Invasive breast cancer: causes, diagnosis, treatment. Blood on oncomarkers

Breast cancer is not associated with age, social belonging or gender. Pathology can appear in every person. However, in percentage terms, the proportion of men among the sick is negligible. There are different forms of breast cancer. In this article, we will dwell in more detail on the invasive pathology.

The structure of the female breast

To better understand the pathogenesis of the disease, it is necessary to understand the anatomy of the breast. In its structure it is customary to distinguish the following parts:

• fat;
• Connective tissue;
• mammary gland;
• Ducts;
• Lobules of mammary glands.

Another important part of the breast is lymphadenitis. They catch cancerous elements and harmful microorganisms, performing a protective function.

Pregnancy promotes increased production of milk in the glands. Then it flows from the nipples along the ducts. Certain types of malignant neoplasms of the gland begin their development, affecting several thoracic ducts. Among them is invasive cancer.

Description of the disease

Invasive breast cancer is a serious oncological disease. It is characterized by the spread of the tumor into fatty or connective tissues. Invasion refers to the ability of malignant elements to separate from the primary focus and quickly attack surrounding organs. This is one of the conditions for tumor metastasis. It is from the invasiveness or non-invasiveness of the neoplasm that the tactics of treatment depend.

With this disease, cancer cells are rapidly attacking nearby lymph nodes. At the advanced stages their activity extends to the spinal cord, liver and kidneys. If malignant elements are found outside the mammary glands, this type of pathology is called a metastatic breast cancer disease.

Main reasons

Invasive breast cancer progresses slowly. Its occurrence can be preceded by precancerous diseases, for example, mastopathy. Let us consider in more detail the main causes of pathology.

1. Mastopathy. The disease develops against the background of an imbalance of hormones in the body. Most often diagnosed in women under 40 years. Mastopathy is characterized by severe pain, discharge from the nipples. In the chest, tumor-shaped nodules are formed, which leads to changes in the tissues of the organ and cancer.
2. Fibroadenomas. This pathology predominantly develops in young girls. Nodular formations of a benign character appear in the chest. As a result of injuries, lack of treatment or hormonal failure, they begin to increase in size, affecting healthy tissues.
3. Abortions. Surgical manipulations not only interrupt pregnancy, but can provoke the reverse development of glandular tissue. As a result, seals develop, from which the cancer develops.
4. Lactation. Breaking breastfeeding is another reason for invasive cancer.
5. Lack of intimacy. Irregular sexual life disrupts the hormonal balance in the body, which negatively affects the condition of the mammary glands.

Clinical manifestations of the disease

From breast cancer, no one can be insured. According to statistics, every ninth of the fair sex suffers from manifestations of this ailment. According to doctors, patients can be several times more. More than a million women do not know about the presence of a tumor. In the early stages, the pathology proceeds almost asymptomatically, and it can only be diagnosed with a comprehensive examination. Unfortunately, the appearance of the first signs often means that the disease has moved to a new stage of development. What are the symptoms of invasive breast cancer?

• Change the color of the skin of the nipple.
• The appearance of a small seal or bump in the chest.
• Change in the size and shape of the breast.
• Bloody discharge from the nipples, causing burning and unpleasant sensations.

If these symptoms are present, you should immediately consult a doctor to determine the cause.

Forms of the disease

The medical literature describes several variants of pathologies, which are invasive breast cancer. To such diseases carry:

• Pre-invasive cancer. Neoformation does not extend to neighboring organs, but remains in the milk ducts.
• Lobular cancer. The disease is diagnosed extremely rarely (in 15% of cases). Neoplasm develops in lobes and ducts of glands, can metastasize into neighboring tissues. The main symptom of pathology is chest pain during palpation.
• Invasive Protective Cancer. Neoplasm is formed in the milk ducts. Malignant cells gradually multiply in adipose tissue, but quickly metastasize to other organs. Protocarcinoma is considered the most common form of invasive breast lesion (about 80% of cases among all cancers).

Methods of diagnosis

Diagnosis of the disease usually begins with self-examination. The structure of the female breast allows us to identify seals when palpated. Skin changes, nipple forms and other symptoms that indicate the severity of the pathology can also be detected independently. If you suspect a disease, you need to see a doctor. The specialist should conduct a physical examination and appoint an additional examination. Usually for diagnosis use mammography, breast ultrasound and MRI. When a tumor is detected, a biopsy is performed. The resulting samples are then sent for analysis to the laboratory. The results of the study make it possible to determine the hormonal status of the tumor, its features.

Separately, we should talk about when and why to donate blood to oncomarkers. This analysis is used to diagnose the disease, and then - to monitor ongoing treatment. Oncomarkers are macromolecules that are synthesized in the body of a woman in response to the activity of cancerous elements. When their level exceeds the norm, you can talk about the presence of a pathological process, but not always. In some cases, an increase in the number of macromolecules in the blood indicates an allergy, benign formation or inflammation. If suspected of invasive cancer, the concentration of the following oncomarkers should be checked: CA 15-3, CA 27-29, HER2. To get reliable results on the eve of the test, you should rest, do not take alcohol. Blood on oncomarkers is taken from the vein. The doctor in the laboratory is engaged in deciphering the results.

Treatment options

There are several methods to combat invasive cancer: surgical intervention, chemo-and radiation, biological, hormonal therapy. Complex treatment is usually used. First the doctor removes the tumor. The patient is then given radiation therapy. It allows to increase the effectiveness of the treatment performed by 70%. Irradiation is necessarily indicated for patients with tumor sizes exceeding 5 cm. Chemo-, hormone- and biological therapies are used as systemic methods of combating cancer. If the receptors of progesterone or estrogen are detected in the gland tissues, hormonal treatment is used. In the absence of these elements, chemotherapy is prescribed.

Prognosis for recovery

The prognosis for this disease depends on the results of the therapy. Invasive lesion of the mammary glands is characterized by a high percentage of deaths. Therefore, many countries are beginning to implement screening programs that detect oncology at an early stage. There are four in total. Invasive breast cancer grade 2 or 1, diagnosed in a timely manner, in 90% of cases ends with recovery. Positive dynamics is possible only with proper treatment. Survival in oncology of the third degree is 47%, and at the 4th - about 16%. In later stages, it is difficult to treat invasive breast cancer. The prognosis deteriorates significantly when metastases appear.