Breast cancer typing

Breast cancers are classified into types. The type is based on such criteria as the place where the cancer originated in the breast and its capacity to spread to other parts of the body. Ductal cancers start in the breast ducts; lobular cancers begin in the lobules. In situ (in place) cancers, also known as noninfiltrating, noninvasive, or Stage 0 cancers, are confined to the lobules or ducts. Some of these will become invasive and break out of the ducts and lobules to invade other tissues. But other in situ lesions don't seem to ever become invasive, which is why some experts say in situ"cancers" are really precancerous. Noninvasive cancers occur less often than invasive ones.

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Common types of breast cancer:

• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): Abnormal cells have formed within the ducts but have not spread beyond. Women with this condition have a considerably higher risk of developing invasive cancer. Although DCIS is not invasive it is generally treated, with some combination of surgery, radiation, and hormonal therapy.
• Infiltrating, or invasive, ductal carcinoma: By far the most common invasive breast cancer, IDC involves ductal cancer cells that have moved beyond the ducts to other tissues.
• Infiltrating, or invasive, lobular carcinoma: Abnormal cells originating in the lobules have moved beyond the lobules into other tissues.

Several less common types of cancers also occur in the breast. These include Paget's disease, which affects the nipple and areola and is characterized by crustiness, itching, burning, or oozing; inflammatory breast cancer, which is highly aggressive and causes the breast to redden and swell; and mucinous carcinoma, in which the tumor has a jellylike character and the prognosis is better than for other invasive breast cancers.

Precancerous conditions:

• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS): Women with this condition have a higher risk of developing cancer at some point in their lives. Options for women with LCIS include close observation, prophylactic mastectomy, or chemoprevention with tamoxifen.
• Atypical ductal or lobular hyperplasia: Women with these conditions also are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer.