Types of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is divided into two main groups: invasive and non-invasive. A. Invasive Breast Cancers: These are breast cancers that do not stay confined to the area where they started but spread to surrounding tissues.

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC):

Also known as "invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast." It is the most common type of breast cancer, accounting for 70-80% of all breast cancer diagnoses. This cancer starts in the cells of the milk ducts (ducts) and spreads to the surrounding breast tissue. In invasive ductal carcinoma, the cancer cells break away from the ducts and may spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC):

Also called "invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast." It occurs in about 1 in 10 breast cancer cases and is most often diagnosed in women between the ages of 45 and 55. This type of cancer starts in the cells of the milk lobules and spreads to the surrounding breast tissue.

B. Non-invasive Breast Cancers: These cancers remain in the area where they began and do not spread to surrounding tissues.

DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in Situ):

These are the formations where cells in the milk ducts begin to turn into cancer cells. However, they are not considered cancer yet. If left untreated, there is a high chance they may develop into cancer. These cells remain inside the milk ducts and have not spread to the surrounding breast tissue.

LCIS (Lobular Carcinoma in Situ):

This means that cells within the breast lobules are beginning to turn into cancer cells. These formations are inside the lobules and have not spread to the surrounding breast tissue. They are not considered cancer but have a high chance of developing into cancer if left untreated. Having LCIS means that a person is at a higher risk of developing breast cancer in the future.

Breast cancer has been classified in many different types. One classification is distinguishing rare cancers as special types and common cancers as non-special types. The most commonly occurring cancer, ductal carcinoma, is classified as a non-special type.

Other types of breast cancer, including lobular carcinoma, include the following:

• Medullary breast cancer
• Mucinous (mucoid or colloid) breast cancer
• Tubular breast cancer
• Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast
• Metaplastic breast cancer
• Angiosarcoma of the breast
• Lymphoma of the breast
• Basal-like breast cancer
• Phyllodes tumor or cystosarcoma phyllodes
• Papillary breast cancer