HealthCare

Breast cancer is classified in different ways according to its location and
whether it’s metastasized.
 Adenocarcinoma: Most breast cancers start in the glandular tissue
(lobes and ducts) of the breast; cancers of glandular tissue are called
adenocarcinoma. There are two types of adenocarcinoma:
• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): DCIS means the cancer is contained
within the walls of the ducts and hasn’t spread to other
breast tissue or metastasized. This is the most common type of
noninvasive breast cancer, accounting for around 20 percent of
newly diagnosed cases. Almost all women diagnosed at this stage
can be cured.
• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS): LCIS begins in the lobules of the
breast but hasn’t invaded through to surrounding breast tissue.
LCIS isn’t a true cancer; it may be the early stage of cancer or may
simply increase a woman’s risk of getting cancer later. Everyone
agrees that at a minimum having LCIS increases your risk and that
it’s important to follow the screening guidelines for breast cancer
closely if you have LCIS.
 Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC): IDC, which starts in a duct and then
breaks through to the fatty part of the breast, accounts for 80 percent
of all invasive breast cancers. After the cancer breaks through, it can
metastasize through your blood stream or lymphatics.
 Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC): Ten percent of invasive breast cancers
are ILC, which begins in the lobules (milk producing glands). ILC is
harder to feel on examinations and harder to detect on mammograms
than IDC, but can metastasize in the same way, through lymphatics and
blood vessels.
 Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC): This cancer is an uncommon type of
breast cancer accounting for only 1 to 3 percent of cases. Instead of containing a single lump or tumor, the entire breast becomes warm and red,
with the skin taking on the appearance of an orange peel. This condition
occurs because the cancer cells are blocking the lymph vessels in the
skin. IBC is more likely to spread (metastasize) than ductal or lobular
cancers (see previous bullets).
 Paget disease of the nipple: This cancer is rare and accounts for only 1
percent of all breast cancers. The upside of this cancer is that it has an
excellent prognosis (meaning that there are good cure rates) in most
cases. The disease starts in the breast ducts and then spreads to the
skin of the nipple and then to the areola, the dark circle around the
nipple. You may feel itching or burning and notice crusted, scaly, and
red areas, which may ooze or bleed.