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Malignant tumor of breast

MedGen UID:
651
Concept ID:
C0006142
Neoplastic Process
Synonyms: Cancer breast; Malignant breast neoplasm
SNOMED CT: Malignant neoplasm of breast (254837009); Malignant tumor of breast (254837009); Breast cancer (254837009); CA - Breast cancer (254837009)
 
Related genes: BRIP1, PALB2, CHEK2, RB1CC1, PPM1D, RAD54L, XRCC3, TP53, STK11, RAD51D, RAD51C, RAD51, PTEN, PIK3CA, PHB1, SLC22A18, NQO2, KRAS, HMMR, ESR1, CDH1, CASP8, BRCA2, BRCA1, BARD1, ATM, AKT1
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0007254
OMIM®: 114480

Definition

Breast cancer is a disease in which certain cells in the breast become abnormal and multiply uncontrollably to form a tumor. Although breast cancer is much more common in women, this form of cancer can also develop in men. In both women and men, the most common form of breast cancer begins in cells lining the milk ducts (ductal cancer). In women, cancer can also develop in the glands that produce milk (lobular cancer). Most men have little or no lobular tissue, so lobular cancer in men is very rare.

In its early stages, breast cancer usually does not cause pain and may exhibit no noticeable symptoms. As the cancer progresses, signs and symptoms can include a lump or thickening in or near the breast; a change in the size or shape of the breast; nipple discharge, tenderness, or retraction (turning inward); and skin irritation, dimpling, redness, or scaliness. However, these changes can occur as part of many different conditions. Having one or more of these symptoms does not mean that a person definitely has breast cancer.

A small percentage of all breast cancers cluster in families. These cancers are described as hereditary and are associated with inherited gene mutations. Hereditary breast cancers tend to develop earlier in life than noninherited (sporadic) cases, and new (primary) tumors are more likely to develop in both breasts.

In some cases, cancerous cells can invade surrounding breast tissue. In these cases, the condition is known as invasive breast cancer. Sometimes, tumors spread to other parts of the body. If breast cancer spreads, cancerous cells most often appear in the bones, liver, lungs, or brain. Tumors that begin at one site and then spread to other areas of the body are called metastatic cancers. [from MedlinePlus Genetics]

Term Hierarchy

Suggested Reading

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Yang L, Cui X, Zhang N, Li M, Bai Y, Han X, Shi Y, Liu H
Anal Bioanal Chem 2015 Jul;407(17):5065-77. Epub 2015 Feb 5 doi: 10.1007/s00216-015-8484-x. PMID: 25651902

Diagnosis

Yang L, Cui X, Zhang N, Li M, Bai Y, Han X, Shi Y, Liu H
Anal Bioanal Chem 2015 Jul;407(17):5065-77. Epub 2015 Feb 5 doi: 10.1007/s00216-015-8484-x. PMID: 25651902

Supplemental Content

Table of contents

    Clinical resources

    Practice guidelines

    • PubMed
      See practice and clinical guidelines in PubMed. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.
    • Bookshelf
      See practice and clinical guidelines in NCBI Bookshelf. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.

    Curated

    • NICE, 2024
      UK NICE Guideline NG101, Early and locally advanced breast cancer: diagnosis and management, 2024
    • NICE, 2023
      UK NICE Guideline NG12, Suspected cancer: recognition and referral, 2023
    • NCCN, 2023
      NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) Breast Cancer, 2023
    • NCCN, 2023
      Breast Cancer, NCCN Guidelines Version 4.2022
    • NICE, 2018
      Tumour profiling tests to guide adjuvant chemotherapy decisions in early breast cancer (DG34)

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