Types of Breast Cancer
In breast cancer, cancerous cells form inside breast tissue. There are several types of this disease:
- Ductal carcinoma begins in the cells of the breast ducts. It is the most common type of breast cancer. If the cancer remains in the ducts, it is called Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS). If it spreads into the breast, it is Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.
- Lobular carcinoma begins in the cells of the breast lobes or lobules and spreads into the breast.
- Inflammatory breast cancer occurs when cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin. This makes the breast warm, red, and swollen. The skin of the breast may also look dimpled.
- Angiosarcoma of the breast is a rare cancer that begins in the cells of the blood vessels or lymph vessels.
- Pagets disease of nipple is when cancer cells collect in or around the nipple.
Images of the Breast
Our Experts
Our team of breast cancer specialists reviews each patient's case, coordinates treatment, and plans follow-up care. Breast cancer treatment may involve several providers:
- Medical, radiation, and surgery doctors
- Diagnostic specialists such as radiologists and pathologists
- Geneticists
- Nurses, physician assistants, social workers, dietitians, and physical/occupational/lymph edema therapists
These health care professionals are always available to answer your questions and help with your concerns.
Find a Breast Cancer Doctor
Specialties & Treatments
The Breast Cancer Program at Huntsman Cancer Institute provides state-of-the-art breast cancer screening and care. Our team of doctors has decades of collective experience treating patients diagnosed with breast cancer.
We serve patients with all types of breast cancer:
- Triple negative breast cancer
- Inflammatory breast cancer
- Male breast cancer
- Invasive lobular carcinoma
- Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)
- HER2-positive breast cancer
- Metastatic breast cancer
- Recurrent breast cancer
- Those with a genetic risk for breast cancer
We have experience with your type of cancer and will work with you to create the best treatment plan. We offer services in Salt Lake City, Farmington, and South Jordan.
The treatment or combination of treatments is different for each person. It depends on the stage of cancer, what the care team recommends, and what the patient wants.
There are several common types of treatment:
- Surgery, including reconstruction if necessary
- Radiation
- Chemotherapy
- Hormone therapy
Learn more about types of cancer treatments and about breast cancer screenings such as a mammogram.
Surgery & Breast Reconstruction
Surgery for Breast Cancer
Most patients with breast cancer will have surgery as a part of their treatment. For some, surgery will be the only treatment necessary. Others may have radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and other therapies as a part of their treatment.
We use several types of surgeries to treat breast cancer. These fall into two main categories: breast-conserving surgery or total mastectomy. Many factors influence which surgery is right for each patient.
Breast-Conserving Surgery
With breast-conserving surgery, we remove the cancer and some normal tissues around the tumor. We do not remove the entire breast. Before or during the procedure, the surgeon may remove some lymph nodes. That may require another incision. The doctor may call the surgery a lumpectomy, partial mastectomy, segmental mastectomy, or quadrantectomy.
Total Mastectomy
In a total mastectomy, we remove the entire breast and often some more tissue and muscle on the chest. The surgeon may also remove some lymph nodes through a separate incision during the procedure. The doctor may call the surgery a simple mastectomy or modified radical mastectomy.
Reconstruction
Breast reconstruction can happen during or after breast surgery. The reconstructed breast can be made from an implant filled with saline or a silicone gel, or from tissues from another part of the body.
Decision-Making
Many factors go into choosing which surgery to have. You also can choose if and when to have reconstruction. Not all options may be available. Options depend on the type of cancer, stage of the cancer, and other factors. The treatment plan can influence the decision and the decision can influence the overall treatment plan.
Talk to your doctor about all the options available to you. You may also find decision-making guides helpful. However, these guides do not take the place of your health care team’s advice.
Learn more about breast cancer treatment and breast cancer surgery choices.
