Breast cancer treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, you can explore your options through a Maple Oncology Navigator. The navigator is a licensed physician who can give you a second opinion on breast cancer treatment options, and more information on clinical trials. Find out more about seeing an Oncology Navigator here.

Breast cancer is a disease where the cells in the breast tissue multiply uncontrollably. This usually results in the formation of a tumor, though not all breast cancers do.

Breast cancer symptoms vary depending on the stage of cancer. Early symptoms of breast cancer include:

• Change in the breast shape or size
• Persistent pain in any part of the breast
• Nipple discharge (other than breast milk)
• Lumps in the breast or underarm
• Skin changes like colour changes, redness, or swelling
• Changes in the appearance of one or both nipples

There are both genetic and environmental causes for breast cancer:

• A history of breast cancer (having breast cancer once increases the likelihood that it will return)
• Dense breasts
• Alcohol consumption
• Obesity
• Being a woman over 50; (note: it’s a myth that men can’t get breast cancer! They’re less likely to be diagnosed with the illness, but it is possible.)
• Having blood relatives with a history of cancer, including both breast cancer and other types of cancer
• Carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2, which are genes that increase the likelihood of breast cancer
• Radiation treatment, for breast cancer or other illnesses, before 30 years of age
• Hormone replacement therapy

There are several tests that a doctor can use to reach a breast cancer diagnosis. Breast cancer screening tests include:

• Mammograms: an x-ray of the breast
• Breast biopsy: a small tissue sample is taken from the breast with a needle and examined under a microscope
• Ultrasound
• MRI

Methods of breast cancer treatment vary by stage. Stages of breast cancer range from stage 0 to stage 4. Treatment for stage 0-3 includes surgery, where the cancerous tissue is removed, or a mastectomy, where the entire breast is removed. Stage 4 breast cancer is treated with systemic drug therapy, like chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, and other targeted drugs.

• Stage 0: non-invasive cancer that is usually inside the breast’s milk duct but hasn’t spread to the rest of the breast tissue. This is called Ductal Carcinoma.
• Stage 1: at this stage, breast cancer is still fairly small, with a chance that is has spread to the sentinel lymph node (a common occurrence)
• Stage 2: at this stage, the cancer is similar to stage one, but is larger and has likely spread to lymph nodes
• Stage 3: at this stage, tumors are large and are making contact with skin or muscle around the breast, and may have also spread to the lymph nodes
• Stage 4: the cancer spreads beyond the breast and invades other parts of the body at this stage.

A breast cyst is a fluid filled sac in the breast tissue that is usually not cancerous. Cysts can vary in size, and often become larger and more sensitive prior to and during the menstrual cycle. It’s common to have more than one cyst, and there isn’t any need for medical attention unless the cysts are painful. In that case, they can be drained.

Breast cancer is a disease where the cells in breast tissue multiply uncontrollably. This usually results in the formation of a tumor, though not all breast cancer does. Cancer can spread throughout the body, and requires immediate attention.