Cancer is a disease of the body’s cells. Normally cells grow and multiply in a controlled way, however, if something causes a mistake to occur in the cell’s genetic blueprints, this control can be lost. Cancer is the term used to describe collections of these cells, growing and potentially spreading within the body. As cancerous cells can arise from almost any type of tissue cell, cancer actually refers to about 100 different diseases.
Breast cancer starts in the ducts or lobules of the breast. Cells lining the ducts or lobules can grow out of control and develop into cancer.
Some breast cancers are found when they are still confined to the ducts or lobules of the breast. This is called pre-invasive breast cancer. The most common types are ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS).
Most breast cancers are found when they are invasive. This means the cancer has spread outside the ducts or lobules of the breast into surrounding tissue.
There are several types of invasive breast cancer:
- Early breast cancer: contained in the breast but may have spread to one or more lymph nodes in the armpit.
- Locally advanced breast cancer: may have spread to places near the breast, such as the chest (including the skin, muscles or bones of the chest), but the cancer isn’t found in other areas of the body.
- Metastatic breast cancer: the cancer cells spread from the breast to other areas of the body, such as the bones, liver or the lungs. It may also be called advanced breast cancer.
Cancer Council Australia has developed fact sheets to answer questions you may have about breast cancer.
For further information about breast cancer or if you would like to talk to someone, please call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20.