Breast cancer starts in the ducts or lobules of the breast. If the cancer cells spread outside the ducts or lobules of the breast into the surrounding tissue, this is called invasive breast cancer. Early breast cancer is an invasive breast cancer. Invasive cancer cells sometimes spread outside the breast area to other parts of the body. They do this by moving through blood vessels, such as veins, or through lymphatic vessels. Lymphatic vessels are next to veins in the body, and are connected to lymph nodes (glands). Lymph nodes collect normal fluid and dead cells from the lymphatic vessels.

If the cancer cells are contained in the breast and armpit area, then the cancer is early breast cancer'. If the cancer has 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, this is called locally advanced breast cancer. If the cancer cells spread from the breast and are found in other areas of the body, such as the bones or the lungs, this is called metastatic breast cancer.

The breasts should be checked for lumps every month at least. see Self-Examination

Pre-invasive' breast cancer is another type of breast cancer.  Pre-invasive breast cancer is the name for abnormal cells or cancer cells that stay inside the milk ducts or milk sacs (lobules) of the breast. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) are types of pre-invasive breast cancer.

Cysts
A cyst is a fluid-filled sac. Fluid is produced and absorbed by the breast as part of the usual cycle of hormonal breast changes. Although we don’t know why some women are more susceptible to breast cysts than others, we do know they are common in women aged 35 to 50 and in women who are taking hormone replacement therapy.

Simple cysts are not cancer and do not change into cancer. However, in rare cases, cysts may have a cancer growing within them or close to them. These changes can be seen on an ultrasound, or found after a cyst is aspirated or drained.  Many women have a cyst or a number of cysts without knowing it, and they do not usually require treatment. Some women first detect their cyst as a painful lump and they may decide to have it drained if it is painful or troublesome. This is done by inserting a fine needle into the cyst to draw out the fluid, and is usually a simple and fairly painless procedure.

Regular mammograms are offered by the French Health system for older women.

Paget’s disease of the nipple is a rare form of breast cancer that begins in the milk ducts and spreads to the skin of the nipple and areola (the area around the nipple).

Fibroadenomas
A fibroadenoma is a smooth, firm breast lump made up of fibrous and glandular tissue. The term “breast mouse” is also used to refer to a fibroadenoma. We do not know the cause of fibroadenomas; however, they are not cancer and rarely change into breast cancer. Fibroadenomas are more common in younger women and may become tender in the days before a period or grow bigger during pregnancy. Women have a choice about whether to have their fibroadenoma removed, but if it is monitored and continues to enlarge, it should be removed. Most often, younger women or those with smaller fibroadenomas will not have them taken out. The operation to remove a fibroadenoma is relatively simple. A general anaesthetic is usually required.

Heredity and Cancer

Cancer is not considered an inherited illness because most cases of cancer, perhaps 80 to 90 percent, occur in people with no family history of the disease. However, a person's chances of developing cancer can be influenced by the inheritance of certain kinds of genetic alterations. These alterations tend to increase an individual's susceptibility to developing cancer in the future. For example, about 5 percent of breast cancers are thought to be due to inheritance of particular form(s) of a "breast cancer susceptibility gene."

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