Breasts are made of lobules, glands, ducts and fibrous tissue, all of which are made up of cells that have the potential to form tumors. Tumors can either be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Though the American Cancer Society reports...
The breasts respond to circulating hormones to undergo cycles of growth and development throughout life. Breasts contain a series of lobules, which mature to produce milk during lacatation. Breast ducts connect the lobules to the nipple. The ducts...
There are a number of types of breast cancer, which are categorized according to their originating cell type and aggressiveness. Ductal carcinoma of the breast is a very common type of invasive breast cancer that originates from the ducts of the...
Breast lumps may develop from the glandular tissue or the surrounding connective and fatty tissue within the breast, causing pain, redness and a palpable lump in the breast. Breast lumps may be classified as either noncancerous and benign, or...
Abnormal mammogram results, while alarming, are not uncommon. Between 5 and 10 percent of mammograms demonstrate abnormal results that require additional follow-up, according to the website Abnormalmammogram.net. Most abnormal results are the...
The breasts respond to hormones and growth factors from the body, to undergo cycles of proliferation and development throughout a woman's life. Each breast contains a series of milk-producing lobules, connected to the nipple by a series of tubes...
A fibroid breast tumor, or fibroadenoma, is a benign breast growth that can occur in one or both breast. A fibroadenoma feels like a firm and rubbery lump that is usually painless to the touch and can be moved within the breast. The lumps can...
Each breast contains a rich source of glandular tissue, encased in layers of fat cells, connective tissue, blood vessels, lymph nodes and nerve endings. The glandular tissue of the breasts contains bulb-like lobules, which produce breast milk, as...
While it is important that you pay attention to breast lumps, you don't have to panic if you find one. Most breast lumps are not cancerous. In fact, the Federal Citizen Information Center estimates that even 80 percent of the breast lumps that...
Breast cancer affects nearly 195,000 people and claims the lives of over 40,000 people each year in the United States. While many of the risk factors for breast cancer cannot be changed, understanding the lifestyle risk factors associated with the...
As a woman ages, calcium deposits can form in the breast called breast calcifications. During a self breast examination, a woman cannot feel a breast calcification, though a mammogram can show them. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation...
Breast problems are common during lactation and occur at one time or another in most breastfeeding women. Most lumps that develop in the areola go away without medical intervention and do not interrupt the breastfeeding relationship. However,...
Breast cancer can occur in both women and men, but is much more common in women. In fact, other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women, according to MayoClinic.com. Some cases of breast cancer are diagnosed...
A mammogram is a screening test for breast cancer that basically provides an x-ray of the breast. The breast is compressed between two plates to spread the tissue and allow better detection of possible tumors. Densely packed areas of breast...
With your doctor, identify any medication or supplement that could be causing the nipple problem known as galactorrhea, a milky fluid discharge. This discharge may be produced by your blood pressure medication, an antidepressant, a tranquilizer,...
Examine your breasts each month so you can easily detect any changes. A few days after your period ends is the best time, or the same day each month if you are past menopause. If you find a lump in one or both breasts, don't panic. Most breast...
The breasts are hormonally regulated organs made up of a range of tissue types: lobules, which make and secrete milk; ducts, which carry the milk from the lobules to the nipple; fat and connective tissue, which support the shape of the breast;...
Breast cancer develops when the cells that make up healthy breast tissue progressively develop numerous genetic mutations. These mutations eventually allow the cell to proliferate rapidly and continually while evading cellular death. As the cancer...
Although further research is needed, caffeine intake is linked to breast lesions and breast pain. Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance found in plants such as coffee, cocoa and tea leaves. Synthetically manufactured caffeine is added to...
Alesse is an oral contraceptive containing ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel manufactured by Wyeth a division of Pfizer. The combination of these female hormones prevents the release of an egg so a woman cannot get pregnant. It can also...
Breast cancer, a malignant breast tumor, led to more than 40,000 deaths and was the cause of almost 210,000 new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. in 2009, according to the National Cancer Institute. Breast cancer development begins in mutant breast...
A bump on the outside of your breast could be a lump that you can feel by touching your breast or a dermatological condition. Common causes of lumps are cysts, fibroid masses, or mastitis, but because a lump is also a sign of breast cancer, the...
According to breastcancer.org, breast cancer affects 13 percent of women in the United States. Information, medications and support are available if you are suffering with breast cancer.
Breast cancer develops from abnormal and dysregulated growth of cells in the breast, which occurs due to the accumulation of genetic mutations within a small population of cells. These cells become immortal and divide indefinitely, giving rise to...
An X-ray, a mammogram, a bone scan, an MRI or a CT scan are required during the staging process for breast cancer. Oncologists can determine how far the tumor has spread. Following these tests, a TNM staging system is set to classify the cancer...
The word "tumor" is the Latin word for "swelling." Simply put, tumors are growths that occur where they are not supposed to.
The pituitary gland is an endocrine gland at the base of the brain that generates and secretes a number of hormones. The gland is involved in a range of functions throughout the body, and plays a role in processes including fertility and sexual...
The breasts are made up of extensive glandular tissue that facilitates lactation after pregnancy. The glandular tissue contains lobules--bulb-like structures made up of cells that secrete milk; as well as ducts--that carry milk from the lobules...
When there are mutations in the genes that control cell reproduction, you may develop a tumor because these mutations cause your cells to reproduce uncontrollably. Tumors can be benign or they can become cancerous. If this happens in the breasts,...
