Breast cancer is made of abnormal cells that have grown uncontrollably and travel to parts of the body where they aren’t normally found. It usually begins in a small and confined area in the lobule glands, where milk is produced, or ducts, which carry milk to the nipple. It can grow larger and spread to nearby lymph nodes or to other organs. There are several types of common breast cancers, but also some rare types.
The following are the rare types of breast cancer that you should get to know:
1. Male breast cancer
Male breast cancer is one of the types of breast cancer that can affect men. Around 1 in 1000 men can develop this cancer. Everyone has breast tissues, but after puberty, females develop breasts whereas, in males, the breast tissue does not develop. Since males do have breast tissues, they can develop breast cancer.
Breast cancer in men mostly occurs in the ducts and is known as ductal carcinoma. It can also occur in the lobules or the nipples. Male breast cancer is mostly seen in older men, and the risk increases if there is a family history of breast cancer.
The early symptoms of breast cancer in males include a painless lump, discharge from the nipple, and changes in the skin around the nipple. Treatment can be done by surgery, wherein the breast tissues may be completely removed. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also be needed.
2. Angiosarcoma of the breast
Angiosarcoma is a rare type of cancer. They can occur in various places on the body, including the breasts. When angiosarcoma is detected, it can be treated through surgery wherein the sarcoma is removed. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also be needed to treat this disease.
3. Paget’s disease of the breast
Paget’s disease of the breast is a type of breast cancer. It is rare and mostly occurs in older women. It starts on the nipple and extends to the areola. Generally, Paget’s disease occurs in women who have in situ cancer.
Treatment options for this disease include lumpectomy wherein the nipple and surrounding tissue is removed and mastectomy where the entire breast is removed. Adjuvant therapy with medicine may be prescribed to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer.
4. Inflammatory breast cancer
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is one of the rare types of breast cancer. It is difficult to diagnose as it does not have the symptoms of regular breast cancer like a lump in the breast or discharge and does not even show up in a mammogram.
Swelling of the breast and change in skin color due to inflammation are some of the main symptoms of this disease. In most cases, inflammatory breast cancer is difficult to detect early. By the time it gets detected, it may have spread to other organs, thereby making treatment complicated.
Targeted therapy, hormone therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are some of the options to treat this type of cancer.
5. Recurrent breast cancer
Recurrent breast cancer is where breast cancer recurs after treatment. Whatever may be the type of breast cancer from which a person is suffering, initial treatment may help cure all the symptoms. However, cancer can recur in the same or another area.
Those who have suffered from cancer should undergo regular screening so that any recurrent cases of cancer can be detected early and treated.
