If you or someone close to you has breast cancer, then you will often have a question in your mind about how fast the cancer is growing. It is difficult to get a direct answer to this because doctors do not know when the cancer started. This means that it is difficult to know how long it has taken for the cancer to reach this size, and how much more time it will take for it to reach the final stage. On the occasion of Breast Cancer Awareness Day, let us know how much time it takes for breast cancer to go from first to third stage and what is the way to prevent it.
How long does it take for breast cancer to spread?
Both the growth speed and treatment of breast cancer depend on many factors. Doctors plan treatment based on the nature of cancer, age, genetic information and stage of cancer. The earlier cancer is caught, the more effective the treatment can be. Therefore, it is very important to do regular checkups and not ignore the early symptoms.
However, research has made it clear that even though more cases of breast cancer are being seen these days, it is not increasing faster than before. On average, breast cancer doubles its size every 180 days, or approximately every 6 months. Still, it is difficult to tell directly how long it takes for breast cancer to go from the first to the third stage. Because every person’s body and the nature of cancer are different, and due to this the growth speed of cancer can also be different. Some cancers are more aggressive and grow faster, while others grow more slowly.
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Factors affecting the growth of breast cancer
Subtype: Breast cancer is divided into many types. Some cancers grow quickly, such as triple-negative breast cancer, while other types, such as hormone-receptor positive cancers, grow slowly. Your doctor can test the type of cancer to get an idea of how fast it will grow.
Stage: The stage of cancer also affects its growth speed. In the first stage, cancer occurs only in the milk ducts or lobules, whereas in the third stage, cancer has spread to other parts of the body. The bigger the stage, the greater the chance of the cancer growing and spreading rapidly.
Grade: Doctors decide the grade based on how cancer cells look under the microscope. Normal looking cells grow slowly, while abnormal looking cells can proliferate rapidly.
Age: Many researches have shown that breast cancer is common in women above 50 years of age, but if a woman has breast cancer at a young age, then it can spread more rapidly.
Genetics: Genetics play an important role in the growth of cancer. Some genetic mutations such as changes in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can make cancer aggressive and cause cancer to grow and spread faster. If there have been cases of breast cancer in your family history, then it is better to get tested.
Ways to prevent breast cancer
Stage I Cancer Treatment
Stage I breast cancer is in its early stages and is small in size. Surgery is the main treatment in this stage. Radiation therapy can be given after surgery to reduce the chances of cancer recurring.
Stage II Cancer Treatment
In stage II the cancer is larger in size and has spread to the lymph nodes. In this stage also, along with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are given. Doctors may also use gene panel tests to decide whether chemotherapy is necessary.
Stage III Cancer Treatment
In stage III the cancer is larger and may spread to the skin or muscles. In this stage, chemotherapy or hormone therapy can be given before surgery so that the size of the tumor can be reduced. After this, surgery is done and radiation or other medicines are used.
Doctor’s advice to reduce the risk of breast cancer
ABP spoke to Dr. Saadia of Muslim Maternity Hospital, Hyderabad. He told that there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, but he has given some suggestions to reduce the risk.
Dr Saadia stressed the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, maintaining gut health, being physically active and limiting alcohol intake. Also, he encouraged people to get screened regularly. He said that by doing this, such tumors are detected which are too small to be felt. Talking about the importance of regular self-exams, Dr Saadia said that examining your breasts regularly makes it easier to detect tumors.
To prevent breast cancer, one should adopt a healthy lifestyle and be aware of the medical history of one’s family. If you are genetically predisposed to breast cancer, you can take medicines or undergo preventive surgery to prevent it. The easiest way to prevent breast cancer is to examine your breasts yourself. Women should do this checkup regularly after the age of 30. If you or someone close to you has breast cancer, discuss all these factors with your doctor and get the right information so that appropriate steps can be taken in time.
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