Definitions of Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS)

By Salma Nurul

lobular carcinoma in situ

About 2 years ago my friend  was diagnosed with lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), she was in shock, her head was filled with white, cold silence. Too many questions in her mind : Will have my breast removed (mastectomy)? What are my chances of getting over it?  How is my quality of life with this desease? Is any type of treatment recommended at this stage?

Perhaps when we are diagnosed with lobular carcinoma in situ or other cancer stage, we will have the same question as my friend,  i know this is very difficult having a rare condition, there may not be solid quidelines to follow, you need to be asking your specialist, the best answer is to listen to your doctor’s advice.

First, what is lobular carcinoma in situ or LCIS? LCIS is most often diagnosed between  the ages of 40 and 56. In lobular carcinoma in situ the abnormal cells start growing in the breast lobules, the milk making glands which are connected to the milk ducts, the cancer cells have not yet spread beyond the lining of the lobules of the breast.

Lobular carcinoma in situ is usually located in more than one area in the breast, it can not be felt as a breast lump or other breast change and does not show up on mammogram (x-ray of the breast). For some another reason, these conditions are usually discovered only after biopsy (removal of some tissue from the breast).

Although labolar carcinoma in situ is not really cancer and it is classified as a type of non invasive breast cancer. However, women who develop lobular carcinoma in situ have a higher future risk of developing true invasive breast cancer. So, you need treatment right away to prevent the cells become invasive.Your treatment options depend on more than the stage, working with your doctor to choose your best treatment.

In my friend’s case, the pathology report said she had  lobular carcinomas  was 5 cm in diameter, her doctor said  for the first step will be a mastectomy, followed by chemo but my friend did not plan to do those things, she searched a second opinion and she got it  from another cancer specialist. Her new doctor gave her a lumpectomy and radiation treatments. Some months later, her doctor recommended PET scan also included CAT scan, the cancer had shrunk from 5 cm to 1.1 in 15 months.  She is fine today, the cancer was totally gone.