What is invasive breast cancer?

At present, breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor among women. It is a systemic disease. We know the harm of breast cancer, but do you know what invasive breast cancer is? What are the symptoms of invasive breast cancer? What is the clinical diagnosis of invasive breast cancer? Let's read the article with me.

What is invasive breast cancer?

Invasive breast cancer refers to a malignant tumor in which tumor cells have broken through the basement membrane of the mammary gland or lobular alveoli and invaded the interstitial space. The vast majority of invasive breast cancers are adenocarcinomas, which originate from the squamous epithelial cells of the breast, especially the peripheral lobular tissues of the breast.

There are many histological manifestations of invasive breast cancer, and they are divided into different histopathological types according to their unique prognostic or clinical characteristics.

Some scientific studies have highlighted that tumors with a higher histologic grade classification respond better to some chemotherapy regimens than tumors with a lower histologic grade classification. Invasion of the abducens nerve by cancer is sometimes found in invasive breast cancer, but it is not a single predictor of prognosis.

Symptoms of invasive breast cancer

1. Breast lumps

If they are patients suffering from breast cancer, 80% of them have one thing in common, that is, the presence of lumps. Patients will inadvertently find breast lumps. These lumps are irregular, with uneven surfaces, and most of them will not feel pain. Only a few people will have varying degrees of pain.

2. Nipple discharge

The discharge of blood, plasma, milk, or thick liquid from the nipple during the non-pregnancy period, or the continued discharge of milk after breastfeeding for more than six months is called nipple discharge.

There are many reasons for nipple discharge, the most common ones are intraductal papilloma, breast hyperplasia, mammary duct ectasia and breast cancer. If only one side of the nipple has discharge, it should be checked in time, and more attention should be paid if accompanied by breast lumps.

3. Skin changes

Breast cancer can cause skin changes that can present a variety of clinical symptoms. The most common is that the tumor invades the Cooper cruciate ligament connecting the breast skin and the deep pectoral muscle fascia, causing it to shrink and lose elasticity, stretching the skin in the corresponding position and causing the "dimple sign", that is, a small indentation appears in the breast skin, like a dimple.

If tumor cells block the lymphatic vessels, "orange peel changes" will occur, that is, many small spot-like indentations will appear on the breast skin, just like orange peel.

In the late stage of breast cancer, tumor cells invade the skin along lymph vessels, glands or fibrous tissue and grow, forming scattered hard lumps in the skin around the main cancer focus, which are called "skin satellite lumps".

4. Abnormalities in the nipples and nipples

The tumor is located in or close to the superficial layer of the nipple and can cause nipple retraction. When the tumor is far away from the nipple and the large tubes in the breast are damaged and shortened, the nipple may also shrink or be pulled up. Eczematoid carcinoma of the nipple, also known as Paget's disease of the breast, is mainly manifested by itching, erosion, ulceration, scarring, scaling, burning pain, and even nipple contraction.

5. Swollen lymph nodes under the armpit

Some breast cancer patients will experience axillary lymph node metastasis. In the early stages, the axillary lymph nodes will swell in the same direction. The swollen lymph nodes are hard, scattered, and can be promoted. Later, as the disease progresses, the lymph nodes begin to gradually coalesce, and then they become adhered and fixed to the skin. In the late stage, migrated lymph nodes can be felt on the neck and ipsilateral axilla.