Apoptosis and the Development of Breast Cancer

Each year there are more than 180,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the United States alone. One out of eight American women will experience breast cancer during their lifetime. These numbers alone compel society towards developing a scientific understanding of the pathophysiology of this disease. Research efforts over several decades have determined that both hormonal influences and specific genetic events cooperate in the development of breast cancer. This chapter will focus on the hormonal and genetic factors that regulate apoptosis in the normal mammary gland and in breast cancers.