Lobular cancer is a form of breast cancer that develops within the lobules of the breast. Each breast contains a number of milk-producing lobules, and each lobule contains a number of cells that form spherical structures called acini. Lobular cancer represents the second most common form of breast cancer, reports BreastCancer.org. Once diagnosed, the proper treatments for lobular breast cancer can be determined.
Mastectomy
A common treatment for lobular breast cancer is a mastectomy, or breast-removal surgery. Doctors typically choose mastectomy as an initial, first-line cancer treatment when some cancerous cells have spread to other healthy tissues in the breast. A mastectomy procedure involves the surgical removal of all the glandular tissue of the affected breast, as well as the surround tissue, the overlying skin, and in some cases, the underlying chest muscles, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Patients who have received a mastectomy may also undergo other cancer therapies to treat their lobular breast cancer.
Hormone-Based Therapies
Another treatment for lobular breast cancer is hormone-based therapy, which involves disrupting normal hormone signaling to the breast cancer cells. Many breast cancers respond to circulating hormones like estrogen, and respond to the presence of these hormones by dividing. Hormone-based therapies can prevent estrogen signaling to breast cancer cells, either by preventing estrogen synthesis in the body or by preventing breast cancer cells from sensing the presence of estrogen. These drugs ultimately stop breast cancer cell proliferation and treat the lobular tumor. Hormone therapies may be used in combination with other therapeutics to fight lobular cancer.
Radiation Therapy
Another common therapy for lobular cancer is radiation therapy, or radiotherapy. Doctors performing radiotherapy concentrate a high dose of radiation directly into the cancer site. Radiation therapy works by damaging the cell's DNA, preventing the cell from synthesizing proteins required for cancer growth. It also damages essential structures and chemicals within the cell, contributing to cancer cell death. Patients sometimes undergo radiation therapy in combination with breast cancer surgery to kill any remaining lobular cancer cells and prevent cancer recurrence.
