Breast Cancer in Spanish

What it means

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in breast tissue. It happens when cells in the breast change and grow out of control, and the extra cells can form a mass called a tumor. The National Cancer Institute dictionary says the most common type is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the lining of the milk ducts; another type, lobular carcinoma, begins in the lobules (milk glands). Cancer that does not spread any further is called "in situ," and cancer that spreads outside the breast is called "invasive." Breast cancer occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare. Tools used to diagnose it include a physical exam, imaging tests such as a mammogram, and a breast biopsy. In Spanish the term is cáncer de mama.

Spanish term: Cáncer de mama
Gender and article: masculine: el cáncer de mama
Pronunciation: KAHN-sehr deh MAH-mah

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
cáncer de seno	General	Title of the MedlinePlus en español health topic; the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary also gives it as another name.
cáncer mamario	General	Given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary as another name at the end of its entry for cáncer de mama.
cáncer de pecho	General	Listed by MedlinePlus en español among the other names of its health topic.

Cáncer de mama is masculine: el cáncer de mama. It is the term defined in the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary, which adds that it is also called cáncer de seno and cáncer mamario. MedlinePlus en español titles its health topic Cáncer de seno, lists cáncer de mama and cáncer de pecho as other names, and uses both mama and seno for the breast in the same text. The adjective is mamario, as in tejido mamario (breast tissue).

The two types named in the definition are carcinoma ductal and carcinoma lobulillar; the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia writes carcinoma lobular. The milk ducts are los conductos, the lobules los lobulillos, and the nipple el pezón. MedlinePlus en español keeps the Latin "in situ" and gives invasive as invasivo. Words that come up at appointments include bulto (lump), axila (armpit), mamografía (mammogram) and biopsia de mama (breast biopsy).

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	I found a new lump in my left breast, near the armpit.	Me encontré un bulto nuevo en la mama izquierda, cerca de la axila.
Clinician	When did you first notice the lump? Has it changed in size?	¿Cuándo notó el bulto por primera vez? ¿Ha cambiado de tamaño?
Clinician	Has anyone in your family had breast cancer or ovarian cancer?	¿Alguien en su familia ha tenido cáncer de mama o cáncer de ovario?
Patient	Yes, my mother had breast cancer when she was fifty.	Sí, mi madre tuvo cáncer de mama a los cincuenta años.
Clinician	When was your last mammogram?	¿Cuándo se hizo la última mamografía?
Clinician	I am going to order a mammogram and an ultrasound of the breast.	Voy a pedirle una mamografía y una ecografía de la mama.
Patient	Does a lump always mean cancer? Will I need a biopsy?	¿Un bulto siempre significa cáncer? ¿Voy a necesitar una biopsia?
Patient	I would like an interpreter with me when you explain the biopsy results.	Quisiera tener un intérprete conmigo cuando me explique los resultados de la biopsia.

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Breast Cancer
Spanish (Español)	Cáncer de mama
Chinese (中文)	乳癌
Korean (한국어)	유방암
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Ung thư vú
Filipino (Tagalog)	Kanser sa suso
Portuguese (Português)	Câncer de mama
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	มะเร็งเต้านม
Japanese (日本語)	乳がん

Where you'll see it

oncology reportreferralmedical recordchart

Related ICD-10-CM category

ICD-10-CM code: C50 → Malignant neoplasm of breast

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Reproductive health and pregnancy

All terms in this area: Reproductive health and pregnancy — Salud reproductiva y embarazo

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.