At Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, internationally renowned experts who specialize in treating breast cancer work together to provide patients with the highest standard of care and treatment. Our center treats over 2,500 new patients with breast cancer each year, and we meet your unique needs using the most advanced expertise and treatments to improve outcomes for all of our patients. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, not including skin cancers, and one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. While breast cancer affects mostly women, men can also develop the disease, though they account for less than one percent of all breast cancer cases. Thanks to early detection and treatment advances, breast cancer survival rates continue to improve. Over 90 percent of breast cancers are discovered at an early stage when it is most treatable.
Regardless of the stage of your breast cancer, our center is dedicated to providing the highest-quality care each step of your treatment, through a customized treatment plan that promises the best chance for your recovery. With advances in treatment, research and medical technology, breast cancer is more treatable than ever before.
Breast cancer is cancer that develops in cells of the breast. The breast is made up of lobules (glands that can make milk), ducts (thin tubes that carry the milk from the lobules to the nipple), fat, connective tissue, lymph nodes and blood vessels. Breast cancer commonly occurs in the lobules or ducts of breast tissue.
Breast cancer occurs when normal breast cell begins to change (mutate) and grow out of control. Breast cancer is a relatively slow-growing cancer that is generally discovered when it is easiest to treat and cure, often before spreading to other parts of the body.
90 percent of breast cancers are adenocarcinomas, which arise from glandular tissue.
Learn more about breast cancer.
When abnormal cells stay inside the milk ducts and do not spread to nearby tissue, the condition is ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), also known as intraductal carcinoma or pre-invasive breast cancer. DCIS is the earliest stage of breast cancer, stage 0 breast cancer. DCIS does not spread to the lymph nodes or metastasize (meaning it doesn’t spread to other parts of the body).
When abnormal cells break through the wall of the milk duct and grow in the fatty tissue of the breast they are called invasive or infiltrating breast cancer. These breast cancers have the potential to spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Biologically, invasive breast cancer is not a single disease but actually several different diseases, which can act differently depending on their distinctive genetic makeup. Invasive breast cancer is categorized as stage I, II, III, or IV, depending on the size of the tumor, and whether it has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Invasive ductal cancer (IDC) means that the cancer cells, which started inside the milk duct, have broken through the duct wall and are growing in the breast’s fatty tissue. These cancer cells tend to grow close together and most often form a lump in the breast tissue. IDC may spread to lymph nodes and other areas of the body. It is the most common type of invasive breast cancer.
Invasive lobular cancer (ILC) occurs when cancer cells in the milk ducts near the milk-producing glands (lobules) break through the wall and grow in the breast’s fatty tissue. Invasive lobular cancer cells tend to grow in single-file lines and often do not form a lump. ILC has the potential to spread to lymph nodes and other parts of the body.
Learn more about invasive breast cancer.
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare but aggressive type of breast cancer that may be misdiagnosed as a breast infection because the breast appears red or inflamed. Unlike other types of breast cancer, IBC generally does not present with a lump. IBC is typically diagnosed through a clinical exam, and confirmed with a breast biopsy. Prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment is important because of the aggressive nature of the disease.
Breast cancer is often thought of as a disease that affects only women, but men can be diagnosed with breast cancer, too. We offer care that is dedicated to the unique needs of men. Our specialists will work with you to develop a treatment plan that supports your medical and emotional needs.
Learn about Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center's expertise in male breast cancer.
Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC), also known as advanced breast cancer, is breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast and axillary lymph nodes (lymph nodes underneath the arm) into other parts of the body. MBC may be found at the initial breast cancer diagnosis, or it can occur years after the original breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. While there is no cure for MBC, patients can usually be offered treatment to help prolong life and improve or maintain a good quality of life.
The Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center offers several programs for breast cancer patients with unique needs. As a patient, you can be assured of our physicians' expertise and compassion. In addition, you will have access to the breadth of services that an academic medical center and a world-renowned cancer hospital and research center can provide.
Adults in their early 40s and younger with breast cancer face particular challenges that require specialized resources. Led by Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, our Young and Strong Program for Young Adults with Breast Cancer combines treatment, support services and research and is one of the few programs in the country designed to meet the needs of young adults faced with a breast cancer diagnosis.
Learn more about our Young and Strong Program for Young Adults with Breast Cancer.
Treating patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is a significant part of our practice. Our doctors, nurses, social workers, research staff and others provide continuous care, support and assistance. We are committed to providing each patient with the best and most personalized treatment options that are available.
Learn more about our Metastatic Breast Cancer Program.
A team of experts specializes in treating inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center hosts the only program in the Northeast focused solely on this rare but aggressive form of breast cancer.
Learn more about our Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program.
Each year one in 3,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy. Our clinicians at the Breast Cancer during Pregnancy Program, led by Erica Mayer, MD, MPH, are leaders in achieving healthy outcomes for pregnant women with breast cancer and their babies. The team includes some of the most experienced and respected breast cancer oncologists and maternal-fetal specialists in the world.
Learn more about our Breast Cancer during Pregnancy Program.
If you or your doctor think that you are at high risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer, the Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program, led by Judy Garber, MD, MPH, will create a personalized program to estimate your risk as accurately as possible and work with you and your clinical team to lower your risk as much as possible. This program works closely with the Breast Cancer Personalized Risk Assessment, Education and Prevention (B-PREP) Program.
Learn more about the Breast and Ovarian Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program.
This program focuses on breast acancer in older adults, providing individualized support thorughout their journey.
When brain cancer has spread, or metastasized, it requires a team of expert that will consider your diagnosis and your specific situation to create an individualized treatment plan. Learn more about the program for patients with breast cancer brain metastases.
Though breast cancer is often considered a disease that affects only women, men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer. Our Male Breast Cancer Program is dedicated to the unique needs of men. Our specialists will work with you to develop a treatment plan that supports your medical and emotional needs.
Learn more about our Learn more about our male breast cancer expertise..
The Ductal Carcinoma in Situ program at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center offers specialized care and resources for people diagnosed with this earliest form of breast cancer. This program, the only of its kind in New England, combines patient care with in-depth research and educational resources to provide personalized care for each patient's unique needs. The comprehensive care team from both Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, includes breast cancer surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists, as well as dedicated physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
Learn more about the Ductal Carcinoma in Situ program.
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