Surgery

If the normal cells of the breast grow out of control they form a lump or tumour. The cells change in appearance and function and become abnormal.   A breast lump is considered benign if it is limited to a few cell layers and does not invade surrounding tissues or organs. A benign lump is not cancer.

The breasts are composed of fatty tissue that contains the glands responsible for milk production in late pregnancy and after childbirth. Within each breast, there are about 15 to 25 lobes formed by groups of lobules, the milk glands. Each lobule is composed of grape-like clusters of acini (also called alveoli), the hollow sacs that make and hold breast

The exact cause or causes of breast cancer remain unknown. Yet scientists have identified a number of risk factors that increase a person’s chance of getting this disease. Certain risk factors, such as age, are beyond our control; whereas others, like drinking habits, can be modified. Age The risk of breast cancer increases with age.

‘Staging‘ is a method that has been developed to describe the extent of cancer growth. Breast cancer is ‘staged’ by information that is obtained from surgical and other findings. Specifically, information is gathered from the pathology (disease) report that accompanies a lumpectomy (lump removal), mastectomy (breast removal), or other form of breast surgery. In addition, staging is

Although the majority of breast lumps are benign, nearly one-quarter will be cancerous. But not all breast cancers are the same. Most are carcinomas – that is, cancers that arise from epithelial (surface or lining) tissues – and most develop in the breast lobules (glands that produce milk) or tissues known as terminal ductolobular units (TDLU). Such

The treatment of breast cancer is determined by many factors, such as tumor stage tumor type tumor characteristics the person’s general health medical conditions that may influence treatment. After breast cancer has been staged, a comprehensive treatment plan will be developed by a team of physicians, including an oncologist (cancer specialist). The treatment plan typically involves some form of surgery to remove as much of

The unknowns that women face after breast cancer affect many aspects of their lives. There are primary issues about self-image, fear of recurrence, and the need for continued treatment, as well as issues related to daily activities, career, and relationships. Yet, after the immediate crisis of ‘the diagnosis,’ most women weather the difficulties of breast