Breast cancer is a type of cancer that affects the breast tissue. The spelling of the word "breast cancer" is consistent with English phonetics, using the IPA transcription /brɛst ˈkænsər/. The "br" sound is pronounced like the "b" in "baby," the "e" in "breast" is pronounced like the "e" in "red," and the "a" in "cancer" is pronounced like the "a" in "cat." The stress falls on the second syllable, "can," which is pronounced like the "can" in "candy."
Breast cancer is a type of malignant tumor that forms in the cells of the breast. It is the abnormal growth and division of breast cells, which can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body, primarily through the lymphatic system or bloodstream. Breast cancer primarily affects women, but it can also occur in men.
The disease develops when breast cells in the ducts or lobules begin to mutate and multiply uncontrollably. These abnormal cells may develop into a lump or tumor, which can be detected through imaging tests like mammograms or felt as a thickening in the breast. However, not all breast lumps are cancerous, and further diagnostic procedures, such as biopsies, are necessary to confirm a breast cancer diagnosis.
Symptoms of breast cancer may include a lump or thickening in the breast or under the arm, changes in breast size or shape, dimpling or puckering of the skin, bloody discharge from the nipple, or persistent redness, warmth, or swelling in the breast.
Breast cancer can be classified into different stages and types, based on the size and location of the tumor and whether it has spread to other areas of the body. Treatment options for breast cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, or a combination of these approaches.
Early detection and regular screening tests are crucial for increasing the chances of successful treatment and survival rates for breast cancer.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "breast cancer" has a straightforward etymology. The term "breast" refers to the front part of the human torso, specifically the mammary glands, which are present in both males and females. The word "cancer" originates from the Latin word "cancer" meaning "crab", which was used to describe a malignant tumor due to the crab-like spreading of the disease. Hence, "breast cancer" is a combination of "breast" referring to the affected area and "cancer" denoting the disease.