What you should know about Breast Cancer Part II

Can men get breast cancer?

Yes, it’s possible for men to get breast cancer. Anyone with breast tissue is capable of developing breast cancer. Breast cancer in men is most often a type known as invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), which begins in one of the breast ducts and spreads to other areas of the breast.

What type of doctor should I see if I think I have breast cancer?

If you think you have breast cancer, you should talk to your primary care physician or a surgeon. A number of doctors may play a role in your breast cancer treatment. The following is a list of doctors who may be involved in your care:

• Medical oncologist: A physician who has special training in diagnosing and treating cancer using chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy.
• Surgical oncologist: A doctor who uses surgery to diagnose, stage and treat cancer and manage certain cancer-related symptoms, and who may perform biopsies and other surgical procedures such as removing a breast lump or the entire breast.
• Radiation oncologist: A physician trained in cancer treatment using radiation to shrink tumors and destroy cancer cells.

What does breast cancer feel like?

Not everyone experiences breast cancer in the same way. You may feel a new lump or mass around the breast area, which is the most common symptom of breast cancer. Some lumps are hard and don’t cause pain, while others may be uncomfortable. (Keep in mind that not all breast lumps or masses are cancer.) Some people may feel inflammation or swelling around the armpit or breast area, or pain in the breast or nipple.

Does Breast Cancer hurt?

While breast cancer can sometimes be painful, it doesn’t always cause pain. You may notice discomfort and pain in your breasts and/or nipples, but these symptoms are often caused by other health conditions, even your monthly menstrual cycle. Sudden pain is also associated with some benign breast conditions, such as mastitis and cysts.

Visually examine and touch your breasts regularly, noting changes in how they appear or feel. If you notice that an area on or near your breast stays painful or seems unusual, see your doctor for answers.

What treatment options are typically available?

Breast cancer treatments have two main goals: to destroy as much cancer as possible and to prevent tumors from returning.

Some treatments remove or destroy the disease within the breast and nearby tissues, such as lymph nodes. These treatments include:

• Surgery: Surgical options include a mastectomy, which removes the whole breast, and a lumpectomy, or breast-conserving surgery that removes only the tumor and the tissues around it. Sentinel node biopsy is a surgical diagnostic technique that removes one or a few of the first draining lymph nodes (glands under the arm) to determine whether cancer cells have spread beyond the breast. Women who have surgery as part of their breast cancer treatment may choose oncoplastic and breast reconstruction surgery to rebuild the shape and look of the breast.
• Radiation therapy: This conventional technique uses targeted, high-energy radioactive waves to destroy tumors.

Because these treatments often affect the lymph nodes, lymphedema is a common treatment-related side effect for breast cancer patients who receive surgery or radiation therapy. Lymphedema is the build-up of lymphatic fluid under the skin, which often leads to swelling.

The goal of other treatments is to destroy or control cancer cells all over the body. These include:

• Chemotherapy, which delivers anti-cancer drugs throughout the body to kill cancer cells.
• Hormone therapy, which uses drugs to prevent hormones from fueling the growth of breast cancer cells.Targeted therapy, prompts the body’s immune system to destroy cancer.

Dr Ntomboxolo Mboyi has a BSc (UKZN), MBCHB (Medunsa), Fc Rad Onc (SA), and is a Postgraduate in Cancer Biology and Therapeutics: High Impact Cancer Research Program (Harvard Medical School). She is a member of the South African Oncology Consortium (SAOC), South African Society of Clinical and Radiation oncology (SASCRO), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) and a Chairperson of the leading body of CanSurvive, a non-benefit association offering support to cancer patients.