Understanding Breast Cancer
The breast is a complex organ composed of milk-producing glands (lobules), milk ducts, and supporting fatty and connective tissues. While the lobules are primarily responsible for milk production, the ductal network carries the milk to the nipple during breastfeeding.
Breast tissue is made up of billions of cells that constantly renew and regenerate based on the body’s needs. This process is governed by precise hormonal and cellular regulations.
Breast cancer occurs when these regulations fail. Due to genetic damage, cells begin to divide uncontrollably. These abnormal cells multiply, crowding out and damaging healthy tissue, and can potentially spread to other organs through the blood and lymphatic systems.
Over 90% of breast cancers originate in the cells lining the milk ducts or within the glandular tissue. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that cancer development can be influenced by genetic mutations (such as BRCA1, BRCA2, and TP53), hormonal factors (estrogen and progesterone), and lifestyle choices (alcohol and tobacco use, obesity, stress, and physical inactivity).
In short, breast cancer is a disease that begins with a genetic change in a single cell, developing and progressing through specific stages. These changes cause cells to lose control, destroy the structure of healthy tissue, and gain the ability to spread throughout the body.
