Healthcare: Cancer Care

Types of Breast Cancer

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Breast cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in the ducts or lobes of the breast. Breast cancer may be either:

Invasive

This means cancer has spread from the ducts or lobes into normal breast tissue. The main invasive types are:

  • Ductal carcinoma: This cancer starts in the ducts of the breast. It's the most common type of breast cancer.
  • Lobular carcinoma: This cancer starts in the lobes of the breast. It's the second most common type.

Some breast cancer is a mix of ductal and lobular carcinoma. Other less common invasive types include inflammatory breast cancer and male breast cancer.

Noninvasive
 

This means the abnormal cells haven't spread beyond the ducts or lobes. These cancers include:

  • Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): In this type, the abnormal cells are only in the ducts of the breast. (Lobular carcinoma in situ [LCIS] is not considered to be cancer.)
  • Paget disease of the nipple: The abnormal cells are only in or around the nipple. This is a rare type of cancer.

After the type of cancer is known, the cancer cells are checked for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and large amounts of a protein called HER2. This information helps a doctor plan the treatment.

If the cancer cells don't have these three traits, they are called "triple-negative." Triple-negative breast cancer is a less common type of invasive breast cancer.

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Types of Breast Cancer We Treat

Terms

Item Term
Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

Item Definition

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is the growth of abnormal cells in the breast's milk ducts. It is a very early form of noninvasive breast cancer.

Item Term
ER and PR Positive

Item Definition

Breast cancer with estrogen or progesterone receptors.

Item Term
HER2-Positive

Item Definition

Breast cancer with higher levels of HER2.

Item Term
Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Item Definition

Breast cancer lacking ER,PR and HER2.

Item Term
Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Item Definition

A type of ductal carcinoma, inflammatory breast cancer has symptoms like swelling and redness. 

Item Term
Male Breast Cancer

Item Definition

Breast cancer in men develops in the small amount of breast tissue found behind a man's nipple. It is often a type called invasive ductal carcinoma.

Item Term
Metastatic Breast Cancer

Item Definition

Metastatic breast cancer occurs when cancer cells spread to other parts of the body.

Item Term
Pre-Cancerous Lesions

Item Definition

Abnormal tissues which are more likely to progress to cancer than normal tissue.

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