What Are the Key Differences Between Breast Tumor and Breast Cancer?

Update Date: 2024-05-16 Source: Network

Many people assume that breast tumor is always malignant upon hearing about it. In fact, breast tumors can be further categorized into benign and malignant types. If detected, it is advisable to distinguish between them as benign tumors generally have minimal impact on patients, whereas breast cancer is a form of malignancy that typically requires surgical removal and has a significant impact on patients' health.

Symptoms of breast cancer can vary widely and commonly include: breast lumps, breast pain, nipple discharge, erosion or skin indentation, and enlarged axillary lymph nodes. Although these symptoms may not be specific, understanding and recognizing them will aid in the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer.

Most breast tumors are benign, while breast cancer is a common malignancy among women. Its etiology is associated with factors such as endocrine disorders, breast development, genetics, chronic irritation, viruses, diet, and mental state. Breast cancer is histologically classified into non-invasive and invasive types. Non-invasive cancers include lobular carcinoma in situ and intraductal carcinoma, while invasive cancers can be further subdivided into nine subtypes such as lobular infiltrating carcinoma, papillary carcinoma, medullary carcinoma, well-differentiated adenoid carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, apocrine carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and Paget's disease of the nipple.

In the early stages, there are often no obvious clinical symptoms or only mild breast pain, which is mostly dull or aching and occasionally needle-like. The pain is usually intermittent and confined to the lesion, and does not vary with the menstrual cycle. However, in the late stages, when the cancer invades the nerves, the pain can become severe and radiate to the ipsilateral shoulder and arm. To detect and treat breast cancer early and alleviate the psychological burden caused by benign breast tumor lesions, it is recommended that women seek medical attention immediately if they notice any abnormalities in their breasts, such as pain, lumps, or nipple discharge, and undergo breast examination.