Breast Reconstruction Surgery: Mastectomy & Nipple Reconstruction
Listen to Dr. Kirtly Jones and Dr. Agarwal discuss the breast reconstruction surgery and the many options breast cancer patients have when it comes to mastectomy and breast reconstruction.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is part of treatment for many patients. Huntsman Cancer Institute's radiation oncologists use the latest technology to kill cancer cells while damaging as little healthy tissue as possible:
- 3D radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)–we shape the radiation beam to match the tumor
- Accelerated partial breast irradiation–radiation delivered only to the part of the breast with cancer
- Hypofractionation–total radiation dose delivered over a shorter period of time
- Balloon brachytherapy– radiation source placed inside the breast near the tumor
- Stereotactic radiosurgery and body radiotherapy
- Positional and breathing techniques to keep lungs and heart out of the radiation field
Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy & Targeted Therapy
Many patients get chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, or a combination as part of their treatment plan. Huntsman Cancer Institute's medical oncologists use the latest standard-of-care options and conduct clinical trials to develop new treatments.
In addition, oncologists focus on managing side effects of treatments in order to improve the long-term quality of life for breast cancer survivors.
Learn more about breast cancer systemic treatment options from the National Cancer Institute.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials at Huntsman Cancer Institute test new ways to treat, diagnose, and manage symptoms and side effects of breast cancer.
Many studies look at new drugs or new combinations of established treatments. Other trials may study the effects of diet, exercise, or complementary treatments such as massage or acupuncture on quality of life for breast cancer patients. Trials may be available for patients with any stage of cancer and at any phase of treatment.
Causes & Risk Factors
A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of getting a disease. Having a risk factor does not mean you are certain to get cancer, but it does means your chances are higher than the average person. Talk with your doctor to learn more about your personal cancer risk.
The chance of getting breast cancer increases with age and other risk factors:
A personal history of breast cancer or other breast disease
- A personal history of breast cancer or other breast disease
- A family history of breast cancer
- Changes in certain genes that increase the risk of breast cancer such as BRCA1 and BRCA2
- Very dense breast tissue
- More estrogen in the body over time from factors such as menstruating at a young age, being older than 30 when first pregnant or never being pregnant, and starting menopause at a later age
- Taking hormones such as estrogen after menopause
- Drinking alcohol
- Being overweight
Huntsman Cancer Institute features breast cancer imaging innovations:
- Tomosynthesis (3D) mammography
- Mammography combined with family history and genetic assessment
- Interpretation and a conversation about the results while you’re at Huntsman Cancer Institute for your mammogram screening
- Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Same day breast biopsy
Learn more about ways to prevent cancer and about breast cancer screening.
Diagnosis & Stages
Diagnosis of Breast Cancer
If you notice a change in your breast, make an appointment right away. Checking for breast cancer can rule out an issue or help find cancer early, when it may be easier to treat.
Health care providers use these tests to screen for and diagnose breast cancer:
- Clinical breast exam (CBE): A health care provider feels the breasts and under the arms for lumps or anything unusual.
- Mammogram: Digital x-ray images of the breast show abnormal areas inside the breast.
- Ultrasound: High-energy sound waves create an image of breast tissue.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Equipment uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make detailed images of the breast.
- Tissue sampling (biopsy): Health care providers remove cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope to check for signs of cancer.
Stages of Breast Cancer
There are three ways cancer spreads in the body: through tissue, the lymph system, or the blood.
There are four stages of breast cancer. Staging for breast cancer is very complex. The cancer stage depends on the size of the tumor, where the cancer has spread, and how many lymph nodes have been affected.
When cancer spreads from where it started to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. These metastatic cancer cells are the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if breast cancer spreads to the bone, the cancer cells in the bone are actually breast cancer cells. The disease is metastatic breast cancer, not bone cancer.
Learn more about breast cancer staging from the National Cancer Institute.
Signs & Symptoms
These could be signs of breast cancer:
- A lump or thickening in or near the breast or armpit
- Dimples or puckering of the breast skin
- A nipple turned inward toward the breast
- Fluid from the nipple that is not breast milk, especially if it is bloody
- Scaly, red, or swollen skin on the nipple, areola (the dark area of skin around the nipple), or breast
- Change in the size or shape of the breast
These symptoms can also be a sign of other health problems. If you notice any of these, see your doctor as soon as possible. Sometimes there are no signs of breast cancer and the cancer is detected with breast imaging. This is why we recommend women get yearly mammograms.
Learn more about breast cancer from the National Cancer Institute.
Breast Cancer Video Series
Resources
Huntsman Cancer Institute offers many helpful services with information and support for breast cancer patients and their loved ones.
