What is a Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is defined as a malignant tumor that arises and develops within the breast tissues. It can occur both in men and women. This cancer occurs when changes called mutations take place in the genes that actually regulate its growth. Such mutations enable the cells to divide and multiply in an uncontrollable manner.
Breast cancer is a cancer that grows in the breast cells. Usually, the cancer forms in either the lobules or the ducts of the breast. Lobules are basically the glands that produce milk, and ducts are the pathways that bring the milk from the lobules to the nipples. But what are the main causes of breast cancer?
- Hormones
Oestrogen, the most important female hormone mainly produced by the ovaries, plays a significant role in causes of breast cancer and its protection. A wide range of factors that are known to influence a woman’s breast cancer risk also influences how much Oestrogen she is actually exposed to throughout life. Oestrogen causes breast development in the puberty stage and helps in breastfeeding at the time of pregnancy. But, an increases Oestrogen for a long time can also pose serious damage to the normal breast cell DNA and allows these damaged cells to multiply, which eventually causes breast cancer.
- Dairy, Meat and Vegetables
This is a global concern that the elements of today’s diet increases the risk of breast cancer. But the belief that preservatives and pesticides are major contributors is still not confirmed. Eating meat seems to cause almost little or no risk. But around 1/5th of the total population consuming the highest levels of red or processed meat have 25% higher risk of breast cancer than the fifth that have it the least. This is because processing of meat causes small amounts of cancer-causing toxins to form in the meat.
- Lifestyle, Obesity and Stress
Alcohol spikes up the lifetime breast cancer risk by around a tenth per drink per day for the period during which alcohol drinking happens. Active smoking also increases the risk by about 20%, especially in the younger women. On the other hand, caffeine may prove to be mildly protective and substantial weight gain, as obesity is one ofmain causes of breast cancer, particularly in post-menopausal women.
Good intake of vegetables, limiting alcohol, avoiding being overweight and doing regular moderate exercise will lower the risk of breast cancer. However, if you have any doubt about any of the breast cancer symptoms, immediately consult a medical oncologist in Kolkata.
