Many cells in the human body undergo cell division, and this normally occurs in a controlled manner to maintain healthy tissues. Breast cancer occurs when some cells in the breast tissue divide uncontrollably and create an abnormal lump of cells. Breast cancer is the second most common cause of death due to malignancy in women. One in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime1.
Many breast cancers are found through breast self-examination, but eight out of ten breast lumps are not cancerous. In fact, most lumps in the breast are not cancers, they are benign and do not spread to other parts of the body. However, every lump in the breast needs careful checking by a healthcare professional. Not all breast lumps are detectable by touch.
Breast cancer can spread to other parts of the body after a period of time. Early diagnosis is the key to survival. The earlier the cancerous lesion is detected, the better it is for treatment and cure. More and more, national screening programmes are being developed to detect breast cancer at a very early stage.
1Source: Devcan: Probability of Developing or Dying of Cancer Software, Version 6.1.1, Statistical Research and Applications Branch, NCI, 2006
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