What Is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer occurs when the cells in the breast tissue become abnormal and divide uncontrollably, producing extra tissue that develops into a tumor. Tumors can either be malignant or benign. Benign tumors are not cancerous and usually don’t grow back after they’ve been removed. Malignant tumors, on the other hand, are cancerous and can invade other parts of the body if they aren’t detected when they’re still small and localized. What are the risk factors for having breast cancer? Risk factors for breast cancer can be divided into those that you cannot change and those that you can change. Some factors that increase your risk of breast cancer that you cannot alter include being a woman, getting older, having a family history (having a mother, sister, or daughter with breast cancer doubles your risk), having a previous history of breast cancer, having had radiation therapy to the chest region, being Caucasian, getting your periods young (before 12 years old), having your menopause late
Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast change and grow out of control, forming a lump. These cells, when allowed to grow unchecked, can spread to other parts of the body. Not all lumps are cancerous. Some lumps are so small that only a mammogram can detect them. Once found by a mammogram, many small cancerous lumps are easily treatable and easily removed.
