Definition
Cancer that forms in tissues of the breast. The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the lining of the milk ducts (thin tubes that carry milk from the lobules of the breast to the nipple). Another type of breast cancer is lobular carcinoma, which begins in the lobules (milk glands) of the breast. Invasive breast cancer is breast cancer that has spread from where it began in the breast ducts or lobules to surrounding normal tissue. Breast cancer occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare.
Estimated new cases and deaths from breast cancer in the United States in 2013:
- New cases: 232,340 (female); 2,240 (male)
- Deaths: 39,620 (female); 410 (male)
Treatment
Information about treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and vaccine therapy
- Breast Cancer Treatment
[ patient ] [ health professional ] - Male Breast Cancer Treatment
[ patient ] [ health professional ] - Breast Cancer Treatment and Pregnancy
[ patient ] [ health professional ] - Find Clinical Trials to Treat Breast Cancer
- Drugs Approved for Breast Cancer
- Targeted Therapies for Breast Cancer
Prevention, Genetics, Causes
Information related to prevention, genetics, risk factors
- Breast Cancer Prevention
[ patient ] [ health professional ] - Genetics of Breast and Ovarian Cancer
[ health professional ] - Find Clinical Trials to Prevent Breast Cancer
- Breast Cancer Risk in American Women
- Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool
Screening and Testing
Information about methods of cancer detection including new imaging technologies, tumor markers, and biopsy procedures
- Breast Cancer Screening
[ patient ] [ health professional ] - Find Clinical Trials to Screen for Breast Cancer
- Mammograms
- Understanding Breast Changes: A Health Guide for Women
Clinical Trials
Information and current news about clinical trials and trial-related data
Resources available from the PubMed database
- Cancer Topic Searches: Breast Cancer
- Cancer Topic Searches: Cancer Genetics
- Cancer Literature in PubMed
Research and Related Information
Includes National Cancer Institute (NCI)-supported research, funding opportunities, and special reports
Statistics
Information related to cancer incidence, mortality, and survival
Related Pages
- Inflammatory Breast Cancer
A fact sheet about the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), an uncommon type of cancer in which the breast becomes red, swollen, and warm. - Moving Beyond Breast Cancer Videos
Several breast cancer survivors discuss their journey and offer tips and advice to help cope with the challenges of recovery. - NIHSeniorHealth: Breast Cancer
NIHSeniorHealth is a Web site that features authoritative and up-to-date health information in a format tailored to older adults.
General Cancer Resources
- Coping with Cancer: Supportive and Palliative Care
Managing physical, emotional, and lifestyle effects of cancer and treatment on patients and families; also includes information on finances, insurance, and healthcare services. - Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Healing philosophies, approaches, and therapies used in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer care. - Learn About Clinical Trials
Perhaps you are thinking about participating in a clinical trial. Or maybe you have a friend or family member with cancer and are wondering if a clinical trial is right for them. This section contains basic information about clinical trials, things to think about when deciding to take part and questions to ask your doctor.
For more information
Download What You Need To Know About? Breast Cancer, an online booklet published by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), to learn about breast cancer types, staging, treatment, and questions to ask the doctor.
For an overview of research advances, go to Cancer Advances In Focus: Breast Cancer.
Information of this page has been reproduced with permission from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).This page was last reviewed: 07/24/2013
