There are different structures in your breast, and cancer could be in any of them. For instance, you have lymph nodes, you have milk ducts, and you have 15 lobes in each breast that contains gland cells that produce milk. There are lymph channels within the breast that drain into the blood stream. There is also the nipple; within the breast there is the part of the nipple that you don’t see, which has the channels that run through it. The skin on the outside of the breast could also be a site for cancer to manifest. Cancer could occur in any of these sites within the breast.

The fibrous connective tissue of the breast, lymph vessels, and the blood vessels can be places in the breast where cancer cells originate from. Ductal carcinoma is the most common and invasive carcinoma accounts for about 70 to 80 percent of all breast cancers. Lobular cancer is the second most common type of breast cancer. Cancer in other areas of the breast happens in rare occurrences.

If cancer manifests in the milk duct, it is called ductal carcinoma. If ductal carcinoma is noninvasive, it is called in situ ductal carcinoma (DCIS). If cancer begins in one or more of the lobes, it is called lobular carcinoma. Thus, if lobular carcinoma is noninvasive it is called lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). On the other hand, if ductal carcinoma is invasive it is called invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). If lobular carcinoma is invasive it is called invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). There is another type of breast cancer that is called inflammatory breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer manifests very quickly, and the cancer can develop to an advanced stage in just a matter of a few days.

Cancer cells can travel to other areas within the breast and to areas in other parts of the body. For instance, a person could develop cancer on the chest wall. Cancer cells break away from the localized tumor and move into the surrounding tissues. Cancer cells can be carried by the lymph and blood vessels to other areas.

Women often don’t expect cancer, because there is no pain, and breast cancer is usually painless. Unfortunately, if women don’t do routine breast self-exams, or they don’t have regular clinical breast exams or mammograms, breast cancer might not be found until the later stages. Women should perform breast self-exams at the same about the same time every month. Many women mark their day each month to check their breasts. They also keep notes about the appearance, and the way the normal lumps and bumps inside the breast feel like, so they can note any changes and see their doctor.

Sometimes mammograms are not enough to visualize the breast completely when the woman has very thick breasts. In some cases the doctor will order an MRI of the woman’s breasts to detect the presence of tumors; some tumors and calcifications are so small that they couldn’t be noticed by the doctor in a clinical breast exam. Some women elect to have both breasts removed in a double mastectomy, even if only one breast has cancer. Some women who test positive for the breast cancer gene will have their breasts removed without actually having cancer. This is called a prophylactic mastectomy or preventive mastectomy.

More than 40,000 women die every year from breast cancer. Breast cancer is second only to lung cancer for the cause of death in women. However, approximately 88 percent of women will survive breast cancer for 10 years. It is believed that people who live healthier lifestyles and eat foods with lots of antioxidants from berries and Omega-3 fatty acids will help prevent breast cancer in women. It is also believed that if you eat less meat and add more soy to your diet this will help prevent breast cancer.

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