Many women have breast pain before menstruation and fear that they have breast cancer, especially after the news that some public figures have breast cancer, they are so scared that they are scrambling to come to the breast clinic for “confirmation”… In fact, most of these are common symptoms of breast enlargement. What is mastocytosis? Is it related to cancer? Here is an introduction for you!
Hyperplasia of mammary glands, also known as breast pain, breast dysplasia, etc., is the most common breast disease among women, and its incidence accounts for the first place of breast diseases. The disease is most common in middle-aged women, 25-45 years old, and rare in adolescence and post-menopause. But in recent years, with the rapid development of the economy, people’s life is becoming more and more fast-paced, work pressure is increasing, life habits are not regular, the number of patients with breast hyperplasia is also increasing year by year, and the age of onset is also becoming younger and younger, it can now be called the “modern disease” of women. Although this disease is a minor body ailment and health problem, it should be taken seriously enough, because it may become cancerous if not careful…
I. Causes of morbidity
1. At present, the cause of mastocytosis is not fully understood, but according to the analysis of a large number of clinical phenomena, it is believed that the disease is closely related to endocrine imbalance. Under normal circumstances, the breast tissue structure of every female friend who enters puberty has to go through a cyclical change of hyperplasia-recovery with the change of hormone level in the menstrual cycle. Due to this change, most women may experience different degrees of swelling and pain in one or both breasts before each menstruation, and the swelling and pain will disappear naturally after the menstruation. However, when the secretion of one or more hormones (such as estrogen, progesterone, etc.) increases or decreases under the action of certain factors and affects the balance between them, the absolute or relative increase of estrogen and absolute or relative decrease of progesterone cause disorders in the breast structure, forming mastocytosis.
2, mastocytosis and pregnancy and breastfeeding also have a certain relationship. The main manifestation of the disease occurs in the non-lactating side of the breast or non-lactating side of the breast symptoms are heavy, so young mothers are encouraged to breastfeed more! In addition, multiple abortions are also prone to mastopexy.
3, mastocytosis also has a certain “hobby”, she prefers those women who are depressed and introverted or radical. Some of the patients who visited the clinic complained that every time they were angry their breasts hurt and there were hard lumps, but when their mood improved the symptoms were reduced and the lumps became softer. This shows that there is a relationship between the disease and emotional changes. So women who love beauty should keep themselves in a happy mood during their busy work day, so that their mood is happy and their body is healthier.
4, long-term use of estrogen-containing health products, birth control pills, may also trigger breast enlargement.
Second, the classification of hyperplasia
There are many types of mammary hyperplasia, some are completely physiological and can subside on their own without special treatment, such as simple mammary hyperplasia, while others are pathological and require active treatment, especially the cystic hyperplasia type, which cannot be taken lightly due to the possibility of cancer.
1.Breast pain syndrome
It is also known as simple breast hyperplasia. It is most common in teenage girls and young patients, and its cause is due to the high secretion and fluctuation of gonadal hormones. It is characterized by obvious periodic breast swelling and pain, and the pain disappears on its own after menstruation. The pain is mainly localized to the breast, but sometimes it can radiate to the ipsilateral axilla and chest wall. This type of hyperplasia is a normal physiological phenomenon, and patients should not be overly anxious and anxious in the first place, as long as they adjust their emotions and maintain a balance, generally elevated endocrine hormones can slowly be corrected, and various symptoms can disappear on their own.
2.Mammary gland adenopathy
The basis of this type of lesion is the expansion of breast lobules and ducts in the breast and the hyperplasia of periglandular tissue.
3.Cystic hyperplasia
It is based on the proliferation of epithelial cells in the milk ducts as the main lesion. The lumps that appear in the breast are mostly diffuse thickening, with some patients showing limited performance and mostly oval-shaped sacs, which are easily confused with fibers. Such enlargement may develop into cancer, which often causes worry and panic among patients.
