Breast Cancer Types: Among other cancers, breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, meaning it has different subtypes with very different responses to treatment. The three main types are hormone receptor-positive, HER2-positive, and triple-negative breast cancer, each demanding a unique treatment strategy.Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, and the subtypes must be handled differently. The features of each subtype, most importantly, whether hormone receptor positive or negative and whether HER2-positive or not-can very much impact decisions about treatment and prognosis.
In a conversation with Jagan English, Dr. Pooja Babbar, Consultant, Medical Oncology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram listed different types of breast cancer, their symptoms and treatment.
Types Of Breast Cancer
Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer
Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer accounts for nearly 70% of all the total cases. The cancers can be either ER positive or PR positive. The methods of treatment include hormone therapy. HRT or hormone replacement therapy is given in females who are reaching menopause and are symptomatic, and it generally includes both progesterone and estrogen and different dosages, and it does increase the risk of breast cancer when compared to the general population, especially if it is given for longer duration. Should be reserved only for those females who have major symptoms of menopause and should not be given to all the patients.
HER2-positive Breast Cancer
HER2-positive breast cancer occurs when the cancer cells produce too much of the HER2 protein, which causes aggressive growth of the tumour. It has a greater propensity to recur and metastasize than other kinds. Targeted medications comprise drugs such as trastuzumab (Herceptin) and pertuzumab (Perjeta), which act on the cancer by attacking the HER2 protein. These medications contain agents that specifically block the HER2 protein from binding with the cancer cells, thereby reducing their growth. Chemotherapy is commonly used together with these medications for enhanced effect.
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Triple Positive Breast Cancer
Triple-positive breast cancer is a subtype in which the tumour is positive for estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), and HER2. Triple-negative breast cancer is considered to be an aggressive type of breast cancer when compared to other molecular biologies. Immunotherapy with pembrolizumab and targeted cancer therapy with PARP inhibitors are available these days along with the chemotherapy drugs.
Types Of Breast Cancer (Image Credits: Canva)
Risk Factors Symptoms And Diagnosis
The risk factors of breast cancer are categorised into modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. The modifiable risk factors are the ones that one can take care of excessive weight gain, smoking and alcohol should be avoided and breastfeeding would be the one thing that has a preventative role in case of breast cancer.
The symptoms of breast cancer are similarly uniform in all forms and commonly present as:
- An observable lump or thickening in the breast or underarm area
- Alterations in the skin texture or the appearance of the breasts
- Nipple discharge, which may be bloody or clear
Diagnosis is usually made with some form of imaging study, for example, mammography or ultrasound followed by a biopsy to prove the existence of cancerous cells; staging is very important and often includes a PET scan to evaluate the extent of disease.
Current views in practice widely advocate for the implementation of regular screenings and recognizing signs and symptoms in order to enable early detection, thereby making it possible to have better chances of curative treatments and even possible successful prognoses for these patients. The common barriers to breast cancer screening are lack of unfairness and hesitation on the part of women. These days, public health awareness talks and campaigns should be organised so that women understand that this is something that they can talk about and should talk about freely.
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