| GLOSSARY |
| Adjuvent therapy | Treatment given after the primary treatment to increase the chances of a cure. Adjuvant therapy may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or biological therapy. |
| Aromatase inhibitors | A drug that prevents the formation of estradiol, a female hormone, by interfering with an aromatase enzyme. Aromatase inhibitors are used as a type of hormone therapy for postmenopausal women who have hormone-dependent breast cancer. |
| Biopsy | Removal of a small piece of tissue for testing or examination under a microscope. |
| Breast implants | Medical devices that typically consist of a silicone elastomer shell filled with saline or silicone gel. They are intended for women who are seeking breast augmentation (cosmetic) or breast reconstruction. |
| Breast reconstruction | Surgery to rebuild the shape of the breast after a mastectomy. |
| Breast-conserving surgery | An operation to remove the breast cancer but not the breast itself. Types of breast-conserving surgery include lumpectomy (removal of the lump), quadrantectomy (removal of one quarter, or quadrant, of the breast), and segmental mastectomy (removal of the cancer as well as some of the breast tissue around the tumor and the lining over the chest muscles below the tumor). Also called breast-sparing surgery. |
| Calcification/calcium deposits | Deposits of calcium in the tissues. Calcification in the breast can be seen on a mammogram, but cannot be detected by touch. There are two types of breast calcification, macrocalcification and microcalcification. Macrocalcifications are large deposits and are usually not related to cancer. Microcalcifications are specks of calcium that may be found in an area of rapidly dividing cells. Many microcalcifications clustered together may be a sign of cancer. |
| Capsular Contracture | Scar tissue or capsule that normally forms around the implant, which tightens or squeezes the implant. There are four grades of capsular contracture ranging from grade I (breast is normally soft and looks natural) to grade IV (breast is hard, painful, and looks abnormal). |
| Chest wall deformity | When the chest wall or underlying rib cage appears deformed following removal of the implants and breast tissue. |
| Colostrum | Thick, yellowish fluid secreted from breast during pregnancy, and the first few days after childbirth before the onset of mature breast milk. Also called "first milk," it provides nutrients and protection against infectious diseases. |
| Excisional biopsy | A surgical procedure in which an entire lump or suspicious area is removed for diagnosis. The tissue is then examined under a microscope. |
| Fibrocystic breast condition | Fibrocystic condition causes noncancerous changes in the breast that can make them lumpy, tender and sore. |
| Galactorrhea | Milky discharge from the breast even though a woman is not breast feeding. The milk may come from one or both breasts. It may leak with no stimulation or it may leak only when the breasts are touched. Galactorrhea is relatively common in women who have had at least one pregnancy. It may be caused by an underlying disease, particularly when accompanied by other changes in the breast(s). |
| Hematoma | A pool of clotted or partially clotted blood in an organ, tissue, or body space, usually caused by a broken blood vessel. |
| Implants | Medical devices that are implanted either under breast tissue or under the chest muscle (submuscular) for breast augmentation or reconstruction. There are two major types: saline-filled and silicone gel-filled. Saline-filled breast implants are silicone shells that are either prefilled or filled with saline during surgery, and some of these allow for adjustments of the filler volume after surgery. Silicone gel-filled breast implants are silicone shells prefilled with silicone gel. |
| Intracapsular rupture | Rupture of silicone gel-filled breast implant in which the silicone gel remains contained within the fibrous capsule. |
| Mastalgia | Breast tenderness and pain that may come and go with monthly periods (cyclic) or may not follow any pattern (noncyclic). Most cyclic pain goes away without treatment and usually disappears at menopause. Noncyclic pain is most common in women ages 30 to 50. It may occur in only one breast. It is often described as a sharp, burning pain that occurs in one area of a breast. Occasionally, noncyclic pain may be caused by a fibroadenoma or a cyst. If the cause of noncyclic pain can be identified, treating the cause may relieve the pain. |
| Mastectomy | Surgery to remove the breast (or as much of the breast tissue as possible). |
| Mastitis | A condition that occurs mostly in breastfeeding women, causing a hard spot on the breast that can be sore or uncomfortable. It is caused by infection from bacteria that enters the breast through a break or crack in the skin on the nipple or by a plugged milk duct. |
| Necrosis | Formation of dead tissue around a breast implant. Factors associated with increased necrosis include infection, use of steroids in the surgical breast pocket, smoking, chemotherapy/radiation, and excessive heat or cold therapy. |
| Nipple/breast sensation changes | An increase or a decrease in the sensation in the nipple or breast. This change can vary in degree and may be temporary or permanent. It may affect comfort while nursing or sexual response. |
| Periareolar | Around the nipple. |
| Prolactin | A hormone that increases during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It stimulates the human breast to produce milk. Prolactin also helps inhibit ovulation. |
| Ptosis | Sagging/drooping of the breast. |
| Reconstruction | Includes non-cosmetic uses such as post-mastectomy, a severe injury to the breast, a birth defect that affects the breast, or a medical condition causing a severe breast abnormality. Reconstruction is one of three indications (clinical uses) for breast implants. |
| Reduction mammoplasty | Surgical procedure to reduce breast size. |
| Rupture/deflation | Hole or tear in the shell of the implant that allows for loss of the filler material from the shell. |
| Silent rupture | Rupture of a silicone gel-filled breast implant that happens without a visible change or feel by the woman and is not evident by a physical examination by the doctor. |
| Tissue flap reconstruction | A type of breast reconstruction in which a flap of tissue is surgically moved from another area of the body to the chest, and formed into a new breast mound. |
| Transaxillary | Under the arm. |
