Breast cancer is the result of genetic mutations (which can be inherited or acquired) accumulating in breast cells, causing them to grow unusually quickly. Some breast cancers grow and spread more quickly than others; these are termed aggressive breast cancers. These cancers typically are treated more aggressively and are more serious than less aggressive forms of this disease.
Agressive Breast Cancer
Aggressive breast cancer describes certain varieties of breast cancer that tend to grow and invade breast tissue more rapidly. The more the cancer spreads, the harder it is to eliminate all of the cells, which makes treatment more difficult. Because of this, patients with aggressive breast cancer typically have a worse prognosis and are more likely to have a recurrence of their breast cancer even if physicians are able to put the cancer into remission.
Types
There are certain types of breast cancer that tend to be more aggressive, and treatment depends in part on what kind of cancer the patient has. The National Cancer Institute explains that inflammatory breast cancer is a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. This cancer gets its name because it causes the breast to appear red and inflamed. Another type of aggressive breast cancer, according to BreastCancer.org, is called triple negative breast cancer. Triple negative breast cancer cells lack certain proteins (called receptors) that cause the cancer cells to respond to hormones and other chemical signals.
Non-surgical Treatment
Both the National Cancer Institute and BreastCancer.org explain that chemotherapy and radiation treatments can be used to treat aggressive breast cancers. Chemotherapy involves the administration of drugs that poison the breast cancer cells. Radiation treatment uses high-energy x-ray beams to damage and kill cancerous cells. Chemotherapeutic drugs, such as doxorubicin and cyclophophamide, can be given before a patient undergoes surgery, in which case they are called neoadjuvant treatment. This strategy works to shrink the cancer before surgery, making it easier to remove. Radiation and chemotherapy can also be administered after surgery to kill any cells that the surgeon may have missed. Inflammatory breast cancer can also be treated with hormonal therapy. Estrogen causes some cancer cells to divide; hormonal therapy blocks this signaling. Triple negative breast cancer does not respond to hormonal therapy, however.
Surgical Treatment
Surgery is one of the mainstays of treating breast cancer. MedlinePlus notes that surgery may be a lumpectomy, in which only a portion of the breast tissue is removed, or a mastectomy, in which the entire breast is removed. In some cases the lymph nodes are removed so that a pathologist can determine if the cancer has spread into the lymphatic system. The type of surgery that is used to treat breast cancer depends on how far the cancer has spread.
HER2 Positive Cancer
HER2 positive cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic, describes cases of breast cancer in which the cancerous cells have a protein (HER2) on their surface. HER2 positive cancers make up 20 percent of all breast cancer cases. Although these types of cancer tend to be unusually aggressive, they also can be treated with special medications that target the HER2 protein. Examples of these HER2 specific medications are trastuzumab and lapatinib.
