NaijaGlitz(NG)Health:Breast Cancer!?

What is breast cancer? Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts in the cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that can grow into (invade) surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. The disease occurs almost entirely in women, but men can get it, too. Most breast cancers begin in the cells that line the ducts ( ductal cancers). Some begin inthe cells that line the lobules ( lobular cancers), while a smallnumber start in other tissues. The lymph (lymphatic) system of the breast The lymph system is importantto understand because it is one way breast cancers can spread. This system has several parts. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped collections of immune system cells (cells thatare important in fighting infections) that are connected by lymphatic vessels. Lymphatic vessels are like small veins, except that they carry a clear fluid called lymph (instead of blood) away from the breast. Lymph contains tissue fluid and waste products, as well as immune system cells. Breast cancer cells can enter lymphatic vessels and begin to grow in lymph nodes. Most lymphatic vessels in the breast connect to lymph nodes under the arm ( axillary nodes ). Some lymphatic vessels connect to lymph nodes inside the chest ( internal mammary nodes ) andthose either above or below the collarbone ( supraclavicular or infraclavicular nodes ). If the cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes, there is a higher chance that the cells could have also gotten into the bloodstream and spread (metastasized) to other sites in the body. The more lymph nodes that have breast cancer, the more likelyit is that the cancer may be found in other organs as well.Because of this, finding cancer in one or more lymph nodes often affects the treatment plan. Still, not all women with cancer cells in their lymph nodes develop metastases, and some women can have no cancer cells in their lymph nodes and later develop metastases..stay healthy