A cancerous tumour arises when control is lost of cell division and cells continue to multiply unnecessarily. Breast cancer is not a single disease. Ductal carcinoma (cancer in the milk ducts) accounts for over 70% of breast cancers, followed by carcinoma of the breast lobules at about 10% -15%. The rest are rare forms of cancer, for example of the connective tissues. Both ductal and lobular carcinomas can be localized, and may or may not progress if untreated to invasive cancer. ie; extending beyond the duct or lobule into surrounding tissue.

INCIDENCE
Each year in the UK around 37.800 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed, and about 14,000 patients die of breast cancer. Breast cancer is the commonest single cause of death among women aged 35-54 years. Each year 1 or 2 women in every thousand will be newly diagnosed with breast cancer. 75% of these will be post-menopausal women. 1 in 9 women in the UK will develop the disease in their lifetime.

BREAST LUMPS
A lump or thickening in the breast or armpit tissue is the first symptom in 80-90% of breast cancers. Other symptoms include dimpling or flaking skin, nipple discharge or bleeding, pain in the breast, change in breast size or shape, or any new difference in appearance or feel of breast. If any of these symptoms are found medical advice should be sought. Only about 1 in 9 breast lumps seen by a doctor will prove to be cancerous. For every 10 women with cancerous lumps, 5 or 6 can be treated initially without removal of the breast, and 3 or 4 will die of a cause other than cancer.

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