
·
a loss of sex drive
·
vaginal dryness
·
infertility
In some cases, you may resume regular periods after
treatment. Other women will never regain normal hormone production and will
enter menopause. This is most likely to occur in women over 40.
Swelling
Lymphedema
is a condition in which fluid collects in different parts of the body and
causes swelling. Having breast cancer surgery or radiation puts you at risk for
developing lymphedema in the breasts, arms, and hands. You should be referred
to a lymphedema specialist after your surgery to reduce your risk or reduce
symptoms if you already have them. You may be given specific exercises or a
special compression sleeve to help prevent or reduce your symptoms.
Skin Changes
If you have radiation for breast cancer, you may experience a red
rash that looks similar to sunburn in the affected area. In some cases, this
can be severe. Your breast tissue may also feel firm or swollen. Radiation
affects the body in many more ways. It can cause:
·
underarm hair loss
·
fatigue
·
nerve and heart damage
·
arm swelling or lymphedema
·
cardiac damage
Weight Gain
Many
women gain weight during breast cancer treatment. Significant weight gain
during treatment is linked to the risk of developing obesity-related diseases,
such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The weight gain may result from
chemotherapy, different steroidal medications, or hormone therapies.
Beyond
the nonsurgical treatments available to people breast cancer, there are several
surgeries that can also affect the body. Although surgery carries the risk of
bleeding and infection, it’s usually necessary to remove cancerous tumors and
lymph nodes.
Lumpectomy
A
lumpectomy is sometimes referred to as “breast-conserving surgery.” This is
because it can remove smaller tumors locally without removal of the entire
breast. The surgeon removes the tumor, as well as a margin of tissue around the
tumor. This may lead to some scarring or other physical changes or breast
asymmetry.
Mastectomy
Surgeons
often perform a mastectomy on larger tumors. The entire breast is removed in
this procedure. This includes the removal of the:
·
lobules
·
ducts
·
tissue
·
skin
·
nipple
·
areola
You
may explore a “skin-sparing” mastectomy, which is when doctors attempt to
preserve the skin of your breast and sometimes your nipple for later
reconstruction.
Some
women opt to have both breasts removed, which is called a contralateral
prophylactic mastectomy. This may be a good option if you have a strong family
history of breast cancer, a known genetic mutation like BRCA, or if you have an
increased risk of cancer in the other breast. Many women who have cancer in one
breast don’t develop it in the other breast.
Lymph Node Removal
Regardless
of the breast cancer surgery you choose, your surgeon will most likely remove
one or more lymph nodes found under your arm. If there isn’t any clinical
evidence or suspicion that the cancer has already spread to the lymph nodes,
you’ll most likely have a sentinel node biopsy. This is where only one or two
nodes are removed. If you’ve had a lymph node biopsy that showed cancer before
your surgery, you’ll likely need an axillary lymph node dissection. During an
axillary dissection, your doctor can remove as many as 15 to 20 nodes in an
attempt to remove all cancerous nodes. This will leave a scar at the incision
sites in the upper outer part of your breast, near your armpit.
After
lymph node dissection many women will have pain and decreased mobility of the
affected arm. In some cases, this pain may be permanent.
You
may choose to consult with a plastic surgeon before undergoing surgery to
discover options available to you. Reconstruction can be done by either
salvaging your own breast tissue or using silicone or water-filled implants.
These procedures are typically performed in tandem with your surgery or
afterward.
Prosthetics
are an alternative to reconstruction. If you don’t want breast reconstruction
but still want a breast shape, you may choose to use a prosthesis. A prosthesis
is also called a breast form. A prosthesis can be slipped into your bra or
bathing suit to fill the space where your breast was. These breast forms come
in many shapes, sizes, and materials, to suit your needs.
Beyond
reconstruction, you can do some things to help yourself adjust to your new body
and even combat some of the changes.
·
To ward off weight gain, eat a healthy diet with
plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit your sugar intake, drink
lots of water, and get good physical activity.
·
To help with swelling from fluid retention, you can
ask your doctor about different diuretic medications that help the body get rid
of excess water.
·
To deal with hair loss, you can consider cutting
you hair short before starting chemotherapy so the loss will feel less
dramatic. You can also look into buying wigs in a variety of shades, lengths,
and styles. Wigs made of real hair may cost $800 to $3,000. Alternatively, you
may choose to wear a scarf or hat.
·
To ease the discomfort from radiation, wear loose
clothing that won’t irritate your skin. Ask your doctor about different creams
or ointments that might soothe your skin. Ice packs and heating pads don’t
typically help ease symptoms.
Adding
various treatments and their associated physical changes to the mix may
certainly feel like too much to handle at times. If you’re struggling with body
image or depression, reach out to your friends, family, and medical care
team.
In a study published by Psychosomatic Medicine, researchers explored the link
between psychological distress and cancer survival. They collected data from
over 200 people with cancer at their time of diagnosis and again in four-month
intervals for up to 10 years. The researchers found that if symptoms of
depression were present, a shorter survival time was predicted overall.
Above
all, be kind to yourself. Surround yourself with support and reach out for help
if you’re feeling low about your changing body. Call on your support system
whenever you need a boost.
The good news is that early diagnosis of breast
cancer is leading to better survival rates overall. The American Cancer Society
(ACS) reports that the five-year survival rates for stages 0 and 1 are 100 percent.
Five-year survival rates for stages 2, 3, and 4 are 93 percent, 72 percent, and 22 percent,
respectively. In other words, the majority of people diagnosed with breast
cancer will survive it.
source;healthline.com