Breast Cancer Center
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“Precise examination and accurate treatment, prevention of recurrence and minimization of sequelae”
Introduction
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a cancer that is rapidly increasing to the extent that it ranked first among women's cancers in 2001 as the disease of Korea became westernized. The exact cause is still unknown, but it is known to be related to the female hormone estrogen.
The following are risk factors for developing breast cancer.
- If you have had breast cancer on one side
- If there is a patient with breast cancer in the family
- Early menarche, late menopause, or no birth
- Excessive alcohol and tobacco
- If there is a cancer precursor lesion (dysplastic hyperplasia) in the breastbreast cancer prevention
Self-examination
Every month, within 3 to 4 days after menstruation, or at the beginning of each month for postmenopausal women, visit a medical staff immediately if you find any of the following during self-examination.- When a lump with hard and irregular borders is palpable
- If the skin of the breast is depressed, red, inflamed, or looks like a tangerine peel
- nipple discharge
- If the lymph nodes are palpable in the armpit
- nipple atrophyRegular check-ups by a breast surgeon
Breast cancer screening consists of palpation by the surgeon and mammography, and additional ultrasound examination if necessary.
If there are abnormal findings in the above examination, a biopsy (needle biopsy) is required.Breast Cancer Treatment
Operation
It is the most important treatment underlying the prognosis, staging, and future treatment. Which surgery is best for the patient is decided after thorough consultation with the surgeon.- Modified radical total mastectomy: The entire breast is excised and axillary lymph node dissection is performed together.
- Breast-conserving tumor resection: This is a method of excising the tumor with sufficient boundaries while preserving the shape of the breast. In the case of early breast cancer, the survival effect is the same as that of total mastectomy, but radiation therapy is required for about 6 weeks.Radiation therapy
It is performed after surgery for advanced breast cancer or to prevent recurrence in the remaining breast after breast-sparing tumor resection.Anti-cancer treatment
It is a treatment that kills cancer cells that may be anywhere in the body, and various good drugs have been developed.Hormone therapy
It is a method of preventing cancer recurrence by blocking the action of female hormones. Generally, the drug is taken for about 5 years after surgery.