III. Pathology and clinical manifestations
In order to make the clinical manifestations of mastocytosis and pathology more closely integrated, the disease is usually divided into mammary adenopathy stage and mammary cyst stage, so that the treatment of different pathological stages can also be distinguished.
1. Firstly, the stage of breast adenopathy, which can be further divided into 3 stages according to different pathological development: namely lobular hyperplasia, fibroadenopathy and sclerosing adenopathy.
(1) Lobular hyperplasia (early stage of adenopathy): The lesions in this stage mainly increase in the number of lobules, with no obvious changes in the interlobular stroma. The clinical features are mainly periodic breast pain, inconspicuous lumps, or lumps that appear with the menstrual cycle and have a soft texture. It accounts for more than 70% of the prevalence of breast enlargement, mostly occurring at the age of 25-35, and is often not taken seriously by everyone and is allowed to develop without active treatment.
(2) Fibroadenosis (middle stage of adenopathy): it is further developed from the basis of lobular hyperplasia, with the most obvious connective tissue hyperplasia. Clinically, it manifests as periodic breast pain with lumps and a hard texture. After menstruation, the lumps become softer and smaller, but they are still present. There is a 1% to 3% cancer rate in this stage, so it should be taken seriously.
(3) Fibrosis stage (advanced adenopathy): In the development of fibroadenopathy, the main lesion is the gradual disappearance of lobular contours and even the disappearance of structures. It mostly occurs at the age of 40-55 years old. Clinically, it shows less symptoms of breast pain, no obvious change of lumps with menstrual cycle, hard texture of lumps, very similar to hard cancer, with certain cancer rate, often bringing mental depression and fear psychology to patients.
2.Cystic hyperplasia (dilation of breast ducts combined with epithelial cell hyperplasia): further development of mammary hyperplasia, mostly occurs in the age of 40 to 55 years old, with very serious symptoms and high rate of malignant transformation, requiring active treatment and regular examination, this stage of mammary hyperplasia often brings mental depression and fear to patients.
3, breast cyst stage: The main lesion in this stage is the death of a large number of duct cells and epithelial cells in the breast, forming cystic lumps. Clinically, the lumps are mainly lumps with a long history, hard texture, clear borders, and isolated nodules, mostly in the outer upper quadrant of the breast. It is more frequent in the age of 40 years and above, with high risk of cancer, and should be taken very seriously.
Examination and diagnosis
For those who have breast symptoms: breast swelling and pain: the degree varies, the lighter ones are not taken seriously, the heavier ones can affect work and life. The characteristics of swelling and pain are cyclical, occurring frequently or aggravated in the premenstrual period; breast lumps: often multiple, seen on one side or both; may be confined to a part of the breast or scattered throughout the breast; a few people may have nipple overflow, yellowish green, brown or bloody, occasionally colorless plasma and other related symptoms. The following tests can be combined to clarify the diagnosis.
1.B ultrasound examination: Because of its convenient, economic, non-invasive and painless advantages, it has become a common clinical examination means. With the development of ultrasound imaging, the application of high frequency ultrasound has greatly improved the resolution of ultrasound, which is able to detect microscopic lesions in the breast, especially for the identification of cystic and solid tumors, which is difficult to be replaced by other imaging, and its correct diagnostic rate is up to about 90%.
2.Mammography: Mammography is an important means to detect early cancer and microscopic cancer, with a correct diagnostic rate of 80-90%, but it is unnecessary to repeat the examination within a short period of time. Generally, it is recommended to have examination once or twice a year after 40 years old.
3.Magnetic resonance examination of breast: breast magnetic resonance examination has high sensitivity and medium specificity. It has great advantages for microscopic breast cancer that is negative by mammography plus ultrasound, post-operative review, breast implantation or breast augmentation by injection, nipple overflow, and screening of high-risk groups.
