Types of Breast Cancer Quiz

Types of Breast Cancer

• Breast cancer varies based on location of origin, growth, spread, and characteristics influencing behavior.
• Understanding the type helps in choosing appropriate treatment options.
• Different types include invasive vs. non-invasive, molecular subtypes, male breast cancer, and phyllodes tumors.

Invasive vs. Non-invasive Breast Cancer

• Invasive cancer spreads beyond the milk ducts or lobules where it started.
• Non-invasive cancer remains within the breast tissue.
• Pathology reports detail if cancer has spread from original location.

Types of Invasive Breast Cancer

• Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC): Most common type, originates in milk ducts (tubes carrying milk from lobules to nipple). Accounts for about 80% of all invasive breast cancers.

• Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC): Second most common, originates in lobules (milk-producing glands). Accounts for about 10% of all invasive breast cancers.

Features Affecting Invasive Breast Cancer

• Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Aggressive type, tests negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors, and lacks extra HER2 proteins. About 12% of invasive breast cancers.

• Triple-Positive Breast Cancer: Tests positive for estrogen and progesterone receptors and has higher than typical HER2 proteins. About 10% of all invasive breast cancers.

• Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Rare and aggressive form. About 1% of all breast cancers in the United States.

Other Breast Cancer Types

• Micrometastases: Tiny groups of breast cancer cells that have spread to other areas of the body, usually lymph nodes. Higher risk of spread and may require specialized treatments.

• Metastatic Breast Cancer (Stage IV): Cancer has spread from the breast to other parts of the body (bones, liver, lungs, brain). May recur months or years after initial treatment.

• Recurrent Breast Cancer: Cancer returns in the same breast or other areas after treatment. May be local, regional (nearby lymph nodes), or distant (metastatic).

• Male Breast Cancer: Rare; less than 1% of cases. Predominantly invasive ductal carcinomas.

• Paget Disease of the Breast: Rare, cancer cells collect in or around the nipple.

• Non-invasive Breast Cancer: Means cancer has not spread beyond the initial breast tissue.

  • Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS): Non-invasive, in milk ducts, not life-threatening but a risk factor for invasive cancer. About 16% of all breast cancer diagnoses.
  • Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS): Non-invasive, in lobules. Benign, not a true breast cancer.

• Phyllodes Tumors: Rare tumors of the breast. Mostly benign but about 25% are cancerous.