Fast Facts
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in the U.S. today.
ABOUT BREAST CANCER
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is one of more than 100 diseases we call cancer. All cancers are caused by abnormal cell growth. Cells in our body grow, divide, and die all the time. But sometimes, for reasons that no one understands, some cells develop incorrectly and grow out of control. With breast cancer, as with most other cancers, these uncontrolled cells form a lump or tumor. The tumor (also called a mass) invades and destroys nearby tissues. If left untreated,cancer cells can break away from the tumor and travel, spreading cancer to other parts of the body. Breast cancer can spread to the bones, lungs, brain, and other organs.
What causes breast cancer?
No one knows for sure. However, we do know that certain things can increase your chances of getting the disease. These things are called risk factors. We also know some of the things that can go wrong in the body, but we don't know why they happen. Unfortunately, the root cause of breast cancer remains a mystery.
In many cases, female hormones can lead to breast cancer growth. Breast cancer also can start because of changes in DNA -- the chemical that carries instructions for almost everything our cells do. Sometimes, DNA can work like a switch to "turn on" cells, making them grow and divide too much and too quickly.
Genes also play a role in breast cancer. Our genes are part of our DNA. Our parents pass genes down to us. Doctors and scientists have discovered several types of abnormal genes that can be inherited or passed down. Having these abnormal genes increases your chances of developing breast cancer. We call this a genetic risk factor.