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Breast Cancer

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States.  It starts when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control. These cells usually form a tumor that can often be seen on imaging such as mammogram or felt as a lump. The tumor is malignant (cancer) if the cells can grow into (invade) surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it's far more common in women. There are 240,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in women each year and while deaths from breast cancer have declined, it remains to be the second leading cause of cancer death among women.

Types of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is described based on the type of cells involved and the extent of the disease. Invasive or infiltrating cancers have spread (invaded) into the surrounding breast tissue while metastatic breast cancer has spread to distant sites in the body.

An invasive breast cancer that starts in the milk ducts, which are the tubes that carry milk from the milk glands (lobules) in breasts to the nipple.

An invasive kind of breast cancer that starts in the lobules of the breast.

An aggressive type of either invasive ductal or lobular breast cancer that lacks estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and makes minimal HER2 proteins, which controls cell growth in the breast.

A rare, aggressive, and invasive breast cancer that blocks lymph vessels in the skin covering the breast.

A rare form of breast cancer where cancer cells collect in or around the nipple. It often looks like a red, flaky rash and can be confused with other skin conditions, such as eczema or dermatitis.

Any form of breast cancer that spreads outside the breast to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, brain, or liver.

Any type of breast cancer that comes back at any time after treatment. It can appear in the same breast, in the lymph nodes in your armpit or collarbone, or in other parts of the body like your lungs or brain.

Non-Invasive Breast Cancers

Also called in situ breast cancers, non-invasive breast cancers have not yet become malignant or invaded into surrounding tissue.  If not treated, non-invasive breast cancers have a high risk of becoming invasive or malignant.

The existence of abnormal cells in the milk ducts of the breast and increases the chances of developing an invasive breast cancer later in life. 

A rare condition when abnormal cell grow in the lobules of the breast. It also increases your risk of developing breast cancer.

Symptoms

  • Changes in the breast size or shape
  • Irritation or dimpling of breast skin
  • New lump in the breast or armpit
  • Nipple discharge (other than breast milk)
  • Pain in any area of the breast
  • Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area
  • Redness or flaky sink in the nipple area or breast
  • Thickening or swelling of part of the breast

Risk Factors

Our genes, lifestyle, and the environment around us work together to increase or decrease our risk of getting cancer.

  • Aging
  • Being overweight after menopause
  • Drinking alcohol
  • Exposure to the drug diethylstilbestrol—>given to some pregnant women in the U.S. between 1940–1971 to prevent miscarriage
  • Family history of breast or ovarian cancer
  • Genetic mutations
  • Not being physically active
  • Personal history of breast cancer or non-cancerous breast disease
  • Previous treatment using radiation therapy
  • Reproductive history including early age at onset of periods, later age at menopause or not having pregnancies
  • Use of certain types of hormones

Reducing Risk of Breast Cancer

Mammograms can detect breast cancer early, possibly before it has spread.

  • Being physically active
  • Breastfeeding your children
  • Keeping a healthy weight
  • Learning about the risk of taking various hormone replacements or oral contraceptives
  • Learning about your family’s history with breast cancer
  • Not drinking alcohol or drinking in moderation

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Last Updated: September 12, 2023
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