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All cancers that start in the breast tissue are called breast cancer. Breast cancer is then subdivided by types depending on which area in the breast the cancer begins, and the course the cancer took. Every strand of breast cancer has a unique set of risks and a unique chance for survival. Thus, it is not accurate to conclude a survival rate without knowing the specifics about the cancer. The question, "What is breast cancer?" needs an understanding of the factors involved in the development of the cancer.

One out of every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life, estimates the American Cancer Society. Though not nearly as common as other major diseases, such as heart disease, breast cancer is more widely feared. A particular person's risk of developing breast cancer depends upon many complex factors. The interplay of these risk factors in the development of the disease is not well understood.

Risk factors for breast cancer are much like those for other diseases with genetic components. Such factors include age, family history, individual variations in genetics, and prior personal history of the disease. Lesser factors are environmental exposure to particular chemicals or radiation, history of childbearing, and obesity. Numerous other factors play a part in the development of breast cancer and breast cancer symptoms. But 70% of the women diagnosed with this disease do not have any clear risk factors.

A great deal of research is underway to try to discover more of the causes of breast cancer. In addition, new risk factors that make breast cancer more likely are frequently discovered and disseminated to medical professionals and to the broader public. Several major institutions make risk profiles available that allow people to determine their individual risks of contracting breast cancer. Other sites list breast cancer symptoms, ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer, and other breast cancer information that can be used.

Most people are aware that a lump can be one of the most common breast cancer symptoms. In a majority of cases, lumps are portions of benign, non-cancerous breast tissue. Benign and malignant lumps alike are often called tumors. It is important to know that not all tumors are life-threatening, so hearing the word tumor is not necessarily a diagnosis of cancer.

Nevertheless, the risk that a recently discovered breast lump is actually breast cancer is very real. The consequences of breast cancer spreading with time are very serious. Therefore, any abnormal lump detected in the breast should be immediately reported to a physician.

Answering the question, "What is breast caancer?" requires a deeper understanding of the complicated risk factors involved in its development. An international research team has identified several breast cancer symptoms novel genetic variations associated with the risk of disease. One of the identified genes establishes a role for autopsy, a previously unsuspected biological pathway, in disease pathology. Women can use tools provided online, and at major institutions for breast cancer research, to work up individual risk profiles. The websites also offer information about risk reduction, symptoms to look out for, and many other pieces of important breast cancer information.