The breasts Women's breasts are designed to make milk after pregnancy. Breast tissue is made up of milk glands, supportive fibrous tissue, fatty tissue, arteries, veins and nerves. Breast cancer is a malignant tumour which starts in breast tissue.
Most breast cancers begin in the milk ducts.
A small number start in the milk sacs. There are different types of breast cancer, some grow very slowly, others develop more rapidly. Breast cancer can spread to the lymph nodes and to other parts of the body such as the bones and liver. One in 12 Australian women will develop breast cancer at some stage of their lives. Although it does occur in younger women, most breast cancer occurs in women over 50 years of age.