Normal tissue changes that occur in response to the changing levels of female hormones during the menstrual cycle. Cyclic breast changes can produce swelling, tenderness, and pain. Breast cysts are benign. A technique for recording x-ray images in computer code, which allows the information to enhance subtle, but potentially significant, changes. Breast ducts transport milk from the breast's lobules out to the nipple.
Excisional biopsies remove the entire lump from the breast.
Breast x-rays that miss cancer when it is present. Breast x-rays that indicate breast cancer is present when the disease is truly absent. A frozen section provides a quick preliminary diagnosis but is not 100 percent reliable. An alteration in a segment of DNA, which can disturb a gene's behavior and sometimes leads to disease. Chemicals produced by various glands in the body, which produce specific effects on specific target organs and tissues.