The breasts consist of fat pads inside which is a branching system of ducts.
The ducts carry milk from the milk producing lobules to the nipples.
Breast cancer develops as a result of malignant changes in cells lining the ducts or lobules.
The first abnormalities that occur are an overgrowth of normal cells in ducts or lobules.
If these cells are a bit odd looking when examined they are called atypical hyperplasia.
If cells lining the lobules or ducts become even more odder and start to clog them this condition is known as carcinoma in situ.
Ductal carcinoma in situ and lobular carcinoma in situ can sometimes be detected by mammogram.
If however the abnormal cells break away from these parts of the breast to infiltrate other cells it is reffered to as invasive cancer.
It will be at this point that a malignant lump starts to grow.
If the cancerous cells travel through the lymph system or blood stream into other parts of the body, particularly the lungs, liver and bones, then we say the breast cancer has metastasized.
What keeps these cells from invading other organs is the body's own immune system which destroys them.
But as the breast cancer grows and large numbers of cancer cells leave the breast the immune system cannot keep up.
What Is Breast Cancer
Stages Of Breast Cancer
What Are The Symptoms
How Is The Condition Evaluated
How Breast Cancer Is Treated
Who Is Likely To Develop Breast Cancer
Breast Biopsy
Benign Breast Lumps
Glossary Of Cancer Related Terms
Be A Survivor
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