Metaplastic Breast Cancer

Metaplastic Breast Cancer

Metaplastic breast cancer is an unusual type of aggressive ductal cancer that starts in the milk ducts before spreading to the breast’s other tissues. Relatively, little is known about the causes or prognosis of metaplastic breast cancer, which can be severe and quick growing.

These cancers are distinct from other forms of breast cancer in that metaplastic tumors frequently contain other tissue types that are not typically found in the breast, such as squamous cells (skin) or osseous cells (bone).

Symptoms of Metaplastic Breast Cancer

• Formerly undetectable lumps or enlargement in the breast
• Nipple discomfort, discharge, or changes to the nipple’s usual appearance
• Surface roughness, scaling, or dimpling of the breast skin.
• Breast discomfort that emerges as rashes, soreness, and redness
• Inexplicable breast pain

Regular breast screenings can detect cancer before any symptoms manifest. Consequently, some women who undergo breast screening will be given a metaplastic breast cancer diagnosis even though they don’t exhibit any of the symptoms listed above.

Metaplastic Breast Cancer Risk Factors

The likelihood of developing metaplastic breast cancer may be increased by the following factors:

• Being 50 years and above
• Having a family history of breast cancer
• Having undergone radiation therapy to the chest
• Starting your menstrual cycle before the age of 12
• Going through menopause after 55 years

Diagnosis of Metaplastic Breast Cancer

To accurately diagnose metaplastic breast cancer, several tests may be recommended. These include:

• Physical exam: The doctor conducts a manual examination of the patient’s breasts through which he/she can detect a lump and any other changes.
• Mammogram: This is done through an X-ray, which produces internal pictures of the breast.
• Ultrasound: This is an imaging test that uses high-frequency sound waves to take internal pictures of breast tissue.
• Fine Needle Biopsy: If a lump is confirmed, a biopsy may be recommended. During this procedure a thin needle is connected to a syringe and inserted into the lump to remove a sample of tissue or fluid from the lump and sent to the lab for further examination under a microscope.
• Staging workup: This is a common process performed after detecting the presence of cancer cells in the patient. It’s used to determine how far the cancer cells have spread.

Treatment of Metaplastic Breast Cancer

The recommended treatment option for this type of breast cancer is difficult to ascertain due to its rarity. Radiation therapy and surgery to remove the tumor are, nevertheless, thought to have great advantages.

Surgery: The most effective treatment is surgery, which removes the cancerous cells as well as a portion of the surrounding healthy cells. At diagnosis, surgery may be recommended since metaplastic breast cancers are frequently larger than other kinds of breast cancer.

Radiation therapy: After breast-conserving surgery, radiation therapy is often used to kill any cancer cells that could have remained. The tumor location or adjacent lymph nodes can both get radiation treatment.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy can lessen the likelihood of cancer spreading and recurring by destroying cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy can be administered prior or post-surgery.