Can Chiropractic Help Women (and Men) Facing Breast Cancer?

By Martha Michael

While it tops the list of the most common types of cancer, there are many aspects of a patient's experience with a breast cancer diagnosis that are not typical. For most people, including the thousands of men who get cancer in their breast, the physical discomfort and emotional burden is uncharted territory, and every individual is faced with a different set of circumstances.

What Is Breast Cancer?

Tumors are abnormal growths that begin in the breast; though most breast lumps are benign, cancerous tissue can appear similar, which is why any change needs to be addressed. Malignancies in the breast can begin in various parts of the mammary glands, which are made up of ducts, lobes, and fatty tissue, according to the American Cancer Society. The type of cancer a patient is diagnosed with depends on the origin of the tumor.

• Lobular cancers - Tumors that form in the glands that produce breast milk are lobular cancers.
• Ductal cancers - The most common type of breast cancer, ductal cancers begin in the canal that carries milk to the nipple.
• Paget disease of the breast - A relatively rare form of cancer, Paget disease begins in the nipple area of the breast.
• Phyllodes tumor - A less common cancer of the breast, phyllodes tumors can begin in the fat and connective tissue of the breast known as the stroma.
• Angiosarcoma - When cancer cells form in the lining of the blood or lymph vessels it is called angiosarcoma.

An article by Medical News Today says that malignancies are caused by genetic mutations or damage to your DNA that is inherited or results from exposure to estrogen. The role of a healthy immune system is to attack abnormal growths, but when your body enables damaged cells to multiply, they form tumors that rob surrounding tissue of necessary nutrients and energy.

Stages of Breast Cancer

When a patient is diagnosed with breast cancer, a doctor will determine the stage of the tumor based on its size and if it has already spread to other organs. The main categories indicating the stage of the cancer are:

• Stage 0 - Cancer cells have not spread to any other regions outside ducts.
• Stage 1 - Tumors are up to 2 cm in size and there is no spread to the lymph nodes.
• Stage 2 - Cancer growth is 2 cm long and spread to nodes near the origin, or the tumor is up to 5 cm in size but there is no spread of cancer.
• Stage 3 - The growth is up to 5 cm long and spread to several lymph nodes or it is longer than 5 cm across and spread to a few lymph nodes.
• Stage 4 - The tumor has spread to organs, typically the lungs, liver, brain, or bones.

Breast Cancer in Men

Men can contract breast cancer but it's rare, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 1 out of every 100 breast cancers are found in males. Like women, the most common forms of breast cancer in men are:

• Invasive lobular carcinoma - Cancer begins in the lobules and spreads to breast tissue or other areas in the body.
• Invasive ductal carcinoma - Cancer forms in breast tissue ducts but invasive cells can spread to other parts of the body.
• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) - Cancer growths are limited to the lining of the ducts, but it can lead to invasive breast cancers.

Men with breast cancer typically experience symptoms such as:

• Lumps or swelling of breasts
• Pain in breast area
• Dimples in breast skin
• Redness or flaking of breast skin
• Nipple discharge
• Pulling in of nipples

Men who have family members who are victims of breast or ovarian cancer should share the information with their doctors. You may want to receive genetic testing to determine the presence of mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, which increase your risk of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, or high-grade prostate cancer.

In addition to men with mutations in the BRCA genes, males who are at greatest risk of contracting breast cancer are:

• Over 50 years old
• Have an extra X chromosome, known as Klinefelter syndrome
• Have cirrhosis of the liver
• Overweight or obese
• Family history of breast cancer
• Have undergone hormone therapy treatment
• Have had radiation therapy to the chest
• Suffered injuries to the testicles

Chiropractic Treatment for Breast Cancer

As there are many types of cancers, so decisions about treatment and recovery also vary. From stress reduction to nutrition, a healthy state of body and mind contributes to pain management and shorter timelines for healing. Chiropractic treatment can relieve tension and decrease pain associated with breast cancer, and your chiropractor can recommend a wellness plan that includes appropriate diet and exercise for your condition.

In addition to coping with a difficult diagnosis, medical interventions for cancer such as surgery can be painful and cause side effects from fatigue to neuropathy. Chiropractic care is a way to help patients manage symptoms of breast cancer by reducing pain and providing comfort.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, there are targeted therapies for specific diagnoses and each type of treatment for breast cancer has side effects such as:

• Nausea
• Breathing problems
• Headaches
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Rashes
• Weakness

Seeing your chiropractor on a regular basis is one of the best forms of prevention because establishing a baseline of your wellness will speed up the process of diagnosing changes when they occur.

In the process of managing a breast cancer diagnosis and a treatment journey that comes with its own challenges, chiropractic care can offer you pain management, improved mobility, and a boost of energy.

Even though breast cancer can be a devastating diagnosis regardless of the stage level, it's nice to have some help while you map out a course of action to see you through.

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this page are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.

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