Researchers analyzed data from the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to compile statistics on the occurrence and outcomes of lobular breast cancer (also called invasive lobular carcinoma) in the United States between 2012 and 2021.
“Lobular breast cancer is a growing burden among women in the United States, yet we do not understand much about the disease, such as what are the best methods for early detection and treatment,” says the report’s lead author, Angela Giaquinto, MSPH, an associate scientist in cancer surveillance research at the American Cancer Society. “Our study underscores the need for more information on lobular cancers, from genetic studies to clinical trial data, so we can improve outcomes for the increasing number of women affected by this cancer.”
What Is Lobular Breast Cancer and How Is It Different From Other Breast Cancers?
Invasive lobular carcinoma starts in the breast glands (or lobules) that produce milk, and can spread to other parts of the body. It accounts for an estimated 1 in 10 invasive breast cancer diagnoses, and is the second most common subtype.
Invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common, making up around 80 percent of invasive breast cancer diagnoses. Ductal carcinoma tumors grow outside milk ducts, the tubes that connect the glands to the nipple.
Lobular breast cancer tumors grow in a linear pattern, which means they’re less likely to form a noticeable lump. This can make lobular breast cancer more difficult to detect during a mammogram, Giaquinto says.
What Are the Symptoms of Lobular Breast Cancer?
Symptoms of lobular breast cancer can include:
- Skin thickening
- Swelling
- Dimpling
- Nipple inversion
“When you wait for symptoms, unfortunately sometimes the cancer has already taken over the whole breast or spread to other areas. So screening is very important when it comes to this type of cancer, because you want to catch it when it’s asymptomatic,” he explains.
Despite these distinctions, the new report points out that research and clinical trials often combine lobular breast cancer with invasive ductal carcinoma — disguising its characteristics and contributing to delayed diagnoses, treatment challenges, and potentially worse prognoses in the long-term.
Who Gets Lobular Breast Cancer?
Anyone can develop lobular breast cancer, but some people may be at a greater risk. The new report highlights how this disease subtype impacts specific populations, finding the following during the study time period:
- Asian American/Pacific Islander women experienced the highest rise in lobular breast cancer incidence, with an increase of 4.4 percent per year.
- White women had the highest incidence of lobular breast cancer, with 14.7 cases per 100,000 women, followed by Black women at 11 cases per 100,000 women.
- Survival rates for lobular breast cancer were similar or slightly higher than survival rates for ductal breast cancer seven years post-diagnosis, but lower at 10 years after diagnosis.
Although the large national data set was a benefit for the research, the study authors pointed out that they weren’t able to control for co-occurring conditions, whether women got regular mammograms, and risk factors like smoking, which could have had an impact on the findings.
How Can You Prevent Lobular Breast Cancer?
Researchers are still exploring potential reasons for the rise in lobular breast cancer. Giaquinto says factors may include higher obesity rates, increasing alcohol use, reductions in exercise, and changes in when or if women have children.
To reduce your risk of breast cancer, she recommends:
- Limiting alcohol
- Staying physically active
- Maintaining a healthy weight
You should also discuss any health changes with a clinician and stay up-to-date with breast cancer screenings to support early diagnosis and potentially better treatment response, Giaquinto says.
“Women should be vigilant about monitoring changes in their breast, especially symptoms beyond finding a lump that are more common in lobular cases, such as thickening or dimpling of the skin, swelling, and nipple inversion,” Giaquinto says.
With more lobular-specific research underway and on the horizon, Mouabbi hopes to put the focus back on patients.
“I want patients to know that, yes, they used to be the unseen — but now they’re definitely seen, definitely heard, and we’re working to improve outcomes and implement new therapies unique to that type of cancer,” he says.
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