* Anatomy of the breast:
The
breasts lie between the second and sixth ribs and are composed of breast
tissue, skin, and subcutaneous tissue. The breast tissue is composed of
parenchyma and stroma.
Before
opening at the nipple, these ducts become dilated, forming the lactiferous
sinuses.
The
breast tissue is enveloped superficially by the superficial pectoral fascia and
deeply by the deep pectoral fascia, with the 2 layers connected by fibrous
bands called Cooper suspensory ligaments.
* Breast Cancer:
The single most important factor in the
personality of any breast cancer is whether it is non-invasive ("in
situ") or invasive. This will determine your treatment path and, to some
extent, your expectations for results.
- Non-invasive (or "in situ") cancers confine
themselves to the ducts or lobules and do not spread to the surrounding tissues
in the breast or other parts of the body. They can, however, develop into or
raise your risk for a more serious, invasive cancer.
- Invasive (or infiltrating) cancers have started to break through normal breast tissue
barriers and invade surrounding areas. Much more serious than non-invasive
cancers, invasive cancers can spread cancer to other parts of the body through
the bloodstream and lymphatic system.
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