According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is a group
of diseases that cause cells in the body to change and grow out of control.
Most types of cancer cells eventually form a lump or mass called a tumor, and
are named after the part of the body where the tumor originates.
Breast cancer begins in breast tissue, which is made up of
glands for milk production, called lobules, and the ducts that connect the
lobules to the nipple. The remainder of the breast is made up of fatty,
connective, and lymphatic tissue.
• Most masses are
benign; that is, they are not cancerous, do not grow uncontrollably or spread,
and are not life-threatening.
• Some breast
cancers are called in situ because they are confined within the ducts (ductal
carcinoma in situ or DCIS) or lobules (lobular carcinoma in situ or LCIS) where
they originated. Many oncologists believe that LCIS (also known as lobular
neoplasia) is not a true cancer, but an indicator of increased risk for
developing invasive cancer in either breast.
· The majority of in situ breast cancers are DCIS, which
accounted for about 83% of in situ cases diagnosed during 2004-2008.
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