According to the National Cancer Institute, there are nearly 200,000 cases of breast cancer a year in the United States alone. Many of these are caught in the early stages and offer a good survival rate, however, there are still about 40,000 deaths per year from breast cancer. One of the rarest forms of breast cancer has actually proven to be the deadliest.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)
Inflammatory breast cancer is one of the least common forms of breast cancer yet it is one of the most aggressive. The disease causes lymph vessels within the breast skin to be blocked. By the time the symptoms present -- swelling, redness, warmth -- and a diagnosis is given, inflammatory breast cancer has usually progressed to at least stage III. Less than five percent of breast cancers are IBC.
Mucinous Carcinoma/Colloid
Mucinous carcinoma, also called colloid, is a form of cancer that can occur in various parts of the body. With breast cancer, it accounts for only one to two percent of all diagnosis. Patients with colloid breast cancer have a production of mucus and poorly defined cancer cells. This rare form of breast cancer does have a fairly good long term prognosis.
Tubular Carcinoma
Only two out of every 100 women diagnosed with breast cancer will have tubular carcinoma. This form of the disease is characterized by its distinctive tubular appearance the pathologist sees when viewing it under a microscope. Tubular carcinoma usually occurs in women over 50. Its 10 year survival is about 95 percent.
Infiltrating Lobular Carcinoma (ILC)
Infiltrating lobular carcinoma accounts for five percent of all breast cancers. It can be detected by a thickening (usually subtle) in the top outer quadrant of the breast. Since ILC is often positive for progesterone and estrogen receptors, hormone therapy is often the treatment used and the cancer usually responds well to it.
Considerations
Breast cancer of all types is rare in men, but it does occur in about 1,700 each year. Early detection is the best way to deal with all forms of breast cancer. Regular self-examinations with consistent exams by a health professional can help to detect possible cancer before it is felt or seen. Mammograms are also a good screening tool for breast cancer for women.
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