Pathogenesis of Breast Cancer and Lymphoedema

DISCUSS THE
PATHOGENESIS OF
BREAST CANCER AND
LYMPHOEDEMA AND
EXPLAIN THE
PHARMACOLOGICAL
EFFECT OF MORPHINE
DURING THE
PERIOPERATIVE PERIOD

Table of Contents
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
QUESTION 1...................................................................................................................................1
Explain the pathogenesis of invasive ductal breast carcinoma....................................................1
QUESTION 2...................................................................................................................................2
How the administration of Morphine alters the conscious perception of pain?...........................2
QUESTION 3...................................................................................................................................3
3. Pathogenesis of Lymphoedema that may occur for women who have undergone axillary
lymph node removal during breast cancer surgery......................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

QUESTION 1
Explain the pathogenesis of invasive ductal breast carcinoma
Invasive ductal Breast Carcinoma is one of the most common type of breast cancer. About
80 percent of breast cancer are invasive ductal carcinomas. Invasive means a type of cancer that
has spread or invaded to surrounding breast tissues (Trinh & et. al., 2021). Ductal means cancer
that begins in the milk ducts that carry milk from milk producing lobules to the nipple and
carcinomas means a cancer that beings in skin or other tissues that covers internal organs like
breast tissue. This clearly helps in understanding that invasive ductal breast carcinoma is referred
to a type of cancer that has broken through the walls of the milk ducts and has begun invading
into other tissues of the breast. If it is not detected at early stages and is not treated, then it can
spread to the lymph nodes and possibly to others areas of the body.
A predisposing cause of invasive ductal breast carcinoma are certain genetic mutations
known as breast cancer genes especially BRCA1 and BRCA2. Both of these cancer genes are
associated with an increased risk of IDC (Du & et. al., 2018). But it main cause have not been
conclusively established. Some of the researchers have identified that cancer in breast can form
when cells in milk producing ducts undergo changes that cause them to grow uncontrollably, get
divided very rapidly or when they remain viable longer than they should. The result is collection
of tumour, mass that can spread to nearby lymph nodes and other body areas (Du & et. al., 2018).
There are many other causes because of which risk of occurrence of invasive ductal breast
carcinoma can increase are: age, history of benign breast disease, family history of breast cancer,
first pregnancy after the age of 30, obesity, using combined estrogen-progestin hormone
replacement therapy after menopause for more than five years.
As per the case study of Catherine, she visited her general practitioner for her yearly
medical review. During her breast check a palpable lump was found in her right breast which is
one of the most common sign of invasive ductal breast carcinoma. She told her GP that she had
identified that lump in her breast six months ago but was not worried about it as she thought that
having lumps in breast during breast feeding is normal. GP ordered an urgent breast ultrasound
that showed sold mass in her right breast and after diagnosis it was identified that she had
Invasive Ductal breast carcinoma stage IIA and for its treatment Right Breast Partial Mastectomy
and removal of several axillary lymph nodes was necessary. Her yearly medical examination