Lobular Breast Cancer

By Ray Lam


Invasive lobular breast cancer is uncommon, and affects about 10-15% of all women with breast cancer. It can occur at any age, but more commonly affects women in the 45-55 year age group. Men can also get invasive lobular breast cancer but this is very rare. Invasive lobular breast cancer is generally no more serious than other types of breast cancer. However, it is sometimes found in both breasts at the same time and there is also a slightly greater risk of it occurring in the opposite breast at a later date.

Remember - if your doctor has told you that you have lobular carcinoma in situ or LCIS, you do not have invasive lobular breast cancer. These are two different things. Look at the page on LCIS in this section of CancerHelp UK.

Once your GP has referred you to a specialist, certain tests may be done to help make the diagnosis. They include mammogram, ultrasound scan, fine needle aspiration and needle core biopsy. Invasive lobular breast cancer can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. This is because it is less likely to present as a firm lump and is therefore not easy to feel. It is also more difficult to see on a mammogram. This is because the white dots (calcifications) that may be seen on a mammogram with other types of breast cancer are not usually formed by invasive lobular cancers.

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.

These are treatments given in addition to surgery and include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. The aim of adjuvant treatment is to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back in the same breast (local recurrence), the opposite breast or elsewhere in the body.

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.

About the Author:
Learn about Breast Cancer Symptoms and get a limited FREE report on Latest Breast Cancer Drugs by visiting http://breast-cancer-remedy.info, a popular website that provides free breast cancer care advice.

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