Is there one type of breast cancer? The answer is no, as there are many types of breast cancer, and they will be mentioned in detail in the article.
Breast cancer occurs when breast cells begin to get out of control. The classification of types of breast cancer depends on the type of cells that have turned into cancer cells. Let us learn in detail about its types in addition to important information about this type of cancer:
Types of breast cancer
Breast cancer can start in any part of the breast, and the breast consists of three main parts: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue.
Most breast cancers begin in the ducts or lobules, but breast cancer can spread outside the breast through blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. In all cases, it should be noted that early diagnosis and initiation of treatment increases the chances of recovery and getting rid of the cancer, whatever its type.
There are two main classifications of types of breast cancer, which are as follows
1. Non-invasive breast cancers
These are cancers that form in the milk ducts or breast lobules, and have not invaded healthy breast tissue. They are also called in situ cancers, and include the following classifications:
Ductal carcinoma in situ
Ductal carcinoma in situ is the most common non-invasive cancer. It begins in the milk ducts, has not spread to surrounding tissue, and is not life-threatening.
However, it should be noted that having localized breast cancer can increase the risk of developing invasive breast cancer later.
Lobular carcinoma in situ
This type of cancer grows in the lobules, which are the milk-producing glands at the end of the breast ducts.
This type does not require breast cancer surgery and is not life-threatening, but its presence can increase the risk of developing invasive breast cancer later.
2. Invasive breast cancers
These are breast cancers that have spread to the surrounding breast tissue. Most types of breast cancer are invasive, and include the following:
Invasive ductal carcinoma
It is the most common type. It begins in the cells that line the milk duct in the breast. Then the cancer penetrates the wall of the duct and grows into nearby breast tissue. At this stage, it can spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system and bloodstream.
There are subclassifications of invasive ductal carcinoma, including
Cystadenocarcinoma.
Ductal carcinoma.
Mucinous or colloidal ductal carcinoma.
Papillary cancer.
Tubular carcinoma.
Invasive lobular carcinoma
Invasive follicular carcinoma begins in the mammary glands and can spread to other parts of the body.
Other types of breast cancer
There are other types of breast cancer that are less common, the most prominent of which are the following:
Inflammatory breast cancer
It is a rare form of breast cancer that is usually characterized by all of the following
It often appears as a rash or irritated area of breast skin, and obstructs the function of the lymphatic vessels in the breast.
It does not show up on a mammogram or ultrasound, and is often misdiagnosed as an infection, delaying its diagnosis before spread occurs.
There is mostly no clumping in it.
The most aggressive type of breast cancer and spreads quickly.
So, if a woman suffers from swelling or redness in the breast, and it does not go away or improve after using antibiotics for a week, the doctor may suspect inflammatory breast cancer, and early diagnosis and undergoing the treatment prescribed by the doctor will help control it, so there is no need to worry.
Triple negative breast cancer
The three types of receptors known to fuel breast cancer growth are not present on the cells of this type of cancer:
Estrogen.
Progesterone.
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) gene.
Using chemotherapy to treat triple-negative breast cancer is an effective option.
Paget''s disease of the breast
Paget''s disease is a rare type of breast cancer that affects the skin of the nipple and most often the areola, the dark circle of skin around the nipple.
Paget''s disease is often initially misdiagnosed, as its first symptoms can easily be confused with common skin diseases affecting the nipple.
Breast cancer in men
It is known that at puberty, testosterone levels rise, and estrogen levels decrease, which leads to a cessation of breast growth in males.
Some milk ducts are present in men, but they remain underdeveloped, and lobules are often absent. However, breast problems including breast cancer can occur in men.
Most types of breast cancer in men are invasive ductal cancer, and less than 2% are invasive lobular cancer.
The average age of breast cancer diagnosis for men is older than for women, at 68 years.
