Breast Cancer

Chris Vi, PhD Candidate (Medicine), B.H&MedSci(Hons), B.BioMedSci

Deeya Mahadooa, MSc Mental Health Psychology, BA(Hons) Psychology 

 

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most commonly occurring human neoplasms (abnormal growth of cells/tumour), and the leading cause of mortality in women world-wide (Akram et al. 2017; Feng et al. 2018; Siegel, Miller & Jemal 2018) It is highly variable with numerous observable characteristics or physical expressions (Fragomeni, Sciallis & Jeruss 2018).

Breast cancer can be classified based on the expression of three important molecular receptors: estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 known as HER2 (Fragomeni, Sciallis & Jeruss 2018).

Breast cancer can be categorised into various sub-types – Dai et al., 2017

There are five main sub-types of breast cancers

(Makki, 2015; Mehrgou & Akouchekian, 2016)

Profiling the cancer based on its molecular characteristics, thus identifying the sub-type, can be effective in predicting tumour behaviour and determining treatment plans and new therapies (Mehrgou & Akouchekian, 2016).

Early detection can improve patient prognosis as it enables a curative surgical treatment to remove localised breast cancer and decreases the risks of tumour cell dissemination to secondary sites: a process known as metastasis, thus reducing recurrence and mortality rates (Hussain & Nguyen, 2014).

Unfortunately, at initial diagnosis, more than 50% of patients will have clinically detectable metastatic disease which is largely responsible for the high mortality rates (Khalid et al., 2018).

The risk of breast cancer can be significantly increased due to personal history of cancer (previous cancer in one breast can increase the likelihood of developing secondary cancer in the other breast), age (advancing age of older women), family history (up to 3-fold higher risk if first-degree relatives of patient had breast cancer), genetic predisposition (BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes – mutations in these genes are responsible for up to 90% of hereditary breast cancers and early on-set) (Alkabban & Ferguson, 2019; Mehrgou & Akouchekian, 2016).

Early detection is vital. Most screening occurs after the age of 40, however, if you have a pre-disposition (genetic vulnerability, previous history) you can get checked earlier.

 

Subject to copyright Rehab Plus, 2020

 

References

Akram, M., Iqbal, M., Daniyal, M., & Khan, A. U. (2017). Awareness and current knowledge of breast cancer. Biological Research, 50, 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40659-017-0140-9

Collignon, J., Lousberg, L., Schroeder, H., & Jerusalem, G. (2016). Triple-negative breast cancer: Treatment challenges and solutions. Breast Cancer (Dove Medical Press), 8, 93-107. doi: 10.2147/BCTT.S69488

Dai, X., Cheng, H., Bai, Z., & Li, J. (2017). Breast cancer cell line classification and its relevance with breast tumour. Journal of Cancer, 8(16), 3131-3141. https://doi.org/10.7150/jca.18457

Feng, Y., Spezia, M., Huang, S., Yuan, C., Zeng, Z., Zhang, L., Ji, X., Liu, W…Ren, G. (2018). Breast cancer development and progression: Risk factors, cancer stem cells, signaling pathways, genomics, and molecular pathogenesis. Genes & Diseases, 5(2), 77–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gendis.2018.05.001

Fragomeni, S. M., Sciallis, A., & Jeruss, J. S. (2018). Molecular subtypes and local-regional control of breast cancer. Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America, 27(1), 95-120. doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2017.08.005

Hoeferlin, L. A. E., Chalfant, C., & Park, M. A. (2013). Challenges in the treatment of Triple Negative and HER2-overexpressing breast cancer. Journal of Surgery and Science, 1(1), 3-7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4012677/

Hussain, T., & Nguyen, Q. T. (2014). Molecular imaging for cancer diagnosis and surgery. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 66, 90–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2013.09.007

Khalid, U., Vi, C., Henri, J., Macdonald, J., Eu, P., Mandarano, G., & Shigdar, S. (2018). Radiolabelled aptamers for theranostic treatment of cancer. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland), 12(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph12010002

Mehrgou, A., & Akouchekian, M. (2016). The importance of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes mutations in breast cancer development. Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 30, 369. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4972064/

Siegel, R. L., Miller, K. D., & Jemal, A. (2018). Cancer statistics, 2018. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 68(1), 7-30.  https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21442