Types of Breast Cancer

Throughout the History of Breast Cancer doctors and researchers have found various types of breast cancer. Breast cancer can be classified on three broad categories. One is based upon histopathology, second is based on extent of cancer and third one is receptors-based breast cancer.

Now all of three broad categories are subdivided into types of breast cancer.

• Histopathology

1. Ductal carcinoma in situ
2. Lobular carcinoma in situ
3. Invasive ductal carcinoma
4. Invasive lobular carcinoma
5. Inflammatory breast cancer
6. Triple negative breast Cancer
7. HER 2 Positive breast cancer
8. HER 2 negative breast cancer
9. Triple positive breast cancer
10. Paget’s disease of breast nipple
11. Phyllodes tumors of breast
12. Papillary carcinoma in breast
13. HR+ breast cancer
14. Medullary Breast cancer
15. Multicentric breast cancer
16. Multifocal breast cancer
17. Mucinous breast cancer
18. Basal like breast cancer (BLBC)
19. Occult breast cancer

 

• On Extent

1. Early breast cancer
2. Locally advanced breast cancer
3. Metastatic breast cancer

 

• Based on Receptors

This type is subtype of histopathology so some can be similar to that segment. We use Hormone therapy to treat this cancers.

1. HER positive breast cancer
2. HER negative breast cancer
3. Luminal A/B/C
4. PR positive breast cancer
5. ER positive breast cancer.
6. HR positive breast cancer
7. Triple positive breast cancer
8. Triple negative breast cancer

Going into details, we will define each cancer here. In today’s world so many myths are there about breast cancer. Its very important to understand Facts and Myths of breast cancer.

 

1. Ductal carcinoma in situ: Meaning of this cancer is described in name itself. ‘ductal’ means its situated in the ducts of breast. So, this cancer is originated in ducts. ‘Carcinoma’ states that tumor is arising in the epithelium or lining of the ducts and ‘in situ’ gives you relief, because place of tumor is located. And it hasn’t spread yet.
2. Lobular carcinoma in situ: Again, the name explains a lot. Lobular means the tumor is situated in lobules of breast. And its location can be/ or has been located. Generally, LCIS don’t invade through walls of lobules. There are 3 subtypes’ of LCIS. Named as Classic LCIS, Pleomorphic LCIS, Florid LCIS.
3. Invasive ductal carcinoma: also called as infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Here invasive means the cancer cells has spread to surrounding tissue which was originated in milk ducts of breast. Carcinoma again states that cancer which begins at skin or tissues that covers internal organs.
4. Invasive lobular carcinoma: Also called as infiltrating lobular carcinoma, the second most common invasive cancer after IDC. This cancer origins in lobules (milk producing glands) and has spread to surrounding tissue. Carcinoma states that cancer which begins at skin or tissues that covers internal organs.
5. Inflammatory breast cancer: One of the rare breast cancers. Breast of patient of this cancer often swells, become red, or inflamed. It’s very aggressive breast cancer where cancer cell block lymph vessels in breast.
6. Triple negative breast Cancer: this is also an aggressive breast cancer, this name states that all three-cell test of breast are negative which means estrogen, progesterone receptors are not present. Also, they don’t have much HER2 protein
7. HER 2 Positive breast cancer: HER2 means human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. This gene produce HER2 proteins or receptors. If there are not functioning properly then they some time reproduce to many copies. Which leads to uncontrolled cell division. And forms a tumor.
8. HER 2 negative breast cancer: HER2 means human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. When there are very less HER2 receptors on cancer cells then it may be called as HER2 negative. This cancer has very less chance to recur.
9. Triple positive breast cancer: triple negative states that all the hormone test of HER2, ER, PR are positive. We can use hormone therapy to treat this cancer.
10. Paget’s disease of breast nipple: This is very rare type of breast cancer.it generally affects the nipples and darker area around nipple of breast.
11. Phyllodes tumor’s of breast: this is also very rare type of breast cancer. This cancer doesn’t start in ducts or lobules of breast but in the connecting tissue of breast. Mostly phyllodes tumor’s are not very dangerous only few of them are cancerous.
12. Papillary carcinoma in breast: this is rare type of invasive ductal breast cancer where finger liker projections or papules are observed under microscope.
13. HR+ breast cancer: HR is short form of hormone receptor. When you get positive for both estrogen and progesterone test. In this case both hormones are fueling up your cancer growth and hormone therapy can be best for this type.
14. Medullary Breast cancer: Again, a rare type of invasive ductal breast cancer. Its point of origin is milk ducts, but it behaves differently from IDC.
15. Multicentric breast cancer: breast cancer where we can confirm more than one tumor in breast all formed separately from each other and they can be inn different quadrants of breast. 
16. Multifocal breast cancer: There are different quadrants of breast. When we found more than one completely distinct tumor. That too in same in quadrant of breast. 
17. Mucinous breast cancer: Also known as colloid breast cancer. This is also rare type of IDC. In this type there is presence of extracellular mucin. 
18. Basal like breast cancer (BLBC): BLBC is prevalent in young women. This cancer is very similar to the triple negative breast cancer. Both lack in receptors for estrogen and progesterone and HER2 but BLBC have changes in protein
19. Occult breast cancer: occult means cancer where origin site of tumor is not found. It can be stated as metastatic breast cancer with undetectable primary tumor.

 

Based On Extent

1. Early breast cancer: this is very early stage of breast cancer. Here cancer has not spread to out of the breast boundary or axillary lymph nodes. 
2. Locally advanced breast cancer: This cancer states that the cancer has spread within a breast and different tissue of breast but not spread to out of the breast. 
3. Metastatic breast cancer: this is serious stage, because in this stage the cancer has spread to other body parts.

 

These are all major types of Breast Cancer. in any of the following you can visit nearest Oncologist.   

 

 

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