Breast Cancer Overview
Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the
tissues of the breast.
The breast is made up of lobes and ducts. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections
called lobes, which have many smaller sections called lobules. Lobules end in
dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk. The lobes, lobules, and bulbs are
linked by thin tubes called ducts.

Anatomy of the breast, showing lymph nodes and lymph vessels.
Each breast also has blood vessels and lymph vessels. The lymph vessels carry
an almost colorless fluid called lymph. Lymph vessels lead to organs called
lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small bean-shaped structures that are found
throughout the body. They filter substances in lymph and help fight infection
and disease. Clusters of lymph nodes are found near the breast in the axilla
(under the arm), above the collarbone, and in the chest.
The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma, which begins in
the cells of the ducts. Cancer that begins in the lobes or lobules is called
lobular carcinoma and is more often found in both breasts than are other
types of breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer is an uncommon type of
breast cancer in which the breast is warm, red, and swollen.
Age and health history can affect the risk of developing breast
cancer.
Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk
factor. Risk factors for breast cancer include the following:
* Older age.
* Menstruating at an early age.
* Older age at first birth or never having given birth.
* A personal history of breast cancer or benign (noncancer) breast disease.
* A mother or sister with breast cancer.
* Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest.
* Breast tissue that is dense on a mammogram.
* Hormone use (such as estrogen and progesterone).
* Drinking alcoholic beverages.
* Being white.
Breast cancer is sometimes caused by inherited gene mutations
(changes).
The genes in cells carry the hereditary information that is received from a
person’s parents. Hereditary breast cancer makes up approximately 5% to 10%
of all breast cancer. Some altered genes related to breast cancer are more
common in certain ethnic groups.
Women who have an altered gene related to breast cancer and who have had
breast cancer in one breast have an increased risk of developing breast
cancer in the other breast. These women also have an increased risk of
developing ovarian cancer, and may have an increased risk of developing other
cancers. Men who have an altered gene related to breast cancer also have an
increased risk of developing this disease. (For more information, refer to
the PDQ summary on Male Breast Cancer Treatment.)
Tests have been developed that can detect altered genes. These genetic tests
are sometimes done for members of families with a high risk of cancer.
Breast Cancer News
Breast Care Solutions By Siemens Offer A Comprehensive Product Spectrum For The Diagnosis And Therapy Of Breast Cancer
19 Feb 2008 at 5:00am
Among women, breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death. Each year nearly 180,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer. More than 40,000 a year die from this disease*. These facts stress the importance of a quality-ensured early detection of breast cancer as well as the availability of individual therapies.
No need for gene screens in breast cancer families
21 Jul 2008 at 10:00pm
(BioMed Central) Research reported today should provide relief to women who are worried after a relative's breast cancer diagnosis. The study in the open access journal BMC Cancer shows that a family history of breast cancer does not give a useful indication of the likelihood that a woman will develop it herself at an early age.
Oncotype DX Multi-Gene Assay Tests Aid Early Stage Breast Cancer
21 Mar 2008 at 3:40am
Which Treatments Benefit You - Which Can You Skip?Early detection of breast cancer saves lives, and may require less strenuous treatment. But how would you know which treatments would really...
Early Data Presented At ASCO Show Potential Of RAD001 To Enhance Efficacy Of, And Overcome Resistance To, Breast Cancer Treatments
2 Jun 2008 at 8:00am
Early proof-of-concept studies presented today show RAD001 (everolimus) may offer a novel treatment strategy for breast cancer by enhancing the efficacy of, and overcoming resistance to, several commonly used breast cancer treatments.
Breast cancer in black women may be connected to neighborhood conditions
16 Mar 2008 at 10:00pm
Researchers at the University of Chicago are studying possible connections between living in disadvantaged neighborhoods and the development of early onset breast cancer in a path-breaking project that is the first to use animal models to help determine what the biological factors might be behind the development of certain forms of breast cancer.
Addition Of Paclitaxel To Standard Chemotherapy Improves Outcome In Early Breast Cancer - May 27 JNCI
28 May 2008 at 7:00am
Early breast cancer patients treated with standard chemotherapy followed by paclitaxel had better disease-free survival compared with patients treated with standard therapy alone, according to the final results from a randomized phase III trial.Paclitaxel and other taxanes are among the most active agents in metastatic breast cancer.
More cancer patients having whole breast removed
15 May 2008 at 7:03pm
A growing number of women with early stage breast cancer seem to be choosing to have the whole breast removed instead of just the cancerous lump, doctors are reporting....
News From The Journal Of The National Cancer Institute
30 Jan 2008 at 6:00am
Protein Associated with Poor Breast Cancer PrognosisHigh levels of the Ki-67 protein are associated with poor prognosis in early breast cancer patients, but it may not able to predict which patients will benefit from additional chemotherapy.The percentage of proliferating cells in a tumor is a predictor of breast cancer prognosis.
Breast Cancer Patients Lose Wages
27 Feb 2008 at 2:57am
Women being treated for early breast cancer lost about a fourth of their yearly income, according to a new survey.
Blacks, Hispanics less likely than whites to receive follow-up radiation for early breast cancer
28 May 2008 at 10:00pm
(Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) Black and Hispanic women are less likely than white women to receive the radiation therapy routinely prescribed following surgery for early breast cancer, according to a study led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
Breast cancer patients suffer considerable wage losses in first year after diagnosis
25 Feb 2008 at 10:00pm
Canadian women diagnosed with early breast cancer lose, on average, more than a quarter of their typical income during the first 12 months after their diagnosis, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Yoga May Help After Breast Cancer
11 Mar 2008 at 3:59am
After treatment for early-stage breast cancer, women report fewer hot flashes and menopausal symptoms with yoga training, a new study shows.
Breakthrough's Comment On Research On Lapatinib Presented At The European Breast Cancer Conference
22 Apr 2008 at 5:00am
Early research presented at the European Breast Cancer Conference suggests that treatment with lapatinib prior to surgery may be beneficial for some patients with advanced HER2 positive breast cancer.
Unlocking Saliva's Secrets To Detect Breast Cancer
11 Jan 2008 at 6:51am
Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston can identify and quantify specific protein markers in human saliva to provide an early, non-invasive diagnosis of breast cancer, according to a study published in the Jan. 10, 2008 issue of the journal Cancer Investigation.
Researchers Find Possible Cause Of "Chemo Brain" In Breast Cancer Patients
19 Mar 2008 at 3:51am
Thanks to early diagnosis and chemotherapy, more women survive breast cancer than ever before. However, following treatment, approximately 25 percent of survivors experience mild to moderate memory, concentration and cognitive problems known as "chemobrain".