It is understood that the disease progresses after the symptoms of cancer appear. The aim is to diagnose the disease in the very early period before these symptoms appear. There are symptoms of cancer depending on where it occurs.
The presence of a mass in any part of the body, hoarseness, persistent cough, change in defecation pattern, changes in the shape, size and color of moles on the skin, non-healing wounds, bleeding anywhere, can be counted among the symptoms of cancer.
Breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung and colon cancer are among the most common cancers in women, while lung cancer, prostate and colon cancer are common cancer types in men.
Cancer treatment is multidisciplinary and takes place in cooperation with many branches. The medical oncologist, surgeon, pathologist, radiologist and radiation oncologist should decide together on the treatment method. The important thing in cancer treatment is to use appropriate and correct treatment methods for the patient.
Early diagnosis is very important in cancer treatment. Treatment success is very high in diseases diagnosed early. In advanced cancers, some of the disease can be treated with chemotherapy. However, in this period, chemotherapy is generally used to prolong life and improve the patient’s quality of life.
Social awareness about early diagnosis is increasing day by day. Cancer is a disease that can be treated with early diagnosis. Therefore, people should have regular check-ups every year without fear of cancer.
Breast cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the mammary glands in the breast tissue or in the ducts that provide the delivery of milk to the nipple. Breast cancer is divided into ductal or lobular, depending on the cell in which it develops. Ductal cancers are the more common type of breast cancer. However, it is also possible to make a different classification as extracellular spread (invasive) and non-invasive (in situ).
Early diagnosis is the most important factor in the treatment of cancer diseases. Social awareness should be created about the importance of early diagnosis, which gives the chance of timely intervention to the disease, and efforts should be made to raise awareness of individuals in the society on this issue. Remember! Early diagnosis saves lives.
Breast cancer is a disease that mainly affects women, although it can rarely occur in men. The risk of developing breast cancer in men is one in a thousand.
Breast cancer tends to metastasize most to the bones. Less frequently, the liver, lung, thoracic membrane, brain and soft tissues are among the organs where breast cancer can metastasize. The higher the size of the tumor in the breast, the greater the risk of metastasis. For a tumor with a diameter of 5 cm, the risk of metastasis at diagnosis is around 60 percent.
Chemotherapy is a treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells, usually with the use of several drugs at the same time. Chemotherapy affects some healthy cells as well as cancerous cells in the body, so it also causes some side effects such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and hair loss. Hormone therapy is applied in case of sensitivity to estrogen hormone in breast cancer cells.
We may encounter, albeit a small number of patients, who do not consult a doctor despite noticing a suspicious finding in their breasts, delay or refuse treatment for various reasons, which may lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment, thus shortening the patient’s life expectancy.
There is no accepted standard age for starting breast checkups. But after the age of 20, every woman should do a breast self-exam once a month. It is recommended to consult a physician every three years for control purposes. The most suitable period for self-examination is the 3rd or 5th day after the end of each period.