Breast cancer begins in the glands that line the breasts. It is the most common cancer among women worldwide, claiming thousands of lives each year. Breast cancer can take your peace of mind in a variety of ways. Most breast cancers are invasive, which means they spread from the breast to other parts of the body, such as nearby breast tissue, lymph nodes, or other organs.
There are two types of breast cancer: invasive and non-invasive.
Breast cancers that are invasive:
1. Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is a kind of breast cancer that affects the majority of female patients. This cancer starts in a milk duct (the tubes in the breast that transport milk to the nipple) and spreads to other regions of the breast. It has the potential to spread to other body organs over time, or metastasis.
2. Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC): This type of cancer starts in the lobules (where breast milk is produced) and spreads to nearby breast tissue, where it can metastasize. On mammography and other screenings, this cancer is more harder to identify than IDC.
3. Inflammatory breast cancer is a kind of breast cancer that appears in the ducts or lobules and spreads more quickly than other types of breast cancer. Because of the redness and swelling on the breast’s surface, this type of breast cancer is referred to as inflammatory breast cancer. It’s common for women to confuse it with a breast disease and ignore it. This form of cancer is associated with a greater rate of mortality and morbidity.
4. Paget’s disease of the breast: It’s a rare type of cancer that develops in the skin of the nipple and areola, creating Paget cells, which are tumor cells.
5. Angiosarcoma of the breast is an uncommon, aggressive tumor that develops in the lining of lymph or blood arteries in elderly women. It spreads swiftly and is frequently not detected until it has migrated to other parts of the body.
6. Triple negative breast cancer is an invasive breast cancer that affects premenopausal women and responds well to chemotherapy.
Breast cancers that aren’t invasive
Breast cancer that is non-invasive (in situ) does not spread to the surrounding tissue, lobules, or ducts. The several kinds of non-invasive breast cancer are listed below:
1. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): This cancer starts as a mass in a milk duct that transports milk from the lobules, or glands, to the nipple. Slowly, the lump grows larger and breaks through the ductal walls, leaking into the breast’s surrounding tissue and fat.
2. Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS): This is a change in the breast that is not technically a cancer. It also doesn’t usually spread well beyond lobule. LCIS, on the other hand, can increase the risk of invasive breast cancer.
3. Breast cancer that has progressed to other regions of the body, such as the liver, lungs, brain, or bones, as well as lymph nodes, is known as metastatic breast cancer (MBC). It’s a life-threatening situation.
The survival rate of breast cancer patients has increased dramatically as a result of advances in molecular oncology and the advent of innovative therapeutic methods. But keep in mind that the key to curing is early detection. As a result, breast self-examination and early referral to a professional are critical.
