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Breast cancer
Cancer occurs when changes called mutations take place in genes that regulate cell growth. The
mutations let the cells divide and multiply in an uncontrolled way. Breast cancer is cancer that
develops in breast cells. Typically, the cancer forms in either the lobules or the ducts of the breast.
Lobules are the glands that produce milk, and ducts are the pathways that bring the milk from the
glands to the nipple. Cancer can also occur in the fatty tissue or the fibrous connective tissue within
your breast. The uncontrolled cancer cells often invade other healthy breast tissue and can travel to
the lymph nodes under the arms. The lymph nodes are a primary pathway that help the cancer cells
move to other parts of the body. See pictures and learn more about the structure of the breast.
Breast cancer symptoms
In its early stages, breast cancer may not cause any symptoms. In many cases, a tumour may be too
small to be felt, but an abnormality can still be seen on a mammogram. If a tumour can be felt, the
first sign is usually a new lump in the breast that was not there before. However, not all lumps are
cancer. Each type of breast cancer can cause a variety of symptoms. Many of these symptoms are
similar, but some can be different. Symptoms for the most common breast cancers include:
a breast lump or tissue thickening that feels different than surrounding tissue and has
developed recently
breast pain
red, pitted skin over your entire breast
swelling in all or part of your breast
a nipple discharge other than breast milk
bloody discharge from your nipple
peeling, scaling, or flaking of skin on your nipple or breast
a sudden, unexplained change in the shape or size of your breast
inverted nipple
changes to the appearance of the skin on your breasts
a lump or swelling under your arm
If you have any of these symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have breast cancer. For instance,
pain in your breast or a breast lump can be caused by a benign cyst. Still, if you find a lump in your
breast or have other symptoms, you should see your doctor for further examination and testing.
Learn more about possible symptoms of breast cancer.
Types of breast cancer
There are several types of breast cancer, and they are broken into two main categories: “invasive”
and “non-invasive,” or in situ. While invasive cancer has spread from the breast ducts or glands to
other parts of the breast, non-invasive cancer has not spread from the original tissue.
These two categories are used to describe the most common types of breast cancer, which include:
Ductal carcinoma in situ
. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive condition. With DCIS, the
cancer cells are confined to the ducts in your breast and haven’t invaded the surrounding breast
tissue. Lobular carcinoma in situ. Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is cancer that grows in the milk-
producing glands of your breast. Like DCIS, the cancer cells haven’t invaded the surrounding tissue.
