Providence provides expertise in treating all types of breast cancer, including rare forms.

• Ductal cancers start in the ducts that carry milk to the nipple.
• Lobular cancers start in the glands, or “lobules,” that produce milk.
• In situ indicates abnormal or cancerous cells that have not spread beyond the duct or gland.
• Infiltrating or invasive cancers have spread into surrounding breast tissue.
• Metastatic cancers have spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body.

The cancers we treat include, but are not limited to:

• Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC): This is the most common type, making up 70-80% of all breast cancers. It begins in the lining of the milk ducts and then grows through the ducts into the nearby breast tissue. If not treated, it can spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body.
• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): This is a non- or pre-invasive cancer that is still confined to the milk ducts, but that may become invasive.
• Infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC): Another common form of breast cancer, this type begins in the lining of the milk-producing glands and grows into the breast tissue. Without treatment, it can spread outside of the breast.
• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS): These abnormal cells, confined to the milk glands, are not technically considered cancer and don’t typically become invasive. However, they do increase the risk of developing cancer in either breast in the future.
• Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC): In this rare and very aggressive disease, cancer cells block the lymph vessels of the breast skin, causing inflammation, swelling, redness and thickening of the skin. This fast-spreading cancer can metastasize without quick treatment. About 1-5% of breast cancers are inflammatory.
• Metastatic breast cancer (MBC): While breast cancers that have spread to other parts of the body can’t be cured, there are many treatments that can help keep them under control for years.

The earlier breast cancer is found, the better the chances of successful treatment. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to any changes in your breasts that could be signs of breast cancer. Understanding what is normal for your breasts, and what isn’t, can be lifesaving.

In the very earliest stages, breast cancer has no outward symptoms. Sometimes the earliest sign is a tiny lump, or mass, that’s detectable only on a mammogram. As the disease progresses, however, more noticeable changes might appear. These can vary widely — while a lump is the most common symptom, it is by no means the only one. Any of the following changes could be a warning sign of breast cancer:

• A lump in the breast or armpit area
• Thickening or redness of the breast skin
• Swelling in all or part of the breast
• Dimpling, puckering, irritation or scaliness of the breast skin or nipple
• Pain or tenderness in the breast or nipple
• A nipple that turns inward, flattens out, pulls to one side or changes direction
• Bloody nipple discharge or unilateral discharge other than breast milk

These symptoms may be signs of breast cancer in men as well as women.

If you notice a potential symptom of breast cancer, or if you’re concerned about any changes in the way one of your breasts looks or feels, please call your primary care provider or breast care specialist. While these symptoms don’t always indicate cancer — sometimes they are signs of something less serious, such as a cyst or an infection — it’s important to have a physician evaluate them right away. Don’t wait to see if they go away on their own. It bears repeating: treating breast cancer successfully is much easier when it’s caught and treated early.