Breast Facts

Many women do not have a chance to learn much about breast health or physiology unless they begin breastfeeding their children or they develop a problem that needs medical attention. Most people at least know that breasts change in appearance throughout life and that the breasts are composed of fat, but they are actually much more complex than that. The breasts are made up of a complicated network of milk-producing sacs, passageways for carrying milk, supporting tissue, lymph nodes, glands, tiny muscles and fat. Throughout puberty and menopause, not only does the appearance of the breasts change but also the composition and workings of the breast tissue.Becoming familiar with breast anatomy and physiology can help individuals understand the normal changes in their bodies that they experience throughout their lifetimes. This knowledge is also an important starting place for understanding health problems and diseases that affect the breasts.

The breasts

The breasts are made up of fat, connective tissue and glandular tissue that contains lobes. These are shown in the diagram below. The lobes are where breast milk is produced. A network of milk ducts connects the lobes to the nipple. When a woman has a baby, and breastfeeds, the breasts produce milk which passes down the ducts and out of the nipple to feed the baby.A woman's breasts are rarely the same size as each other, and may feel different at different times of the menstrual cycle, sometimes becoming lumpy just before a period.Under the skin, an area of breast tissue extends into the armpit (axilla). The armpits also contain a collection of lymph glands (lymph nodes), which are part of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a network of lymph glands throughout the body that are connected by tiny vessels called lymph vessels.

Breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide and over 40,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. In the UK breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, but it can usually be cured if it is found early. One in nine women in the UK will develop breast cancer at some time in her life.Breast cancer almost never occurs in women in their teens or early twenties and it is rare in women under 35.As women get older, their risk of developing breast cancer increases. Eight out of ten breast cancers (80%) occur in women who have had the change of life (menopause).