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Breast cancer is the abnormal growth of the cells that line the ducts and lobes of the breast.
When breast cancer has spread outside the ducts or lobes into normal breast tissue, it is said to be invasive. The main types of invasive breast cancer are:
Some breast cancer is a mixture of both ductal and lobular carcinoma.
There are also some less common types of invasive breast cancer, such as inflammatory breast cancer and male breast cancer.
When abnormal cells in the lining of a duct or lobe of the breast haven't spread, they are said to be non-invasive, or "in situ" (say "in-SY-too"). These include:
Some breast cancer cells have:
If the breast cancer cells don't have estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, or large amounts of HER-2 protein, they are said to be triple-negative. Triple-negative breast cancer is a less common type of breast cancer. It tends to grow faster and spread more quickly and is harder to treat than breast cancers that have hormone receptors. Medicines that target hormone receptors or HER-2 won't help with triple-negative cancer, but chemotherapy can help.
Current as of: October 25, 2023
Author: Healthwise StaffClinical Review BoardAll Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
Author: Healthwise Staff
Clinical Review BoardAll Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
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