Conditions Treated with Mastectomy

Breast cancer has two major categories, as well as subtypes within those categories:

Invasive breast cancer:

• Invasive (or infiltrating) ductal carcinoma (IDC) is the most common type of breast cancer, making up about 80 percent of all breast cancers. IDC begins in the ducts, invades nearby breast tissue, and can spread to lymph nodes and other parts of the body.
• Invasive (or infiltrating) lobular carcinoma (ILC) accounts for about 10 percent of invasive breast cancers. ILC begins in the lobules and can spread to nearby breast tissue and lymph nodes, as well as other areas of the body.

Noninvasive breast cancer:

• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is abnormal cells that grow in the milk ducts and do not spread to surrounding breast tissue. DCIS is considered a precursor lesion (area of abnormal tissue) and can increase the risk of developing invasive breast cancer. It is typically removed with surgery.
• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is abnormal cells that begin growing in the lobules. LCIS is much less common than DCIS and is not considered a precursor lesion. LCIS is not always removed, but people with a diagnosis of LCIS may benefit from a high-risk screening program.

Inflammatory breast cancer: is a rare breast cancer that will first present as redness, dimpling and swelling of the breast skin. This is because of a particularly aggressive form of invasive breast cancer that spreads in the breast and blocks lymph vessels in the breast. The blockage causes fluid buildup, swelling, and other symptoms that resemble an infection.

Metastatic breast cancer:  Invasive breast cancer that has spread other organs such as the bones, liver, lungs or brain, is considered metastatic (or Stage 4).  This advanced form of breast cancer is treatable but most often not curable because it frequently develops resistance to treatments over time.