Aggressive Types Of Breast Cancer

For proper treatment, it is necessary to know the breast cancer types you have developed. Causes, symptoms and treatment vary for different types of breast cancers, just as treatment may vary depending on the stage of your cancer.

In situ or non-invasive breast cancers usually have a good prognosis. These types of breast cancer tumors are characterized by cancer cells limited to the original cancer site, without any metastasis. Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS), cancer that originates in the milk ducts of the breast and remains there, is the commonest In Situ breast cancer. DCIS has a great survival rate, mastectomy curing almost all DCIS cases.

Invasive breast cancers are characterized by cancer spreading out to body parts other than the site in which the cancer originates. These cells usually enter the lymph vessels and blood vessels and travel to other body parts, where they develop malignant tumors. The two most common invasive breast cancer types are Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, which is also the commonest breast cancer type, and, Invasive Lobular Carcinoma.

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, or IDC, originates in the breast ducts, breaking through the duct lining, spreads to the breast tissue and can metastasize further from there. IDC is the most common form of breast cancer, accounting for almost 70 to 80 out of every hundred cancer cases. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma starts developing in the lobules of the breast that produce milk, and then comes out of there and spreads to other parts. Instead of a lump formation, there is thickening of the breast, usually, when a person develops Invasive Lobular Carcinoma.

It is not necessary that all breast cancers originate in ducts or lobes. Sometimes, breast cancer can also originate in the breast tissue, blood and lymphatic vessels in the breast and fibrous connective tissues. Breast cancer can also occur due to metastasis of cancer from other organs. These are uncommon types, and they include Inflammatory breast cancer, Paget's disease of the breast, angiosarcoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, metaplastic breast cancer and osteosarcoma.

Inflammatory breast cancer is very aggressive, and can originate and start developing cancer cells so rapidly, that within a week, the cancer becomes very advanced and dangerous. This is the reason it is important to know everything about these rare types; you just do not know for sure if they can attack you.

Invasive breast cancers have grading from I to III. This is done by a comparison of the patient's breast tissue to a normal breast tissue. Grade I cancer is good news, as the tissues are still somewhat normal, and have probably not spread too much. Grade III means the tissues have degraded badly, and have possibly metastasized to other organs.

You should also be well-informed about the types of treatments for breast cancer and everything related to these cancers, that you know when a symptom suggests you might have breast cancer, when to seek medical advice, that the progress of your treatment is good or not, and all the measures necessary to ensure you stay healthy and get cured.