Breast cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed in women, and the second leading cause of cancer death.
Some breast cancers occur in families and are probably hereditary .
Most breast cancers, however, do not occur in families and are sporadic . Seventy-five percent of breast cancers occur in women over 50 years old. Other factors that have been linked to breast cancer include exposure to radiation at a young age, and oral contraceptives. After noticing a change or a suspicious area in the breast, a surgeon is usually contacted to obtain a biopsy. A biopsy is an outpatient procedure that includes obtaining cells from the area where a mass or an abnormality was seen.