Early breast cancer can be cured if detected in time

Breast cancer is one of the 10 most common cancers in Vietnamese women. The age of breast cancer is tending to be younger, with some breast cancer patients in their teens, with the average age being around 30 years old.

The tumor is less than 2cm in diameter, about the size of a peanut without the shell. Cancer has not spread (metastasized) to the lymph nodes. Cancer has not spread (metastasized) beyond the breast.

The tumor is larger than early breast cancer, has not spread (metastasized) to a distant part of the body, and has one of the following criteria:
The tumor is 2 - 5 cm in diameter. Cancer may or may not have spread (metastasized) to the lymph nodes under the arm (axilla). The tumor is less than 5cm in diameter, about the size of a lemon, but the cancer has not spread (metastasized) to the axillary lymph nodes. The tumor is less than 2cm in diameter but the cancer has spread (metastasized) to no more than 3 axillary lymph nodes. No tumor was found in the breast, but breast cancer cells were detected in no more than 3 axillary lymph nodes.

Locally or regionally advanced cancer. Cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breast, which are located under the arm or next to the collarbone but have not spread to more distant parts of the body. Here are some examples:
The tumor is larger than 5cm in diameter with cancer cells that have spread to the lymph nodes in the armpit. However, the nodes do not stick together. The tumor is less than 5cm in diameter but the cancer has spread (metastasized) to nearby lymph nodes and the lymph nodes are growing into each other or into surrounding tissues (stromal). The tumor is less than 5cm in diameter, but the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes above the collarbone. Inflammatory breast cancer is a type of cancer in which there may be no lymph nodes or a palpable tumor in the breast. In inflammatory breast cancer, cancer cells block the lymphatic vessels in the skin of the breast, causing the breast skin to become swollen, red, and ridged or sunken. Inflammatory breast cancer is classified as stage 3 breast cancer.

The most advanced form of breast cancer, also called metastatic breast cancer. At this stage, breast cancer cells have spread (metastasized) to other areas of the body. Breast cancer often spreads to the bones, brain, liver, and lungs.

Currently, methods of treating breast cancer have made great strides such as: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and a combination of hormonal therapy, biological therapy (for targeted treatment). . The quality of breast cancer treatment has therefore improved significantly. However, the key to effective treatment is to detect breast cancer at an early stage.
Self-examination and understanding your body is the most important measure for early detection of breast cancer. Women should perform breast cancer screening to screen for disease, it is best to self-examine the breast area after menstruation when the breasts are most tender. If there is a close relative with cancer in the family, the risk is higher. If a lump or change in the breast is detected, the patient should go to the hospital as soon as possible.

Currently, with FISH technique - fluorescent in situ hybridization method, HER2 expression rate is up to 41% and gene amplification rate accounts for 39%, this is an important mark for therapeutic application. Targeting breast cancer with the monoclonal antibody Trastuzumab. Thereby, significantly improving the survival rate for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, specifically, the overall survival rate after 1-3 years is 87 - 98%, even in groups with lymph node metastasis, the 5-year survival rate is over 75%.
Vinmec International General Hospital has been implementing breast cancer screening and early detection packages for female customers who have a need to be able to screen for pathology of breast cancer - gynecology. cervix, uterus, ovaries). Support customers to examine and detect disease early to have timely treatment.