General Information About Breast Cancer

What is cancer?

The body is made up of various kinds of cells, which normally divide in an orderly way to produce more cells only when they are needed. Cancer is a group of diseases - more than 100 types - that occur when cells become abnormal and divide without control or order.

What is a tumor?

When cells divide when new cells are not needed, too much tissue is formed. This mass of extra tissue, called a tumor, can be benign or malignant.

• benign tumors:
  
  
  • are not cancerous
    
    
  • can usually be removed
    
    
  • do not come back in most cases
    
    
  • do not spread to other parts of the body and the cells do not invade other tissues
    
    
• malignant tumors:
  
  
  • are cancerous
    
    
  • can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs
    
    
  • metastasize - cancer cells can break away from a malignant tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system to form secondary tumors in other parts of the body

What are the different types of breast cancer?

There are several types of breast cancer, including:

• The most common type begins in the lining of the ducts and is called ductal carcinoma.

• Another common type, called lobular carcinoma, occurs in the lobules.

When breast cancer metastasizes, or spreads outside the breast, cancer cells are often found in the lymph nodes under the arm. If the cancer has reached these nodes, it may mean that cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body.

Cancer that spreads is the same disease and has the same name as the original, or primary cancer. When breast cancer spreads, it is called metastatic breast cancer, even though the secondary tumor is in another organ. This may also be called "distant" disease.

Types of breast cancer, in alphabetical order, are:

Listed in the directory below you will find some additional information regarding breast cancer, for which we have provided a brief overview.

Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Programs at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago At Rush, we offer a range of standard and investigational therapies for the treatment of cancer. We have more than a dozen programs specializing in the treatment of specific cancers, including: Bone Cancer Brain Cancer Breast Cancer Colorectal Cancer Gynecological Cancers Head and Neck Cancers Hematological Malignancies (cancers of the blood and lymph system) Leukemia Lung Cancer Lymphoma Myeloma Orthopedic Cancers Prostate Cancer Radiation Oncology Skin Cancers Rush cancer programs are approved by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. Only one in four hospitals that treat cancer receive this special approval. Click here to visit the home page for Cancer Programs at Rush. Cancer Screening and Prevention Cancer screening and prevention are priorities at Rush. Through genetic testing, counseling and advanced techniques for early detection, Rush helps people with a strong history of breast, ovarian, colon and other cancers. And in our state-of-the-art mammography center, we have one of the city’s finest teams of radiologists dedicated to early detection of breast cancer. Breast Imaging Center Genetic Diagnosing and Counseling Center Inherited Susceptibility to Cancer Center Skin Cancer Detection Cancer Support Programs at Rush Cancer is not only a physical ordeal, it is also an emotional one, affecting cancer patients, their family and friends. To help address the whole person, we offer a number of resources to help patients and their loved ones cope in this difficult time. For information on the cancer support programs at Rush click here. Clinical Trials Rush offers a number of clinical trials of experimental cancer treatments. Use the links below to search for studies for a particular form of cancer. If you are interested in exploring your eligibility for one of our open trials, please call (312) 942-8312. If we do not list trials for a particular type of cancer, please feel free to call us to discuss other treatment options. For information on cancer clinical trial programs at Rush click here. Find a Specialist at Rush To find a cancer specialist at Rush, click on one of the following links: Oncology Gynecologic Oncology Orthopedic Oncology Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Radiation Oncology Surgical Oncology To find specialist at Rush in other cancer-related areas, click on one of the following links: Bone Marrow Transplant General Surgery Hematology Or make an appointment with a doctor at Rush by calling our toll-free physician referral number: (888) 352-RUSH. To reach the hospital operator, call (312) 942-5000. If you have difficulty hearing, call (312) 942-2207 (TTY/TTD).