Breast Cancer Facts
There are many great reference materials and web sites to learn more about Breast Cancer and guidelines for diagnosis and treatment:
NCCN Evidence-Based Cancer Guidelines
National Cancer Institute – Breast Cancer
American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2009-2010
Cancer is a group of diseases that cause cells in the body to change and grow out of control. Most types of cancer cells eventually form a lump or mass called a tumor, and are named after the part of the body where the tumor originates.
Breast cancer begins in breast tissue, which is made up of glands for milk production, called lobules, and the ducts that connect lobules to the nipple. The remainder of the breast is made up of fatty, connective, and lymphatic tissue.
- Most masses are benign; that is, they are not cancerous, do not grow uncontrollably or spread, and are not life-threatening.
- Some breast cancers are called in situ because they are confined within the ducts (ductal carcinoma in situ) or lobules (lobular carcinoma in situ) of the breast. Nearly all cancers at this stage can be cured.
- Most cancerous breast tumors are invasive, or infiltrating. These cancers start in the lobules or ducts of the breast but have broken through the duct or glandular walls to invade the surrounding tissue of the breast.
