The first to describe breast cancer were the ancient Egyptians, reporting a case of it in the Edwin Smith papyrus some 3000 years BC. In the millennia that have followed, there has been no era in which it has not been the focus of attention of both doctors and lay people, and its history is punctuated by a myriad of events that have brought hope and disappointment, joy and sorrow, excitement and depression, fear and terror or peace and calm. Conflicting emotions that reflect the conception of the disease, the various treatment methods used and the different results obtained. It is a fascinating story, not only from a human point of view, but also from a scientific one, thanks to the ongoing commitment of dozens of researchers who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge on the aetiology, pathogenesis, molecular biology and genetics of the disease, with clinical and therapeutic implications so extraordinary as to completely transform the very face of this malignancy. Breast cancer - once almost always fatal - is nowadays a curable neoplasm in the vast majority of cases, if diagnosed early and treated correctly. Yet even in advanced stages - at least for some subgroups - there is the possibility of cure or conversion into a chronic disease compatible with longterm survival. Current research is advancing rapidly, encouraged by numerous initiatives motivated by the social and psychological impact of the disease and by technological advances. The aim of volume VIII of Medicine and Oncology, decorated with numerous figures that contribute to a better understanding of the text, is to retrace the progress of this age-old disease over the centuries, highlighting its human aspects, scientific achievements as well as future prospects.