Prevent, Survive, Thrive. John G. West

       Infiltrating Lobular Cancer: The Devil’s Cancer

      WHILE EARLY DETECTION PROTOCOLS work for the majority of women, they, like most things in life, are not perfect. One of the most frustrating situations in my practice occurs when a woman who has consistently followed recommended guidelines is diagnosed with a large, advanced breast cancer.

      Although this is a rare event, there’s one type of malignancy that can be almost impossible to detect before it reaches the size of a large lemon. The proper medical name is infiltrating lobular cancer, but we refer to it as the Devil’s Cancer.

      The majority of breast cancers arise in the ducts, tubes that connect the milk-producing glands to the nipple. The malignancies that begin here are called infiltrating ductal cancers. They are typically easy to diagnose on screening mammograms long before they grow to the size where a lump can be felt.

      Lobular cancers, however, start in the milk-producing glands themselves. Generally, these tumors behave like ductal cancers and are easily detected as well. However, for reasons that are not well understood, the occasional lobular cancer grows to a large size without being detectable on the mammogram or by physical examination. Not only are they difficult to detect at an early stage, but they are also unpredictable in their behavior. Some are very aggressive and resistant to standard treatments. Others are somewhat less aggressive, and have a good prognosis, even when the diagnosis is delayed.

       HOW THE DEVIL’S CANCER TAKES HOLD