Lobular Breast Cancer
About 1 in 10 breast cancers diagnosed (10%) are invasive lobular carcinoma. This means that the cancer is growing in the cells that line the lobules of the breast. Invasive lobular cancer can develop in women of any age. But is most common in women between 45 and 55 years old. It is possible for men to get invasive lobular breast cancer, but this is very rare.
Unlike other forms of breast cancer, invasive lobular cancer is more likely to show up as a thickening of the breast tissue rather than a definite hard lump. Because the symptoms can be vague, these cancers may sometimes grow to a larger size than other breast cancers before they are picked up.
Despite the fact that its name includes the term “carcinoma,” LCIS is not a true breast cancer. Rather, LCIS is an indication that a person is at higher-than-average risk for getting breast cancer at some point in the future. For this reason, some experts prefer the term “lobular neoplasia” instead of “lobular carcinoma.” A neoplasia is a collection of abnormal cells.
As for most types of breast cancer, surgery will be the first treatment. This may be a mastectomy or wide local excision. You will usually be given a choice between these two types of surgery. If a wide local excision is possible there is a chance that a second operation may be necessary to make sure that a clear enough area of tissue around the lump is taken. In some cases, to get a clear area of tissue it may be necessary for the whole breast to be removed. Invasive lobular cancer can sometimes affect more than one area within the breast. If this is the case the surgeon may recommend a mastectomy.
The treatment for invasive lobular breast cancer is the same as for ductal breast cancer. Usually, you will have surgery, possibly followed by radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or both. You may also have hormone therapy after surgery, if your breast cancer cells are oestrogen receptor positive. Look at the which treatment for breast cancer? page to find out more about how the various treatments are used.
If you have a wide local excision you will usually be offered radiotherapy to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back in the same breast. If you have a mastectomy you may not need radiotherapy.
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