Review: Introduction to Breast Cancer

Here is what we have learned from Introduction to Breast Cancer:

• Breast cancer is malignant cell growth in the breast. If left untreated, the cancer can spread to other areas of the body.
• Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women.
• The causes of breast cancer are unknown; however, studies suggest that the growth of breast cancer is often affected by the presence of estrogen.
• The earliest sign of breast cancer is an abnormality that shows up on a mammogram before it can be felt by the woman or her health care provider.
• Most breast cancer develops in glandular tissue and is classified as adenocarcinoma; less common types of breast cancer include inflammatory breast cancer, medullary carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, Paget disease of the nipple, phyllodes tumor, and tubular carcinoma.