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What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer
is a condition in which breast cells grow abnormally and divide without control
or order. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. Early
detection and prompt treatment help many women live long, full lives.
Are there different types of breast cancer?
There
are several types of breast cancer. The most common is ductal carcinoma that
starts in the lining of the milk ducts of the breast. The other type of breast
cancer is lobular carcinoma. This begins in the lobules of the breast where
breast milk is produced.
What is non-invasive breast cancer?
With
non-invasive breast cancer, the cancer cells are confined to the ducts or
lobules. This is also known as carcinoma in-situ. There are two types of
non-invasive breast cancer. The first is ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS). This is
when the ductal cells divide abnormally but stay within the ducts. The second
type of non-invasive breast cancer is lobular carcinoma in-situ (LCIS). This is
when the cells divide abnormally, but stay within the lobules. Lobular carcinoma
in-situ is an indicator that a woman might be at an increased risk of developing
invasive breast cancer.
What is invasive breast cancer?
Invasive
breast cancer occurs when cells spread beyond the ducts or lobules. These cells
first invade the surrounding breast tissue and can possibly travel to the lymph
nodes.
What are my surgical options?
Your
surgeon might discuss different surgical options with you. Doctors have found that
different types of surgery can work equally well depending upon the situation.
- Modified radical mastectomy
This procedure removes all of the breast tissue along with the nipple. Lymph nodes in
the axilla (arm pit) are also removed. The chest muscles are left intact.
- Simple mastectomy
There are no lymph nodes removed in this procedure. The entire breast is
removed. This procedure is most frequently used for further cancer
prevention.
- Lumpectomy
This is also referred to as breast conservation. The surgeon removes the
cancerous area with a margin of normal tissue. A second incision might be made
in order to remove the lymph nodes. Following a lumpectomy, the entire
breast is treated with radiation therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells
When faced with breast cancer, there are many difficult decisions to make. It
is often helpful to gather more information about the disease as well as to talk
to members of your health care team.
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