Breast Cancer Awareness & Therapies: Breast Cancer Summit 2018

Breast cancer is caused by a genetic #mutation in the DNA of #breast #cancer cells. How or why this damage occurs isn’t entirely understood. Some mutations may develop randomly over time, while others are inherited or may be the result of environmental exposures or lifestyle factors. Sometimes a single #breasttumor can have several different types of breast cancer cells. In some rare types of breast cancer, the cancer cells may not form a tumor in one place at all. Understanding the breast cancer’s biology can help you make treatment decisions.

Breast Anatomy:

Each breast contains 15 to 20 lobes, each made up of several smaller sections called #lobules. Breast milk is produced in the lobules and travels through the ducts to the nipple. The tissue around the lobes and ducts is called #stroma. Within the stroma, vessels carry a clear fluid called lymph. Lymph delivers immune cells, water, and nutrients to the breast tissue and drains to nearby lymph nodes. Healthy breasts also contain fat tissue, connective tissue, nerves, and blood vessels. The hormones #estrogen and #progesterone are important for the development and function of the breast during puberty and #pregnancy. Estrogen is primarily produced by the ovaries before menopause, but some is produced by the adrenal glands and, in smaller amounts, in fat tissue and the liver. Estrogen can also be produced in the breast tissue itself by a process called aromatization. There are two main types of estrogen receptors: estrogen receptor alpha and estrogen receptor beta. Activation of estrogen receptors plays a role in breast growth and in many cases of breast cancer.

Breast cancer:

Breast cancer can develop from cells in either the ducts or lobes, but ductal tumors are more common. The cells acquire mutations that cause them to divide too rapidly or survive too long. One mutation in breast cancer leads to increased signaling through the #HER2 growth factor receptor pathway. Cells with extra copies of the HER2 gene can grow more quickly. Some people inherit or develop a mutation in the #BRCA1 or #BRCA2 genes, which are involved in DNA repair. Presence of certain BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations increase breast and #ovariancancer risk. As breast cells acquire more mutations, they begin to look less normal under a microscope. They can divide quickly and are less likely to die when normal cells would. Over time, they form a mass or tumor. #Tumors that are small and confined to the lobular or ductal tissue are called non-invasive. #Ductal #carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive tumor that may become invasive. DCIS is typically detected by a mammogram. While some studies found that many DCIS lesions would not progress even without treatment, some of them may become invasive tumors over time. DCIS is normally treated with #surgery and #radiation, and the #prognosis is excellent.

A chance to take part in an interactive discussion discussing the essential issue of information sharing at our #Breastcancersum2018. #Register for #BreastCancer2018 #Cancer #Therapies #conference #July #Melbourne #Australia. For more https://goo.gl/Zegko8