关于乳腺健康的基本事实:乳腺癌生物学
什么是癌症?
癌症是一组超过100种不同的疾病. Cancer occurs when, for unknown reasons, cells become abnormal and divide without control or order. All parts of the body are made up of cells that normally divide to produce more cells only when the body needs them. When cancer occurs, cells keep dividing even when new cells are not needed.
The change from normal to cancerous cells requires several separate, different gene alterations. 最终, altered genes and uncontrolled growth may produce a tumor that can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer).
Malignant tumors can invade, damage and destroy nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. 良性肿瘤不会扩散到身体的其他部位, but local tissue may be damaged and the growth may need to be removed.
有几种类型的 乳腺癌. The most common is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the lining of the milk ducts of the breast. Another type, lobular carcinoma, begins in the lobules where breast milk is produced. If malignant tumor invades nearby tissue, it is known as infiltrating or invasive cancer.
癌症是如何扩散的?
恶性肿瘤可以侵入周围组织并破坏它. Cancer cells also can break away from a malignant tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. 这就是癌症在体内扩散的方式.
当乳腺癌扩散到乳房外时, 癌细胞常在腋下的淋巴结中发现. Cancer cells may spread beyond the breast such as to other lymph nodes, 骨头, 肝或肺虽然不常见, some patients whose underarm lymph nodes are clear of 乳腺癌 may still have cancer cells which have spread to other parts of the body.
Cancer that spreads to other parts of the body is the same disease and has the same name as the original cancer. 当乳腺癌扩散时, it is called metastatic 乳腺癌 even though it is found in another part of the body. 例如, 乳腺癌 that has spread to 骨头 is called metastatic 乳腺癌, 不是骨癌.
乳腺癌的成因?
Medical researchers are learning about what happens inside cells that may cause cancer. They have identified changes in certain genes within breast cells that can be linked to a higher risk for 乳腺癌. Breast cells contain a variety of genes that normally work cooperatively with a woman's natural hormones, 饮食, 还有保持乳房健康的环境. Certain genes routinely keep breast cells from dividing and growing out of control and forming tumors. When these genes become altered, changes occur and a cell no longer can grow correctly.
Genetic changes may be inherited from a parent or grandparent may accumulate throughout a person's lifetime. Breast cancer usually begins in a single cell that changes from normal to malignant over a period of time.
Presently, no one can predict exactly when cancer will occur or how it will progress. When 乳腺癌 is diagnosed – even if detected at the earliest stage – it is not yet possible to predict which cancer cells will be treated successfully and which will continue to grow and spread quickly to other parts of the body.
The only way to find out for sure if a breast lump or abnormal tissue is cancer is by having a biopsy. The suspicious tissue that is removed by a surgeon or radiologist during a biopsy is examined under a microscope by a pathologist who makes the diagnosis. 如果你的活检结果是阳性的, it means that the tumor or tissue from the suspicious area contains cancer and you will need treatment.
所有乳腺癌都一样吗?
乳腺癌是一种复杂的疾病. 并非所有情况都一样. 一旦发现乳腺癌, more tests will be done to find out the specific pattern of your disease. 这个重要的步骤叫做 暂存. Knowing the exact stage of your disease will help your doctor plan your treatment. 你的十大赌博平台排行榜会想知道:
- 肿瘤的大小和它在你乳房的确切位置
- 如果癌症在你的乳房内扩散
- 如果癌症出现在你腋下的淋巴结
- 如果癌症出现在你身体的其他部位
The material in the above section is taken in its entirety from the National Cancer Institute Booklet (No. 95-1556),题为“关于乳腺癌你需要知道的事情”."
关于乳房健康的基本事实:
加州大学旧金山分校健康医学专家已经审查了这些信息. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.