Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women worldwide and, when detected early, is highly treatable. It arises from the cells lining the milk ducts (ductal carcinoma, the most common type) or the milk-producing lobules (lobular carcinoma), and can spread to the lymph nodes and beyond. Though predominantly a disease of women, breast cancer does occur in men, accounting for around 1% of all cases.
Risk factors
The risk of breast cancer is influenced by a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, reproductive, and lifestyle factors. Advancing age is the most significant risk factor — the majority of cases are diagnosed in women over 50. A family history of breast or ovarian cancer raises risk, and mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes substantially increase lifetime risk. Other risk factors include early onset of menstruation, late menopause, having no children or having children later in life, prolonged use of combined hormone replacement therapy, obesity (particularly after the menopause), alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity. Dense breast tissue is also associated with higher risk.
Symptoms
The most common presenting symptom is a new, painless lump in the breast or armpit. Other signs include changes in breast size or shape, dimpling or puckering of the skin, a change in nipple appearance (inversion or discharge), skin changes resembling orange peel (peau d'orange), and redness or thickening of the skin. Most lumps turn out not to be cancerous, but any new breast change should always be assessed promptly.
Diagnosis
Investigation typically follows the "triple assessment" approach: clinical examination, imaging (mammography and/or ultrasound), and tissue biopsy (core needle biopsy). Results are usually available within a week. Staging investigations including CT and bone scanning are performed in confirmed cancer cases to assess for spread.
Treatment
Treatment is determined by tumour type, size, grade, stage, and the individual's overall health and preferences. Surgery — ranging from wide local excision (lumpectomy) to mastectomy — is usually the starting point, often combined with sentinel lymph node biopsy. Radiotherapy typically follows breast-conserving surgery. Systemic treatments — chemotherapy, targeted therapies (such as trastuzumab for HER2-positive cancers), hormonal therapies (such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors for hormone receptor-positive cancers), and immunotherapy — are selected based on the biological characteristics of the tumour.
Choosing where to be treated
Use our independent directory to compare licensed organisations in Turkey, or read our selection guide before you decide.