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The Mammary Glands
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Mammary Glands
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Modifies sweat glands
Present in both sexes; functional only in females
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to produce milk to nourish a newborn
Stimulated by sex hormones (mostly estrogens) to
increase in size
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Structure of Mammary Glands
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External Structure:
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Areola—central pigmented area
Nipple—protruding central area of areola through which the
milk exits the breast
Internal Structure:
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Lobes—internal structures that radiate around nipple
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Alveolar glands—produce milk when a woman is lactating
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separated from each other by fat and sheets of connective tissue
Alveoli is singular - (just like the alveoli of the lungs)
Lactiferous ducts—connect alveolar glands to nipple
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
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
(b)
Intercostal muscles
Breast Cancer and Genetics
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BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 are genes that produce tumor
suppressor proteins
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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
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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.
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Genetic tests can check for BRCA1 and BRCA2
mutations in people with a family history of
Men and the defective genes
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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.
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Men with an abnormal BRCA1 gene have a slightly higher risk
of prostate cancer.
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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.
http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/genetics
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/causes-prevention/genetics/brca-fact-sheet
http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Table11BRCA1or2genemutationsandcancerrisk.html
Risk Factors:
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You are substantially more likely to have an abnormal breast
cancer gene if:
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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
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Mammography is X-ray examination that detects breast
cancers too small to feel
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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
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Figure 16.14 Mammograms.
Malignancy
(a) Mammogram procedure
(b) Film of normal
breast
(c) Film of breast with
tumor