Imaging tests are very important for breast cancer Diagnosis. If there is a suspicious area, these tests help find out whether it is cancerous and also determine how far it has spread

1. HOW IS BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSED

2. Breast Cancer Can Be Diagnosed
Dimpling on the skin
Change in the size of breast
Change in shape of breast
Inversion of the nipple
Discoloration of the skin on breast
Lump or thickening of
breast often painless
Change in color or
appearance of areola
Discharge of bleeding from
nipple

4. Common Kinds Of Breast Cancer
• Ductal carcinoma
– Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
– Invasive ductal carcinoma
• Lobular carcinoma
– Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
– Invasive lobular carcinoma

5. Ductal carcinoma – A type of tumor
primarily present in ducts of a gland.
Ductal carcinoma in situ - an uncontrolled growth of cells
within the breast ducts. “in situ” means “in its original place”.
It is considered as stage 0 cancer , it is curable.
Invasive ductal carcinoma - it begins in the milk ducts of the
breast. It grows through the duct walls and into the
surrounding breast tissue and also spreads to other areas of
the body.

6. Lobular Carcinoma – lobulas are the glands that produces
milk. The milk then moves to the ducts. Majority of the
breast cancer starts in the ducts some through lobulas.
Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS) – Abnormal growth of cells in milk
producing glands. It is commonly diagnosed after biopsy.
Invasive Lobular Carcinoma – Condition begins in one of the breast
lobules and then spreads to other parts of the breast. Feel of a
thickened area or a hardening in part often occurs in the area above
nipple moving in the direction of armpit.

7. Imaging Tests
Imaging tests are very important for breast cancer
Diagnosis. If there is a suspicious area, these tests help
find out whether it is cancerous and also determine
how far it has spread. Doctors may use several imaging
tests such as diagnostic mammography, ultrasound and
MRI scans.

8. Diagnostic
Mammography is used to
take pictures of the area
concerned and is usually
used when a woman
experiences nipple
discharge, finds a lump or
detects an abnormal
result on her screening
mammogram

9. Ultrasound is used to help distinguish between a solid
cancerous mass and a fluid-filled cyst. It can also be used
to locate the position of the known tumor.

10. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is done after the
cancer has been diagnosed. MRI scans are used to
check the other breast for cancer.

11. Biopsy a small amount of
tissue is removed from the
breast area and examined
under a microscope. The
reason why a biopsy is so
important is because even
though other tests may
help in detecting cancer,
only a biopsy can make a
proper diagnosis.

12. Apart from these standard tests, the doctor may also
recommend additional tests which are generally
prescribed for patients with more advanced stage
disease.
Tests such as x-rays, to look for cancer that has spread
from the breast to the lungs, bone scans, used to look
for spread of cancer to the bones, CT or CAT
(computerized tomography scan) scans, used to look
for distant tumors and PET (positron emission
tomography) scans, used to check the extent to which
cancer has spread are some of the additional tests
done.

13. Stages of Breast Cancer
• Stage I And II Breast Cancer refers to a tumor less than
2 cm in size that is node-negative. Stage II tumors are
those with spread to the axillary lymph nodes or a
tumor size larger than 2 cm but not larger than 5 cm
• Stage III Breast Cancer these consist of large breast
tumors (greater than 5 cm across), those with
extensive axillary nodal involvement, or nodal
involvement of the soft tissues above or below the
collarbone
• Stage IV Breast Cancer — Stage IV breast cancer refers
to tumors that have metastasized to areas outside the
breast and lymph nodes to the brain, bones, skin, or
other organs. The primary tumor may be any size, and
there may be any number of affected lymph nodes.
This is referred to as metastatic breast cancer