Breast Cancer

Breast cancer refers to abnormal growth of the cells of the breast. Though predominant in women, it is also known to occur in Men. If diagnosed at an early stage, there is a 95% chance of cure of breast cancer.

• What are the types of Breast cancer?
• Invasive ductal carcinoma: It is the most common type of breast cancer. It arises from the milk ducts and spreads to the surrounding breast tissue.
• Invasive lobular carcinomas: These arises from the milk-producing lobules of the breast. These tumors are multiple, and sometimes patients can have simultaneous lesions bilaterally, i.e. in both the breasts.
• Angiosarcoma: It is a cancer of the inner lining of blood vessels, and it can occur in any part of the body, including the breasts.
• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): It is a non-invasive cancer which affects the lining of the milk ducts in the breast. As the nomenclature ‘in situ’ suggests, this cancer remains localized. Ductal carcinoma in situ, if detected in an early stage, is highly treatable, but if left untreated or undetected, it can spread into the surrounding breast tissue.
• Inflammatory breast cancer: Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare type of breast cancer. It is known to develop rapidly, causing swelling, redness and tenderness in the affected breast. It develops as a result of blockage of the lymphatic vessels by cancer cells that spreads to the adjacent lymph nodes and tissues.
• Invasive lobular carcinoma: When cancer begins in the milk-producing glands (lobules) of the breast and has a tendency to spread to the adjacent lymph nodes and other areas of the body, it is called Invasive lobular carcinoma. This type of cancer is the second most common, following invasive ductal carcinoma.
• Male breast cancer: Though breast cancer is most commonly thought of as a disease that affects women, rarely, it may also occur in men. Male breast cancer is most common in older men, though it can occur at any age. Men diagnosed with male breast cancer at an early stage have a good chance of a cure.
• Paget's disease of the breast: It is a rare form of breast cancer. Paget's disease of the breast starts on the nipple and extends to the dark circle of skin (areola) around the nipple. This type of cancer occurs most often in women over the age of 50.
• Metastatic Breast cancer: It is a breast cancer that has spread beyond the primary site of origin in the breast and to nearby lymph nodes and other parts of the body (most often the bones, lungs, liver or brain).
• Non-cancerous breast conditions: Benign (non-cancerous) breast conditions are very common, and most women have them. In fact, most breast changes are benign. Some benign breast conditions have a higher risk of converting into cancer later.
• Non-cancerous breast conditions are not a type of Breast cancer. Mentioning below how this can be mentioned instead.