​Lobular Carcinoma

What is Lobular Carcinoma In Situ?

Lobular carcinoma in situ (inside) is classified as a high-risk condition. It originates in the milk-producing lobes and is rarely thought to develop into breast cancer, however, a history of lobular carcinoma in situ may put you at a higher risk of developing breast cancer in the future.

Women with a diagnosis of lobular carcinoma in situ are referred to the High-Risk Breast Cancer Program.

What is Invasive Lobular Carcinoma?

Invasive lobular carcinoma is characterized when the mutated cells spread from the lobules into the breast tissue.

In lobular carcinoma, lumps are uncommon and may be difficult to detect by breast exam or mammogram. You may notice thickening or fullness in the breast instead.

» See more symptoms of lobular carcinoma.

Lobular carcinoma is more likely than other types of breast cancer to occur in both breasts.

Who's at Risk for Lobular Carcinoma?

Anybody can develop lobular carcinoma, but certain factors may increase your risk, including:

• Family history of breast cancer
• Family history of late menopause
• Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer syndrome
• Hormone use after menopause
• Postmenopausal status

Learn more about the High-Risk Breast Cancer Program at Magee.

Symptoms of Lobular Carcinoma

Talk to your doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms:

• A change in the size or shape of the breast
• A dimpled, puckered, or "orange-peel" appearance in the skin
• A nipple that turns inward
• Thickened or swollen skin on the breast, usually between the nipple and the armpit

Testing for and Diagnosing Lobular Carcinoma

Experts at the Magee-Womens Breast Cancer Program use a variety of tests and procedures to diagnose and screen for breast cancer, including:

Test	Description
Ultrasound (sonography)	A noninvasive test using high-frequency sound waves to produce real-time pictures of tumors.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)	An imaging technique using a computer, a magnetic field, and radio waves to produce images of the body's soft tissues.
Mammogram with computer-aided detection (CAD)	An imaging procedure of the breast using low-energy x-rays to screen for or detect breast cancer and other abnormalities. A digital mammogram uses a phosphor plate, rather than film, to view mammography images. CAD is software that highlights tissue abnormalities in a mammogram.
3D mammogram (tomosynthesis)	An imaging tool using low-energy x-rays to create a 3D image of the breasts.
Minimally invasive breast biopsy	The use of a needle to extract a tissue sample from the breast to test for cancer cells.

Treating Lobular Carcinoma

If you're diagnosed with lobular carcinoma, treatment will depend on your general health and the results of your tests.

Your doctors and other specialists at the Magee-Womens Breast Cancer Program will work with you to consider your options and determine a course of action.

Treatment Options for Lobular Carcinoma

Surgery is often the primary treatment for breast cancer.

In many cases, we may also recommend additional therapies before (neo adjuvant) or after (adjuvant) surgery to control an aggressive cancer or to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Procedures and treatments for breast cancer may include:

Surgical Procedures
Mastectomy	The surgical removal of part of the breast with a cancerous tumor (lumpectomy), breast tissue, or the entire breast. In some cases, lymph nodes are also removed. In rare cases, some of the chest muscles are removed as well.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy	A minimally invasive procedure to remove lymph node tissue in the armpit to check if existing breast cancer is spreading (metastasizing). Women diagnosed with an invasive breast cancer typically undergo a sentinel lymph node biopsy.
Axillary lymph node dissection	Surgery to remove all or a group of lymph nodes in the underarm (axilla), if your sentinel lymph node biopsy is positive for cancer.
Additional Breast Cancer Therapies
Chemotherapy	The administration of drugs to destroy the growth abilities of cancer cells. It is sometimes used with radiation therapy.
Radiation therapy	The use of beams of high-energy waves of ion particles to destroy the growth abilities of cancer cells. External radiation therapy directs rays at the tumor from outside a person's body.
Hormone therapy	The use of drugs that stop the production of certain hormones that the cancer needs to grow.