Diseases of the Breast

The most common diseases of the breast are cysts and breast cancer, both of which can cause lumps in your breast. If you detect a lump or have symptoms like nipple discharge or skin changes, Arizona Center for Cancer Care’s experienced oncologists can help. The practice has offices spread across Avondale, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Surprise, Anthem, Peoria, Fountain Hills, Wickenburg, Apache Junction, Sun City, Sun City West, Goodyear, and Tempe, Arizona. You can benefit from exceptional diagnostics and treatment for diseases of the breast by calling the nearest office location or booking an appointment online today.

What are diseases of the breast?

The most common diseases of the breast are cysts (noncancerous fluid-filled lumps) and breast cancer. Breast cancer develops when cells in the breast tissue mutate. These cells rapidly increase in number and don’t have the limited lifespan of healthy cells. The cancerous cells form masses (tumors) in the breast that can spread to other areas.

Breast cancer types include:

• Angiosarcoma
• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
• Inflammatory breast cancer
• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
• Invasive lobular carcinoma
• Paget’s disease of the breast

Breast cancer is common in women, but men can also get it. With expert treatment at Arizona Center for Cancer Care, your prospects are good, with survival rates at around 90%.

What symptoms do diseases of the breast cause?

Symptoms of breast disease include:

• Changes in breast size, shape, or appearance
• Skin dimpling
• A newly inverted nipple
• Peeling, crusting, scaling, or flaking
• Redness or pitting

Most people’s first sign of breast cancer is a lump or other breast abnormality. For this reason, it’s essential to get into the habit of regularly checking your breasts for lumps. 

Most breast lumps are cysts or other less deadly conditions. However, because there is a chance a lump could be cancerous, you should always ask your doctor to examine you if you find a lump or have other symptoms of breast cancer.

Would I need surgery for diseases of the breast?

Surgery is typically unnecessary for cysts. Breast cancer treatments include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. The exact treatment approach your Arizona Center for Cancer Care doctor recommends depends on factors like how advanced your cancer is.

Surgery might be necessary for more advanced tumors. Your provider works closely with the Comprehensive Breast Center of Arizona, which has fellowship-trained breast surgeons renowned for their in-depth knowledge and advanced surgical skills.

Where possible, your surgeon does a lumpectomy, removing only the cancerous tissue. In some cases, partial or total mastectomy (breast removal) might be necessary. Specialist breast surgeons use innovative tissue-sparing techniques to remove the cancerous tissue while preserving the natural appearance of your breast.

The Comprehensive Breast Center of Arizona was one of the first practices to perform oncoplastic surgery (immediate breast reconstruction) and nipple-sparing mastectomies.

What other treatments might I need for diseases of the breast?

Cysts might require drainage, where your provider draws fluid off with a hollow needle.

If you have a large tumor, you might need chemotherapy before surgery. Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to kill the cancer cells, helping to shrink the tumor. You might need chemotherapy after surgery to kill any stray cancer cells. While it’s effective, chemotherapy also damages your body’s healthy cells.

Radiation therapy involves receiving beams of radiation that penetrate the tumor or implanting a tiny amount of radioactive material in the breast (brachytherapy). Arizona Center for Cancer Care’s physicians are innovators in brachytherapy techniques, implanting small seeds in the breast that give off measured radiation.

Arizona Center for Cancer Care’s comprehensive services for people with breast cancer includes the newly diagnosed breast cancer clinic (NDBCC). Patients might also be able to participate in clinical trials for new or improved breast cancer treatments.

To benefit from expert breast cancer care, call the nearest office or book an appointment online today.