Breast Cancer

A woman's breast consists of lobules. Lobules are milk-producing glands. There is also fatty and connective tissue surrounding the ducts and lobules - this is called stroma. Breast cancer by the name itself is a cancer that develops from breast tissue.The most common breast cancers start in the cells around the ducts. Others can start in the cells that line the lobules. A smaller number of breast cancers can start in other parts of the breast.Breast cancer is a tumor that has become malignant - it has developed from the breast cells. A 'malignant' tumor can spread to other parts of the body - it may also invade surrounding tissue. When it spreads around the body, we call it 'metastasis'.

The human body has two ways of moving fluid about. One is through the blood stream and the other through lymphatic vessels. It is believed if cancer cells are in lymphatic system, they are most likely to be present in the bloodstream and can spread to other organs in the body.