Breast cancer
What is breast cancer?
- Breast cancer grows in the cells of the breast1
Types of breast cancer
- Ductal carcinoma in situ is the earliest form of breast cancer; the cancer cells are found only in one specific area of the breast, the “ducts”, and have not yet spread to other breast tissue2
- Invasive breast cancer has spread beyond the area in which it started into surrounding breast tissue;2 invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common form of breast cancer2,3
- Invasive lobular breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, and Paget disease of the breast are less common types of breast cancer3
- Secondary or metastatic breast cancer has already spread to other parts of the body, usually via the lymph nodes or the bloodstream3
Who gets breast cancer?
- Breast cancer is much more common in females, but males get it too;1 breast cancer in males is different to breast cancer in females4
- About 1 in 8 females will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime3
- It mostly affects females aged 50+,3 but also occurs in younger females5
- It is the most common cancer in females worldwide, and is the 2nd most common cancer overall6
- Nearly 1.7 million cases were diagnosed worldwide in 20126
Screening, detection, and diagnosis
- Mammography can detect breast cancer early3
- Ultrasound is used for further examination7
- MRI might be used to aid diagnosis7
- Diagnosis is confirmed by biopsy, either using a needle or during surgery7
Patient guidelines
A patient guideline is a document containing information for patients and their families about their disease and the treatment options available to them
Click here to see the European patient guideline on your condition8
Local support groups
Contacting a support group may help you during diagnosis and treatment and afterwards
Infographics
Click here for information on the incidence of breast cancer in Europe10
