[26] Metastases in the brain can cause persistent headache, seizures, nausea, vomiting, and disruptions to the affected person's speech, vision, memory, and regular behavior.

[28] Radiologists generally report mammogram results on a standardized scale – the six-point Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) is the most common globally – where a higher number corresponds to a greater risk of a cancerous tumor.

[36][37] For women at high risk for developing breast cancer, most guidelines recommend adding MRI screening to mammography, to increase the chance of detecting potentially dangerous tumors.

Overall, screening mammograms miss about 1 in 8 breast cancers, they can also give false-positive results, causing extra anxiety and making patients overgo unnecessary additional exams, such as bioposies.

[62] Many classes of chemotherapeutic agents are effective for breast cancer treatment, including the DNA alkylating drugs (cyclophosphamide), anthracyclines (doxorubicin and epirubicin), antimetabolites (fluorouracil, capecitabine, and methotrexate), taxanes (docetaxel and paclitaxel), and platinum-based chemotherapies (cisplatin and carboplatin).

[66] After their chemotherapy course, those whose tumors are ER-positive or PR-positive benefit from endocrine therapy, which reduces the levels of estrogens and progesterones that hormone receptor-positive breast cancers require to survive.

[68][69] Chemically blocking estrogen production with GnRH-targeted drugs (goserelin, leuprolide, or triptorelin) and aromatase inhibitors (anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane) slightly improves survival, but has more severe side effects.

[71] For around 1 in 5 people treated for localized breast cancer, their tumors eventually spread to distant body sites – most commonly the nearby bones (67% of cases), liver (41%), lungs (37%), brain (13%), and peritoneum (10%).

Around half of women have their hot flashes alleviated by taking antidepressants; pain can be treated with physical therapy and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; counseling and use of personal lubricants can improve sexual issues.

[80][78][79][81] In-person and virtual peer support groups for patients and survivors of breast cancer can promote quality of life and companionship based on similar lived experiences.

[82][83] The potential benefits of peer support are particularly impactful for women with breast cancer facing additional unique challenges related to ethnicity and socioeconomic status.

[82] Peer support groups tailored to adolescents and young adult women can improve coping strategies against age-specific types of distress associated with breast cancer, including post-traumatic stress disorder and body image issues.

[90] Up to 80% of the variation in breast cancer frequency across countries is due to differences in reproductive history that impact a woman's levels of female sex hormones (estrogens).

Ancient medicine, from the time of the Greeks through the 17th century, was based on humoralism, and thus believed that breast cancer was generally caused by imbalances in the fundamental fluids that controlled the body, especially an excess of black bile.

In the early 18th century the French surgeon Jean Louis Petit performed total mastectomies that included removing the axillary lymph nodes, as he recognized that this reduced recurrence.

[164] Petit's work built on the methods of the surgeon Bernard Peyrilhe, who in the 17th century additionally removed the pectoral muscle underlying the breast, as he judged that this greatly improved the prognosis.

[165] But poor results and the considerable risk to the patient meant that physicians did not share the opinion of surgeons such as Nicolaes Tulp, who in the 17th century proclaimed "the sole remedy is a timely operation."

[170] In 1878, an article in Scientific American described historical treatment by pressure intended to induce local ischemia in cases when surgical removal were not possible.

[171] William Stewart Halsted started performing radical mastectomies in 1882, helped greatly by advances in general surgical technology, such as aseptic technique and anesthesia.

[160]: 102–106  Carson died in 1964 and Crile went on to published a wide variety of articles, both in the popular press and in medical journals, challenging the widespread use of the Halsted radical mastectomy.

[174] In the 1980s and 1990s, thousands of women who had successfully completed standard treatment then demanded and received high-dose bone marrow transplants, thinking this would lead to better long-term survival.

[citation needed] When surgery advanced, and long-term survival rates improved, women began raising awareness of the disease and the possibility of successful treatment.

[181] In 2009 the US science journalist Christie Aschwanden criticized that the emphasis on breast cancer screening may be harming women by subjecting them to unnecessary radiation, biopsies, and surgery.

[188] Innovative solutions proven effective include mobile screening vehicles, telehealth consultations, and online tools to assess potential risks and signs of breast cancer.

[188] A diverse pool of participants in breast cancer research facilitates the investigation of the disease's unique risks and development patterns in ethnic minority populations.

[193] Lengthy involvement in clinical trials without financial compensation discourages the participation of low-income women unable to miss work or afford traveling expenses.

[205] A 2019 review found moderate certainty evidence that giving people antibiotics before breast cancer surgery helped to prevent surgical site infection (SSI).

[medical citation needed] The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in breast cancer diagnosis and management has the potential to improve healthcare practices and enhance patient care.

[211][212] With the adoption of advanced technologies like surgical robots, healthcare providers are able to achieve greater accuracy and efficiency in surgeries related to breast diseases.

[213] These AI-driven robots use algorithms to provide real-time guidance, analyze imaging data, and execute procedures with precision, ultimately leading to improved surgical outcomes for people with breast cancer.