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Basic Information About Breast Cancer there are numerous other web sites that have good basic information about breast cancer, some of the best are noted below
Breast cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that starts from cells of the breast. The disease occurs mostly in women, but men can get breast cancer as well. A woman’s breast is made up of lobules (glands that make breast milk), ducts (small tubes that connect lobules to the nipple), fatty and connective tissue, blood vessels, and lymph vessels. Most breast cancers begin in the ducts (ductal), some in the lobules (lobular), and the rest in other tissues. Lymph vessels are like veins, except that they carry lymph fluid instead of blood. Lymph is a clear fluid that contains immune system cells and waste products. Lymph vessels lead to small, bean-shaped collections of tissue called lymph nodes. Most lymph vessels of the breast lead to lymph nodes under the arm. These are called axillary nodes. If breast cancer cells reach the underarm lymph nodes and continue to grow, they cause the nodes to swell. Once cancer cells have reached these nodes they are more likely to spread to other organs of the body as well. |
