Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Breast Anatomy and Physiology

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Breast Disease

  • 1635 Accesses

Abstract

Breast development begins in the 5th and 6th weeks of fetal development and continues through puberty. Errors during development can lead to abnormal development or complete failure of breast development. The breast comprises several structures that are both functional and supportive. Some of these structures do not fully develop until pregnancy and lactation and regress or involute after lactation and at menopause. The anatomy of the breast and axilla is important in oncological surgery and must be considered during surgical planning to ensure the proper treatment of breast cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Brunicardi FC, Andersen DK, Billiar TR, Dunn DL, Hunter JG, Matthews JB, et al., editors. Schwartz’s principles of surgery. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, Health Publishing Division; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Harris JR, Lippman ME, Morrow M, Osborne KC, editors. Diseases of the breast. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Skandalakis JE, Colborn GL, Weidman TA, Foster J, Roger S, Kingsnorth AN, Skandalakis LJ, et al., editors. Skandalakis surgical anatomy: the embryologic and anatomic basis of modern surgery. Athens: McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Mulholland MW, Lillemoe KD, Doherty GM, Maier RV, Upchurch GR, editors. Greenfield’s surgery: scientific principles and practice. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, editors. Sabiston textbook of surgery. Philadelphia: Saunders/Elsevier; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Zollinger J, Robert M, Zollinger S, Robert M. Zollinger’s atlas of surgical operations. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, Medical Publishing Division; 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Sohn VY, Arthurs ZM, Sebesta JA, Brown TA. Primary tumor location impacts breast cancer survival. Am J Surg. 2008;195(5):641–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ozmen T, Polat AV, Polat AK, Bonaventura M, Johnson R, Soran A. Factors affecting cosmesis after breast conserving surgery without oncoplastic techniques in an experienced comprehensive breast center. Surgeon. 2015;13(3):139–44.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Polat AV, Soran A, Andacoglu O, Kamali Polat A, McGuire K, Diego E, et al. The importance of pre-operative needle core breast biopsy results on resected tissue volume, margin status, and cosmesis. J BUON. 2013;18(3):601–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Taylor ME, Perez CA, Halverson KJ, Kuske RR, Philpott GW, Garcia DM, et al. Factors influencing cosmetic results after conservation therapy for breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1995;31(4):753–64.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Losken A, Hamdi M. Partial breast reconstruction: current perspectives. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2009;124(3):722–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Munhoz AM, Montag E, Filassi JR, Gemperli R. Current approaches to managing partial breast defects: the role of conservative breast surgery reconstruction. Anticancer Res. 2014;34(3):1099–114.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Song HM, Styblo TM, Carlson GW, Losken A. The use of oncoplastic reduction techniques to reconstruct partial mastectomy defects in women with ductal carcinoma in situ. Breast J. 2010;16(2):141–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Munhoz AM, Montag E, Gemperli R. Oncoplastic breast surgery: indications, techniques and perspectives. Gland Surg. 2013;2(3):143–57.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Silverstein MJ. How I, do it: oncoplastic breast-conservation surgery. Ann Surg Oncol. 2010;17(Suppl 3):242–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Silverstein MJ, Mai T, Savalia N, Vaince F, Guerra L. Oncoplastic breast conservation surgery: the new paradigm. J Surg Oncol. 2014;110(1):82–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Blechman KM, Karp NS, Levovitz C, Guth AA, Axelrod DM, Shapiro RL, et al. The lateral inframammary fold incision for nipple-sparing mastectomy: outcomes from over 50 immediate implant-based breast reconstructions. Breast J. 2013;19(1):31–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Dent BL, Small K, Swistel A, Talmor M. Nipple-areolar complex ischemia after nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate implant-based reconstruction: risk factors and the success of conservative treatment. Aesthet Surg J Am Soc Aesthet Plast Surg. 2014;34(4):560–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Dutton W, Ghareeb PA, McClellan WT. The lazy lateral incision: an innovative approach to the skin-sparing mastectomy. W V Med J. 2013;109(6):30–3.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Garwood ER, Moore D, Ewing C, Hwang ES, Alvarado M, Foster RD, et al. Total skin-sparing mastectomy: complications and local recurrence rates in 2 cohorts of patients. Ann Surg. 2009;249(1):26–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Petit JY, Veronesi U, Rey P, Rotmensz N, Botteri E, Rietjens M, et al. Nipple-sparing mastectomy: risk of nipple-areolar recurrences in a series of 579 cases. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2009;114(1):97–101.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Rusby JE, Smith BL, Gui GP. Nipple-sparing mastectomy. Br J Surg. 2010;97(3):305–16.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Proano E, Perbeck LG. Influence of the site of skin incision on the circulation in the nipple-areola complex after subcutaneous mastectomy in breast cancer. Scand J Plast Reconstr Surg Hand Surg Nordisk plastikkirurgisk forening [and] Nordisk klubb for handkirurgi. 1996;30(3):195–200.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Wapnir I, Dua M, Kieryn A, Paro J, Morrison D, Kahn D, et al. Intraoperative imaging of nipple perfusion patterns and ischemic complications in nipple-sparing mastectomies. Ann Surg Oncol. 2014;21(1):100–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Cox CE. Lymphatic mapping in breast cancer: combination technique. Ann Surg Oncol. 2001;8(9 Suppl):67S–0.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Ashikaga T, Krag DN, Land SR, Julian TB, Anderson SJ, Brown AM, et al. Morbidity results from the NSABP B-32 trial comparing sentinel lymph node dissection versus axillary dissection. J Surg Oncol. 2010;102(2):111–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Wilke LG, McCall LM, Posther KE, Whitworth PW, Reintgen DS, Leitch AM, et al. Surgical complications associated with sentinel lymph node biopsy: results from a prospective international cooperative group trial. Ann Surg Oncol. 2006;13(4):491–500.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. DiSipio T, Rye S, Newman B, Hayes S. Incidence of unilateral arm lymphoedema after breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Oncol. 2013;14(6):500–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Barros AC, Andrade FE, Bevilacqua JL, Barros MA, Piato JR, Santos DR, et al. Radicality effect of adding an interpectoral to a subpectoral approach for dissection of level III axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer. Tumori. 2013;99(4):500–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Boneti C, Badgwell B, Robertson Y, Korourian S, Adkins L, Klimberg V. Axillary reverse mapping (ARM): initial results of phase II trial in preventing lymphedema after lymphadenectomy. Minerva Ginecol. 2012;64(5):421–30.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Gennaro M, Maccauro M, Sigari C, Casalini P, Bedodi L, Conti AR, et al. Selective axillary dissection after axillary reverse mapping to prevent breast-cancer-related lymphoedema. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2013;39(12):1341–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Kuusk U, Seyednejad N, McKevitt EC, Dingee CK, Wiseman SM. Axillary reverse mapping in breast cancer: a Canadian experience. J Surg Oncol. 2014;110(7):791–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Ochoa D, Korourian S, Boneti C, Adkins L, Badgwell B, Klimberg VS. Axillary reverse mapping: five-year experience. Surgery. 2014;156(5):1261–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Kandace P. McGuire

Authors
  1. Kandace P. McGuire
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kandace P. McGuire .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Oncology Institute, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Adnan Aydiner

  2. Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Abdullah Igci

  3. Department of Surgical Oncology, Magee-Womens Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Atilla Soran

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

McGuire, K.P. (2019). Breast Anatomy and Physiology. In: Aydiner, A., Igci, A., Soran, A. (eds) Breast Disease. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04606-4_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04606-4_1

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-04605-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-04606-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation