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Lobular vs. Ductal Carcinoma
Another way to classify breast cancers is to group them by histological subtypes, or, in other words, by the type of cell that the cancer originates in. For breast cancer, this usually means either ductal or lobular cells.
Ductal Carcinoma
Ductal carcinoma originates in the cells of the breast ducts. The ducts are the tubes that carry the breast milk, which is produced in the lobules, to the nipples. Ductal carcinoma is in situ (DCIS) if it is confined in the duct and has not seeped through the basement membrane (the bottom of the tube that separates the ducts from the surrounding tissue and therefore blood/lymph vessels). Ductal carcinoma is invasive (IDC) if it has penetrated the basement membrane, because the cancer now has the potential to spread via blood and lymph vessels.
Lobular Carcinoma
Lobular carcinoma originates in the cells of the breast lobules, which produce breast milk for the ducts to carry to the nipples. Lobular carcinoma is in situ (LCIS) if it is contained to the lobules and has not invaded into the surrounding tissue. Lobular carcinoma is invasive (ILC) if it has penetrated the walls of the lobules, because it now has access to blood and lymph vessels, and therefore has the potential to spread to other parts of the body.
Mayo Clinic. (2022). Breast Cancer Types: What Your Type Means. Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/breast-cancer/in-depth/breast-cancer/art-20045654
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