Journal of Cancer Research and Immuno-Oncology
Open Access

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC): Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Abhishek Purkayastha^{* *}Correspondence: Abhishek Purkayastha, Department of Radiation Oncology, Command Hospital, Pune, India, Email:

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Description

Invasive lobular carcinoma is a sort of carcinoma that begins within the milk-producing glands (lobules) of the breast. Cancer cells have broken out of the lobule where they began and have the potential to spread to the lymph nodes and other areas of the body develop invasive cancer.

Among all the breast cancers invasive lobular carcinoma makes up a small portion. Invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common type of breast cancer which begins in the breast ducts.

Signs and symptoms of ILC include:

First sign of breast cancer is identified by any of the following unusual changes in the breast, including invasive lobular carcinoma:

• All or part of the breast shows swelling

• Breast pain

• Nipple pain

• Dimpling or skin irritation

• The nipple or breast skin shows redness, scaliness, or thickening.

• Other than breast milk if there is any nipple discharge.

• A lump in the underarm area

Invasive lobular carcinoma causes and risk factors include:

Causes of breast cancer are unknown but it happens when cells change and start to grow out of control.

Risk factors of ILC include-

• Age is one of the main factors where risk goes up along with the increasing age.

• Gender-Women are more likely to get it.

• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)-A noncancerous condition is one of the factors.

• After menopause the use of combination estrogen-progestin hormone replacement therapy.

• Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer syndrome, a disorder passed down from parents.

Diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma includes

It is started with a physical exam of breasts and nearby lymph nodes. If any problems like thickening, hardening, or swelling arises few tests are done which includes:

• Mammogram-On a mammogram ILC can be hard to spot, which makes X-ray pictures of your breast, because the cancer cells tend to grow in a line rather than in a mass.

• Ultrasound-Images of the inside of your breast are created by sound waves. Than a mammogram, an ultrasound may be better at finding ILC.

• Biopsy-Doctor will order a biopsy to check the cells if any suspicious area is found. Needle is used for most biopsies to take out a sample of cells from the breast. In some cases, a larger sample or the entire tumor will removed.

• CT scan-The detailed pictures inside the body are shown by this powerful X-ray.

• PET scan-Cancer in lymph nodes and other areas can be found when this test done along with a CT scan.

• MRI-To make pictures of the breast and things inside the body, this MRI uses strong magnets and radio waves.

• Bone scan-Into the arm a radioactive material called a tracer is injected. It shows up on pictures to tell whether cancer may have travelled to your bones.

Treatment of invasive lobular carcinoma includes-

It depends on the aggressiveness of the cancer, its stage, your overall health and your preferences. Treatment often consists of surgery and additional (adjuvant) therapy, which may include chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy.

• Surgery

Surgery for invasive lobular carcinoma may include:

A small portion of healthy tissue and the cancer is removed.

All of the breast tissue is removed.

Axillary lymph nodes dissection

• Hormone therapy

• Radiation therapy

• Chemotherapy