Detect early to survive

Just as the overall cancer death rate in Spain has fallen, according to the report’s cover page, the breast cancer death rate is also showing a downward curve, according to the latest data. A reality that largely responds to population screening programs that manage to diagnose tumors at an early stage, leading to effective treatment and awareness among women. However, it is still the most common type of cancer and the one that causes the most deaths among the female population of our country.

The Cancer Observatory of the Spanish Association Against Cancer estimates that some 35,312 new tumors were diagnosed in Spain in 2023 alone, representing 30% of the total number of cancers diagnosed in women that year. Being female is the main risk factor – although this type of tumor is also present, albeit very rarely, in the male population – but it is also influenced by age, as well as other nonmodifiable factors such as race or family history. Other modifiable conditions in this case are unhealthy lifestyle choices: smoking, alcohol, an unbalanced diet high in sugar or saturated fat, or a sedentary lifestyle.

Approximately 90-95% of detected breast cancer cases occur due to sporadic changes in genes or risk factors, but are not inherited. They respond to a genetic mutation in only 5–10% of cases.

Early detection

However, there are no specific preventive measures other than periodic self-examination and screening carried out by the health care system. For self-examination, it is important to know that the tumor originates in the tissue of the lobules and ducts of the mammary gland, so palpation allows it to be detected.

The disease occurs when breast cells grow uncontrollably, forming a tumor. If yes, or even if there are doubts, it is advisable to undergo examination by a specialist; Please note that in many cases, benign nodules are possible. From the initial tumor in the breast, the disease can spread. This occurs primarily through the lymphatic vessels, from where cancer cells spread to nearby lymph nodes located in the armpit, although they can also spread to other organs through blood vessels.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment method, also known as biological therapy, that relies on stimulating the body’s natural defenses to act against cancer cells, using molecules produced by the same body or manufactured in a laboratory. In cases of breast cancer, this new therapy has proven effective, especially in cases of triple negative breast cancer, the most aggressive and difficult to treat, which usually affects young women.

These types of tumors account for the 10 to 15% that, although usually responding well to initial chemotherapy treatment, tend to be more resistant and cause more relapses. Evidence now points to its effectiveness in cases of triple-negative, advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

Breast reconstruction

Currently, most mastectomies are treated with breast reconstruction, all in one operation, until the patient’s condition prevents prolongation of the procedure. In the operating room, the work is coordinated by an oncologist and a plastic surgeon. Reconstruction involves recreating the shape, volume and feel of the removed breast to minimize the physical and psychological impact on the woman who has had her breast removed after a tumor is discovered. Reconstruction can also be done retroactively, delayed, or with external prostheses.

Population screening

Breast tumors are especially common in women between the ages of 45 and 65, so the health system screens all women over 50 with mammograms twice a year to detect possible tumors at an early stage.

This initiative, aimed at a healthy and asymptomatic population and started in 1990, is largely responsible for reducing the mortality rate of this disease, which at an early stage has a cure rate of almost 100%. Screening consists of a screening double breast x-ray, a simple, safe and reliable test that detects possible lesions two years before they become palpable, and always before the disease can invade the lymph nodes or other organs. organs. If a lesion is found, the next step is to perform a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and be able to indicate the type of tumor in order to diagnose the most individualized treatment for each woman. Typically, this treatment is carried out by a multidisciplinary team combining different therapeutic solutions: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or immunotherapy.