What is in a woman s breast

Breast disorders may be noncancerous benign or cancerous malignant. Most are noncancerous and not life threatening. Often, they do not require treatment. In contrast, breast cancer can mean loss of a breast or of life. Thus, for many women, breast cancer is their worst fear.

The breasts are specialised organs, which are located on the anterior chest wall. The female breast is more developed than the male breast, as their primary function is to produce milk for nutrition of the infant and baby. There are lots of glands in our breasts, which grow and develop during puberty and maturation. Female hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone are important in promoting growth and changes that occur in the breast, especially during pregnancy and the menstrual cycle. Lying in a superficial layer of our skin above our chest muscles, the mammary glands in our breast drain via many ducts to our nipples.

There is no perfect shape or size for breasts. Normal breasts can be large or small, smooth or lumpy, and light or dark. Your breasts start growing when you begin puberty.

Each breast contains between 15 and 20 sections called lobes , each of which is composed of many smaller structures known as glands or alveoli. These glands produce milk. A system of small tubes known as ducts transports milk from the glands to a big central duct that has multiple openings in the nipple. A central duct opens into the nipple from each lobe. A band of muscle surrounds each gland.