Definition of breast cancer: Cancer that forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk). It occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer may help save your life. When the disease is discovered early, you have more treatment options and a better chance for a cure.

A lump or thickening in the breast or armpit

A change in the size or shape of the breast

Discharge from the nipple

A change in the color or texture of the skin of the breast or areola (such as dimpling, puckering, or scaliness).

Breast discharge is a common problem and is rarely a symptom of cancer. Discharge is most concerning if it is from only one breast or if it is bloody. In any case, all breast discharge should be evaluated.

A change in the shape of your nipple, particularly if it turns in, sinks into the breast or becomes irregular in shape

A blood-stained discharge from the nipple

A rash on a nipple or surrounding area

A swelling or lump in your armpit

Causes of Breast Cancer

Age: The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older. Most cases of breast cancer occur in women over 60.

Personal history of breast cancer: A woman who had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting cancer in her other breast.

Your risk of developing breast cancer increases as you get older. About 1 out of 8 invasive breast cancer diagnoses are among women younger than 45, while about 2 out of 3 women with invasive breast cancer are age 55 or older when they are diagnosed.

Recently published research shows that a woman's risk of developing breast cancer is also affected by breast density and whether she has used hormone therapy; including these additional risk factors in a breast cancer risk assessment tool might increase its accuracy, but researchers still need to validate these additional factors with data from independent studies

Family history: If a woman's blood-related relatives on either her mother or father's side of the family have had breast cancer, then she is at increased risk for the disease. Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) with breast cancer can double a woman's risk.

Breast Cancer Treatments

Surgery

The goals of breast cancer surgery are to remove the cancerous tissue, and to analyze it for type, grade, size, hormonal status, and possible metastasis.

Frozen sections. Mayo Clinic has the benefit of its unique frozen section pathology lab, which allows for rapid and accurate microscopic analysis of tissue while a patient is still in the operating room. This capability allows doctors to know whether they have removed all of the cancer (achieved negative margins) within minutes of removing the tissue. Without frozen section analysis, determining whether all of the cancer has been removed may take days, causing a patient to undergo multiple surgeries.

Breast Reconstruction

Many women choose to have a plastic surgeon reconstruct their breast, either at the time of mastectomy or afterward. The surgeon may use saline-filled implants and/or tissue from other parts of the body to rebuild a natural looking breast and nipple. Reconstruction should be discussed with a plastic surgeon before you have your mastectomy. California law requires that insurers cover the costs of breast reconstruction.