Tumor growth is the common denominator of breast cancer epidemiological functions. The tumor starts during a transformation of a cell. Initially it is too small to be detected. Its detection marks the diagnosis of breast cancer.
We may thus distinguish between two cancer periods:
1. Pre-clinical, when tumor is hidden.
2. Clinical, starting when tumor surfaces and is diagnosed.
Tumor surfacing is manifested by epidemiological incidence
Tumor growth rate drives and shapes all epidemiological functions. Since ignored by epidemiology, its description of cancer biology is incomplete and breeds incorrect interpretations.
The presentation analyzes a concrete study.