The Mammary Glands Pages

Mammary Glands © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.  Modifies sweat glands  Present in both sexes; functional only in females  to produce milk to nourish a newborn  Stimulated by sex hormones (mostly estrogens) to increase in size

Structure of Mammary Glands © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.  External Structure:  Areola—central pigmented area  Nipple—protruding central area of areola through which the milk exits the breast  Internal Structure:  Lobes—internal structures that radiate around nipple  separated from each other by fat and sheets of connective tissue  Alveolar glands—produce milk when a woman is lactating  Alveoli is singular - (just like the alveoli of the lungs)  Lactiferous ducts—connect alveolar glands to nipple

Figure 16.13a Female mammary glands. Skin (cut) Pectoralis major muscle Connective tissue suspensory ligament Adipose tissue Lobe Areola Nipple Lactiferous sinus Lactiferous duct Lobule containing alveoli (a)

Figure 16.13b Female mammary glands. Pectoralis major muscle Connective tissue suspensory ligament Adipose tissue Lobe Areola Nipple Lactiferous sinus Lactiferous duct Intercostal muscles (b)

Breast Cancer and Genetics  BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 are genes that produce tumor suppressor proteins  These genes are defective and can no longer suppress tumor growth in certain areas of the body  A woman's risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer is greatly increased (50-85%) if she inherits a deleterious (harmful) mutation in the BRCA1 gene or the BRCA2 gene.

Breast Cancer and Genetics  Women with an abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene also have an increased risk of developing ovarian, colon, pancreatic, and thyroid cancers, as well as melanoma.  Genetic tests can check for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in people with a family history of

Men and the defective genes  Men who have an abnormal BRCA2 gene have a higher risk for breast cancer than men who don't -- about 8% by the time they're 80 years old.  Men with an abnormal BRCA1 gene have a slightly higher risk of prostate cancer.  Other cancer risks, such as cancer of the skin or digestive tract, also may be slightly higher in men with abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes.   

Risk Factors:  You are substantially more likely to have an abnormal breast cancer gene if:  You have blood relatives (grandmothers, mother, sisters, aunts) on either your mother's or father's side of the family who had breast cancer diagnosed before age 50.  There is both breast and ovarian cancer in your family, particularly in a single individual.  There are other gland-related cancers in your family such as pancreatic, colon, and thyroid cancers.  Women in your family have had cancer in both breasts.  You are of Ashkenazi Jewish (Eastern European) heritage.  You are African American and have been diagnosed with breast cancer at age 35 or younger.  A man in your family has had breast cancer.

Mammography © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.  Mammography is X-ray examination that detects breast cancers too small to feel  Yes, your breasts get completely smashed between two plates!  Recommended every 2 years for women between 40 and 49 years old and yearly thereafter  Breast cancer is often signaled by a change in skin texture, puckering, or leakage from the nipple

Figure Mammograms. (a) Mammogram procedure(b) Film of normal breast (c) Film of breast with tumor Malignancy