Behavioral Health Providers' Breast Cancer Information

What is Breast Cancer?

• A malignant tumor originating in the breast cells.
• Primarily affects women, but can occur in men.
• Composed of glands, ducts, fatty and connective tissue, blood vessels, and lymph vessels.
• Mainly starts in ducts (ductal cancer), lobules (lobular cancer), or other tissues.
• Lymph vessels carry lymph fluid to lymph nodes; cancerous cells in these can spread to other organs.

Benign Breast Lumps

• Most lumps are not cancerous but can increase breast cancer risk.
• Often caused by fibrocystic changes, which can lead to breast swelling and pain.

Main Types of Breast Cancer

• Carcinoma in situ: Early stage cancer confined to its starting place.
• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): Common noninvasive breast cancer confined to ducts.
• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS): Not cancer but increases future breast cancer risk.
• Invasive (infiltrating) ductal carcinoma (IDC): Most common invasive breast cancer, starting in ducts.
• Invasive (infiltrating) lobular carcinoma (ILC): Starts in lobules and can spread, accounting for 10% of invasive cases.

References & Additional Information

• Adapted from the American Cancer Society.
• Breast Cancer in Men