Several types of breast cancer exist, including:
Adenocarcinoma: Nearly all breast cancers start in the ducts or lobules of the breast. Both ducts and lobules of the breast are made up of glandular tissue. Therefore, malignant growths in the ducts or lobules of the breast are called adenocarcinomas, a term used for all cancers of glandular tissue throughout the body. There are two main types of breast adenocarcinomas: ductal carcinomas and lobular carcinomas.
In situ: This is a term used for early stages of cancer, when the cancer cells have still not spread beyond the area where they first developed. If a cancer is in situ, it has not yet invaded any of the surrounding fatty tissue or spread to any other organs. In association with breast cancer, in situ refers to cancer that is confined either to the breast ducts (ductal carcinoma in situ; also called DCIS) or the milk-producing breast lobules (lobular carcinoma in situ; also called LCIS).
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): DCIS (also known as intraductal carcinoma) is the most common type of non-invasive breast cancer. DCIS occurs when cancer cells have filled the breast ducts but have not spread into the surrounding fatty tissue. Approximately 20% of new cases of breast cancer will be DCIS. Nearly all women diagnosed at this early stage of breast cancer can be cured. Mammography is the best way to detect DCIS early.
When DCIS is diagnosed, the pathologist runs further tests. The purpose of these tests is to see whether or not there is an area of dead or degenerating cells, which is called tumor necrosis. If tumor necrosis is detected, the DCIS condition is considered more aggressive. Comedocarcinoma is a term used to describe DCIS with necrosis.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS): LCIS (also called lobular neoplasia) is not really cancer, but it is nonetheless included in the litany of noninvasive breast cancers. LCIS begins in the milk-producing lobules of the breast, but it does not spread beyond this area.
Although LCIS itself does not turn into an invasive form of breast cancer, women with LCIS are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer in the same breast or in the opposite breast. Because of this heightened risk, women with LCIS should have clinical breast exams 2 or 3 times a year, in addition to annual mammograms and monthly self exams.
Infiltrating (or invasive) ductal carcinoma (IDC): The most common type of breast cancer, IDC originates in the ducts of the breast. About 80% of invasive breast cancers are infiltrating ductal carcinomas.
As its name implies, IDC is termed invasive, because the cancer has broken through the wall of the duct and invaded the fatty tissue of the breast. At this point, IDC can metastasize (spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system and bloodstream).
Infiltrating (or invasive) lobular carcinoma (ILC): ILC originates in the milk-producing lobules of the breast. Invasive lobular carcinomas tend to be more difficult to detect with mammograms than are invasive ductal carcinomas. About 5% of invasive breast cancers are ILCs. Similar to IDC, ILC also can spread to other parts of the body.
Inflammatory breast cancer: An uncommon type of invasive breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer accounts for only about 1% to 3% of all breast cancers. Inflammatory breast cancer makes the skin of the breast look red, pitted, and thick. The affected breasts often are warm to the touch. The changes in appearance and warmth are not the result of inflammation or infection, but are caused by breast cancer cells blocking lymph vessels or channels in the skin.
Medullary carcinoma: Representing about 5% of breast cancers, medullary carcinoma is a special type of infiltrating breast cancer. Medullary carcinoma has several special features, including a rather well-defined, distinct boundary between tumor tissue and normal tissue; the large size of the cancer cells; and the presence of immune system cells at the edges of the tumor. The outlook, or prognosis, for this kind of breast cancer is better than for other types of invasive breast cancer.
Mucinous carcinoma: Also called colloid carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma is a very rare form of invasive breast cancer that stems from mucus-producing cancer cells. The survival rates for mucinous carcinoma are higher than for other forms of invasive breast cancer.
Paget’s Disease: A very rare form of breast cancer, Paget’s Disease accounts for less than 1% of all breast cancers. Paget’s Disease develops in the breast ducts, then spreads to the nipple skin, and the areola (the dark circle around the nipple). Often, Paget’s Disease is associated with in situ carcinoma or infiltrating breast carcinoma.
The nipple and areola of a woman suffering with Paget’s Disease often appear scaly, red, and crusted. Also in Paget’s Disease, bleeding, oozing, itching, and a burning sensation in the breast area are common. Despite these unsettling symptoms, the prognosis for women with Paget’s is very good, if a lump has not been detected in the breast tissue and a biopsy has determined that there is no invasive cancer.
Phyllodes tumor: An extremely rare type of breast tumor, Phyllodes tumor develops develops in the stroma (connective tissue) of the breast. Although Phyllodes tumors usually are benign, they occasionally can be malignant. In the past, both benign and malignant phyllodes tumors were termed cystosarcoma phyllodes.
Phyllodes tumors cannot be treated with hormone therapy, and they seldom respond to either chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Benign phyllodes tumors are treated by removing the mass and a small portion of the normal breast tissue. Malignant phyllodes tumors are treated either by removing the tumor along with a wider margin of the normal breast tissue or by mastectomy.
Tubular carcinoma: A special type of infiltrating breast carcinoma, tubular carcinomas account for about 2% of all breast cancers. Tubular carcinomas have a better prognosis than do infiltrating ductal or lobular carcinomas.
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