What to know about the lesser-known breast cancer type on the rise
An American Cancer Society report released today says an estimated 33,600 women will be diagnosed with lobular breast cancer this year.
Despite the prevalence of this subtype of breast cancer, researchers say it remains understudied.
Lobular breast cancer, a lesser-known type of breast cancer, develops in a patient's milk-producing glands — and cases of lobular breast cancer are on the rise in the U.S.
"Most people aren't familiar with this subtype, and I think it's because the short-term prognosis is very good,” says Rebecca Seigal with the American Cancer Society, senior author for the report.
But she says if there's a delay in the detection of this type of breast cancer, the long-term prognosis for advanced disease is not good.
“We need to distinguish this cancer in clinical trials so that we can find more effective treatments, because incidence rates are actually increasing quite steeply, more steeply than for other types of breast cancer.”
Because tumors in those with lobular breast cancer grow in a linear pattern, or may be spread out, Seigal says they don't form a lump like other breast cancers and can be harder to detect during a mammogram.
So she says women need to watch out for other signs, including nipple inversion, hardening of the breast skin, or dimpling of that skin.
If these symptoms are consistent over a week or two, she says to go see a doctor.
“Adjuvant chemotherapy doesn't really work,” Siegel says. “So we need to distinguish this cancer in clinical trials so that we can find more effective treatments."
The researcher says the risk of all types of breast cancer can be reduced through healthy lifestyle choices, including maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, and consuming alcohol in moderation, if you choose to drink it.
