Breast cancers have various types, and knowledge on all of them is necessary for defining what treatment you need. Naturally, different types of breast cancers will have different causes, show different symptoms and will need different treatments than other types of breast cancer.
Breast cancer can either spread to other parts of the body than its original site, or remain confined there. Depending on this, there are two major types of breast cancer. In situ or non-invasive breast cancer is when the cancer does not spread out. Ductal Carcinoma In Situ is the most common In Situ breast cancer. The milk ducts of the breast start developing cancer cells that do not metastasize or spread out, and this type of cancer is called Ductal Carcinoma In Situ. Mastectomy largely cures DCIS, and sometimes is all the treatment that is needed.
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 accounts for 70% to 80% of all breast cancer cases. Originating in the ducts of the breast, the cancer spreads outside the ductal lining and attacks the breast tissue. There is no certainty if the cancer cells remain confined to the breast or metastasize to other organs. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, on the other hand, is characterized by cancer cells originating in milk-producing lobules of the breast and then spreading out the same way as in IDC. One typical attribute of ILC is that no distinct lump formation is necessary. The breast usually thickens as a whole.
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 are usually graded according to the semblance of the breast tissue compared to a normal breast tissue. Grades have three levels, from acceptable to worst, progressively. Grading helps determining treatments required and the urgency with which they're required. Grade I means the cells still have some normalcy; Grade III means cells are functioning abnormally and are physiologically degraded.
As you can see, knowing about all types of cancers can help you recognizing symptoms early on and advise you on how to make your treatment more effective, along with giving you proper knowledge and information on your treatment.
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There are different breast cancer types. The second step is knowing everything about the right types of treatments for breast cancer
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