BREAST CANCER Breast cancer ranks as one of the leading cancer types in the number of new cases diagnosed and is second only to lung cancer as the the most prevalent cause of cancer death in women. In
BREAST CANCER Breast cancer ranks as one of the leading cancer types in the number of new cases diagnosed and is second only to lung cancer as the the most prevalent cause of cancer death in women. In
BREAST CANCER
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Breast cancer ranks as one of the leading cancer types in the number of new cases diagnosed and is second only to lung cancer as the the most prevalent cause of cancer death in women. In 2010 the American Cancer Society estimates approximately 209,060 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed and 40,230 deaths due to breast cancer will occur in the United States. It is important to note that men also develop breast cancer. Approximately 390 of the estimated deaths due to breast cancer in 2010 will be men.(1)
Below is a list of the information found within this section:
Anatomy of the Breast
Types of Breast Cancer
Risk Factors
Symptoms
Detection and Diagnosis
Pathology Report & Staging
Breast Cancer Tumor Biology
Treatment
Prophylactic Mastectomy, BCO and Mastectomy
Axillary Lymph Node Dissection
Breast Cancer in Men
Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Resources
FAQs about Breast Reconstruction
Section Summary
References for this page:
Cancer Facts and Figures 2010. American Cancer Society. [http://www.cancerquest.org/multimedia/pdf/facts&figures2010.pdf]
Anatomy of the Breast
In women, the breasts are made up of milk-producing glands (lobules), milk ducts, and connective tissue (stroma). Milk is produced by cells in the lobules and moves from these sacs, through the mammary ducts, to the nipple. Most breast cancers originate in mammary ducts.(1)
Blood and lymphatic vessels are found within the stroma surrounding the lobules and ducts:
Blood vessels are part of the circulatory system. They supply oxygen and nutrients to and remove waste from the cells of the breast.
Lymphatic vessels are part of a large network termed the lymphatic system. These vessels collect and carry fluid and cells from the tissues of the body. Smaller lymphatic vessels merge with larger ones, as streams merge into a river. Large vessels empty into grape-like clusters of lymphatic tissue called lymph nodes. The lymphatic vessels in the breast carry lymphatic fluid to a mass of lymph nodes located near the underarm.