Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer: An Overview
The body's basic building blocks are cells, they number to the trillions in every human and they live, multiply and die as part of they're life cycle. A cancer is the result of the cells going into overdrive when they need to replace dying cells. It is an abnormality and behaves nothing like a normal cell and they grow, multiply and take over the host tissue forming tumors. Tumors can be of two types; malignant and benign- malignant tumors are dangerous and cancerous, the benign ones are less harmful and can simply be removed without an issue, they may have mostly dead cells in them.
Where does breast cancer start?
Cancers are normally named after the spot in which they originate, so breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the breast tissue. Breast cancer is more likely to affect women than men. Female breasts are made up of glands that manufacture milk, tubes that carry this milk via the ducts to the nipple. In between all of this, there are fat tissues, blood vessels and lymph vessels. The cancers normally start at the cells that line the ducts, just behind the nipples. Cancers at the lobules, the milk production glands are relatively rare.
Major types of breast cancer
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): It is a type of cancer that forms on the outer lining cells of the ducts, but is not invasive, it does not grow into the ducts and so has not invaded the other tissues like the lymph nodes. In many cases, it can be the beginning stage for a more invasive cancer.
Invasive (or infiltrating) ductal carcinoma (IDC): The most commonly seen breast cancer, it breaks into the ducts, spreads through the other tissues, enters the lymph nodes and can possibly move into other parts of the body.
Invasive (infiltrating) lobular carcinoma (ILC): A cancer that starts at the lobules, the cancer grows through the walls of the milk glands, and easily enter other parts of the breasts, even invading the lymph nodes.
Statistics:
The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be well over 231,000 new cases of breast cancer this year. The number of those who are likely to be diagnosed with DCIS type are estimated to be over 62,290. Breast cancer in its various forms are estimated to take over 40,000 lives this year. Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women apart from skin cancer and the second leading in terms of lives taken after cancer of the lungs.
The body's basic building blocks are cells, they number to the trillions in every human and they live, multiply and die as part of they're life cycle. A cancer is the result of the cells going into overdrive when they need to replace dying cells. It is an abnormality and behaves nothing like a normal cell and they grow, multiply and take over the host tissue forming tumors. Tumors can be of two types; malignant and benign- malignant tumors are dangerous and cancerous, the benign ones are less harmful and can simply be removed without an issue, they may have mostly dead cells in them.
Where does breast cancer start?
Cancers are normally named after the spot in which they originate, so breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the breast tissue. Breast cancer is more likely to affect women than men. Female breasts are made up of glands that manufacture milk, tubes that carry this milk via the ducts to the nipple. In between all of this, there are fat tissues, blood vessels and lymph vessels. The cancers normally start at the cells that line the ducts, just behind the nipples. Cancers at the lobules, the milk production glands are relatively rare.
Major types of breast cancer
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): It is a type of cancer that forms on the outer lining cells of the ducts, but is not invasive, it does not grow into the ducts and so has not invaded the other tissues like the lymph nodes. In many cases, it can be the beginning stage for a more invasive cancer.
Invasive (or infiltrating) ductal carcinoma (IDC): The most commonly seen breast cancer, it breaks into the ducts, spreads through the other tissues, enters the lymph nodes and can possibly move into other parts of the body.
Invasive (infiltrating) lobular carcinoma (ILC): A cancer that starts at the lobules, the cancer grows through the walls of the milk glands, and easily enter other parts of the breasts, even invading the lymph nodes.
Statistics:
The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be well over 231,000 new cases of breast cancer this year. The number of those who are likely to be diagnosed with DCIS type are estimated to be over 62,290. Breast cancer in its various forms are estimated to take over 40,000 lives this year. Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women apart from skin cancer and the second leading in terms of lives taken after cancer of the lungs.