Breast cancer how does it affect the body

Mastectomy — the entire breast is removed, along with lymph nodes from the armpit. Extra cancer treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy is often unnecessary. Breast reconstruction surgery — women who have a mastectomy may choose to have reconstruction surgery at the time of the mastectomy or later.

Options include silicone gel or saline-filled implants, or the use of your own muscle and skin to create a breast-like shape. These are pads that are worn inside your bra. They help to restore balance and are designed to look like a normal breast under clothes. Other treatment for breast cancer Depending on the cancer, other treatment options can include: Radiotherapy — use x-rays radiation to kill any remaining cancer cells. Women who have had breast-conserving surgery often have a course of radiotherapy.

Side effects can include a short-term reddening of the skin, which looks like sunburn, or longer-term thickening of skin. Chemotherapy — cancer-killing medication is given intravenously directly into a vein. Chemotherapy can be offered to women with early breast cancer as an extra treatment to surgery, radiotherapy or both. Chemotherapy has side effects that will depend on the type of medication you have, but can include nausea, vomiting and hair loss.

Hormone treatments — many breast cancers are influenced by the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone. Hormone treatment can reduce the chances of breast cancer developing again. Biological therapies also called immunotherapies — strengthen the immune system to fight cancer.

Several types of biological therapies are now used to treat breast cancer. Research is continuing and various types of therapies are being tested in clinical trials. Complementary and alternative therapies — when used alongside your conventional cancer treatment, some of these therapies can make you feel better and improve quality of life.

Others may not be so helpful and in some cases may be harmful. The Cancer Council Victoria booklet called Understanding complementary therapies can be a useful resource.

Research into breast cancer Early detection and better treatment have improved survival for people with breast cancer. Caring for someone with breast cancer Caring for someone with breast cancer can be a difficult and emotional time. When a cure for breast cancer isn't possible If breast cancer has been diagnosed in its later stages, the cancer may have spread to the point where a cure is no longer possible.

Where to get help Your GP doctor Breast cancer specialist medical oncologist Radiation oncologist Surgeon specialist in breast surgery , including reconstruction surgeon Breast care nurse or cancer nurse Breast cancer support groups Cancer Council Victoria, Information and Support Service Tel. Counterpart - Women supporting women with cancer.

More information here. Breast cancer and screening, BreastScreen Victoria. Breast cancer awareness, Cancer Australia, Australian Government. Living with breast cancer, Cancer Australia , Australian Government. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No. View all cancer. Related information. You may 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. 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. 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 with breast cancer, there are several surgeries that can also affect the body. A lumpectomy is sometimes referred to as breast-conserving surgery.

This is because it can remove smaller tumors locally instead 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. Surgeons often perform a mastectomy on larger tumors.

The entire breast is removed in this procedure, which includes all of the following:. You may explore a skin-sparing mastectomy, which is when a surgeon attempts to preserve the skin of your breast for reconstruction immediately after the mastectomy or later.

In some cases, the nipple can be preserved. This is called a nipple-sparing or total skin-sparing mastectomy. Some women opt to have both breasts removed, or double mastectomy. This may be a good option if you have a strong family history of breast cancer, a known genetic mutation like BRCA, or an increased risk of cancer in the other breast. In the later stages of breast cancer, the tumors have spread to other lymph nodes. The underarms are some of the first affected areas.

This is because of how close they are to the breasts. You may feel tenderness and swelling under your arms. Other lymph nodes can become affected because of the lymphatic system. While this system is usually responsible for transmitting healthy lymph fluid throughout the body, it can also spread cancer tumors. Tumors may spread through the lymphatic system to the lungs and liver. If the lungs are affected, you might experience:. You may have pain in these areas as well as restricted movement.

Your joints can feel stiff, especially right after you wake up or stand up from sitting for long periods of time. Such effects can also increase your risk for injuries due to a lack of mobility. Bone fractures are a risk, too. Breast cancer can also spread to the brain. This can result in a host of neurological effects, including:. Imaging tests can detect breast cancer before you even have any symptoms. This can speed up your treatment and create a more positive outcome.

My breast cancer diagnosis taught me to protect my energy so I can enjoy time doing what's really important — without the added stress. Papillary breast cancer is a rare and slow-growing type of breast cancer. Learn about symptoms, risk factors, treatment, and more. Learn about the characteristics of metaplastic breast cancer along with causes and risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and more.

A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that can detect tumors or abnormalities in the breast tissue. Learn more about who should get one and how they…. Being diagnosed with breast cancer can affect daily life in many ways, depending on what stage it's at and the treatment you will have. How people cope with the diagnosis and treatment varies from person to person. There are several forms of support available, if you need it.

Find out more about living with breast cancer. As the causes of breast cancer are not fully understood, at the moment it's not possible to know if it can be prevented.

If you have an increased risk of developing the condition, some treatments are available to reduce your risk. Studies have looked at the link between breast cancer and diet. Although there are no definite conclusions, there are benefits for women who:. It's been suggested that regular exercise can reduce your risk of breast cancer by almost as much as a third. Regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle can also improve the outlook for people affected by breast cancer.

If you've been through the menopause, it's particularly important that you try to get to, and maintain, a healthy weight. This is because being overweight or obese causes more oestrogen to be produced, which can increase the risk of breast cancer. Find out more about preventing breast cancer.