About Your Breasts*
Breast Basics
The breast is a gland that produces milk in late pregnancy and after childbirth.
What are breasts made of?
- Each breast is made of lobes.
- Lobes are groups of milk glands called lobules.
- Lobules are arranged around thin tubes called ducts.
- Ducts carry the milk to the nipple.
- These lobules and ducts make up the glandular tissue.
The breasts also contain lymph vessels, which carry a clear fluid called lymph.
- The lymph vessels lead to small, round organs called lymph nodes. Groups of lymph nodes are found near the breast in the underarm, above the collarbone, in the chest behind the breastbone, and in many other parts of the body.
- The lymph nodes trap bacteria, cancer cells, or other harmful substances that may be in the lymphatic system. Their job is to make sure harmful substances are safely removed from the body.
*Text courtesy of the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov)