Although breast cancer is often referred to as one disease, there are many different types of breast cancer. Show
While all breast cancers start in the breast, they differ in other ways. They can be non-invasive or invasive. Tumor cells can vary in location (milk ducts or lobules) and how they look under a microscope. These differences often affect prognosis. Tumor characteristics, such as hormone receptor status and HER2 status, also affect prognosis. Learn more about factors that affect prognosis. Non-invasive and invasive breast cancersA pathologist looks at the tissue removed during a biopsy under a microscope to check whether a tumor is non-invasive (ductal carcinoma in situ) or invasive breast cancer. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive breast cancer. In situ means “in place.” With DCIS, the abnormal cells are contained in the milk ducts of the breast and have not spread to nearby breast tissue. Although DCIS is non-invasive, without treatment, the abnormal cells could progress to invasive breast cancer over time. You may also hear the terms “pre-invasive” or “pre-cancerous” to describe DCIS. With treatment, prognosis (chance of survival) for DCIS is usually excellent. Learn about breast anatomy. Invasive breast cancerInvasive breast cancer has spread from the original site (either the milk ducts or the lobules) into the nearby breast tissue, and possibly to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body. For this reason, invasive breast cancers have a poorer prognosis than DCIS. Learn about breast anatomy. Types of invasive breast cancerFigure 4.6 lists types of invasive breast cancer. Invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common type of breast cancer (70-80 percent of all breast cancers) [17-18]. It may also be called infiltrating ductal carcinoma, invasive carcinoma of no special type or invasive carcinoma not otherwise specified. Invasive lobular carcinoma is the next most common type (about 5-10 percent of breast cancers) [18-19].
Special invasive breast cancers and carcinoma in situ
Other types of cancer that occur in the breastMost cancers that occur in the breast are breast cancers (breast carcinomas). In rare cases:
Some of these cancers are not carcinomas. Others are carcinomas, but they don’t start in the breast. So, they are treated differently and have different risk factors than breast cancer. For more information on other cancers that can occur in the breast, such as lymphomas, sarcomas and malignant phyllodes tumors, visit the National Cancer Institute’s website. What type of breast cancer is the most curable?Ductal Carcinoma.
About 1 in 5 people who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer have DCIS. This type is very curable.
What is the most common form of breast cancer?Ductal carcinoma is the most common type of breast cancer. This type of cancer forms in the lining of a milk duct within your breast. The ducts carry breast milk from the lobules, where it's made, to the nipple.
What are the 4 types of breast cancer?Types of breast cancer include ductal carcinoma in situ, invasive ductal carcinoma, inflammatory breast cancer, and metastatic breast cancer.
What are the 3 most common types of breast cancer?Common breast cancer types. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). |