4.Of course, for those with unclear diagnosis, especially those difficult to be distinguished from malignant tumors, breast ductoscopy, ultrasound or mammography under localized mass puncture or surgical biopsy can be used to improve the correct rate of diagnosis.
V. Treatment methods
There are many treatment methods for mastocytosis, which are briefly described below.
1, health education: For some patients with mild symptoms and more obvious emotional anxiety, health education and guidance on breast-related knowledge can be provided, actively guiding patients to maintain an open and optimistic attitude toward life, guiding them to cultivate scientific eating habits and correct breast care, which can alleviate patients’ subjective symptoms, and some patients with mild symptoms can even be cured.
2.Regular checkups: for early detection and timely treatment.
3.Western medicine: for this disease can be used hormones (such as tamoxifen), 5% potassium iodide solution, bromocriptine, etc., to alleviate or improve the symptoms and other effects.
4, Chinese medicine conditioning: Chinese medicine believes that the cause of this disease is mostly related to the dysfunction of the internal organs, Qi and blood disorders. Therefore, the treatment is based on draining the liver and relieving depression, activating blood circulation and regulating menstruation and breast milk.
5.Adherence to medication: The disease is a serious endocrine disorder, the lesion tissue is not sensitive to drugs, the lump disappears slowly, the treatment time is long, sometimes it takes six months to a year to take internal medication to take effect.
6.Surgical treatment: For those patients with severe symptoms and high risk of breast cancer aged 40-60, whose long-term conservative treatment is ineffective and whose symptoms are aggravated instead, and whose lumps are obvious, and whose other examinations cannot exclude the possibility of malignant tumor, surgical treatment can be used, whose methods include: lump removal, segmental breast removal, partial breast removal or even total breast removal. In addition to this, when patients present with breast overflow, care should be taken to distinguish it from hyperprolactinemia or amenorrhea with breast overflow syndrome to prevent misdiagnosis.
The treatment of mastocytosis cannot be generalized and should be individualized according to age, symptoms, signs, type of pathology and speed of disease progression as appropriate!
VI. Fertility and prevention
Mastocytosis mostly occurs in women between the ages of 25-45, mainly due to disruptions in the normal structure of the breast caused by physiological hyperplasia and incomplete rejuvenation, and does not have a great impact on their own bodies. For those patients who are worried about whether it will affect a woman’s ability to get pregnant, it is important to know that there is no necessary connection between breast enlargement and the ability to get pregnant. Patients with mastocytosis are advised to get pregnant if their symptoms are mild; for those who need medication to control the symptoms of mastocytosis, it is best to find an effective treatment and cure them before considering pregnancy.
For how to prevent mastocytosis, we suggest that every woman should learn to self-examine, through self-examination plays a decisive role in the discovery of breast disease; secondly, stay away from hormonal health products; After that, for the phenomenon that many urban women today are reluctant to have children because of the tight pace of work, in order to maintain their figure and other reasons, this is an inappropriate idea. The reason is that although pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding are hard work, they bring women not only a lovely next generation, but also greatly enhance women’s ability to resist breast diseases! Many women have breast pain before menstruation and fear that they have breast cancer, especially after the news that some public figures have breast cancer, they are so scared that they are scrambling to come to the breast clinic for confirmation… In fact, most of these are common symptoms of breast enlargement. What is mastocytosis? Is it related to cancer? Here is an introduction for you!
Hyperplasia of mammary glands, also known as breast pain, breast dysplasia, etc., is the most common breast disease among women, and its incidence accounts for the first place of breast diseases. The disease is most common in middle-aged women, 25-45 years old, and rare in adolescence and post-menopause. But in recent years, with the rapid development of the economy, people’s life is becoming more and more fast-paced, work pressure is increasing, life habits are irregular, the number of patients with mastocytosis is also increasing year by year, and the age of onset is becoming younger and younger, it can now be called the “modern disease” of women. Although the disease is a minor physical ailment, a minor health problem, but it must be paid enough attention to, because it may be cancerous if not careful.