Breast cancer, mammary carcinoma
The mammary carcinoma is the malignant degeneration of the mammary gland. It`s the most common form of cancer for women. Significant risk factors are age, genetic factors and abuse of nicotine. The tumor growth leads to characteristic alterations in the affected breast, e.g. a palpable, diffusely confined knot in the breast, that, unlike benign alterations (fibroadenoma, cysts) has the tendency to adhere to the underlayment, so that the knot seems affixed and non-movable. Some forms can lead to retraction of the mamilla. The metastasizing of the tumor can occur via both the lymph as well as the blood flow. (lymphogenic or hematogenic metastasizing)
