Mucinous carcinoma of the breast, also called colloid carcinoma, is a relatively rare form of breast cancer that occurs when the cancer cells produce and secrete mucous, according to the American Cancer Society. Although typically less aggressive than other forms of cancer, mucinous carcinomas have the ability to invade other tissues and eventually travel to distant organs, a process called metastasis. Once diagnosed, patients with mucinous carcinoma of the breast may receive a number of therapies to treat their breast cancer.
Surgery
A common treatment for mucinous carcinoma of the breast is removal of the cancerous tissue. Patients with earlier-stage colloid carcinomas may undergo a lumpectomy, or breast-conserving surgery. During this procedure, a surgeon will remove the colloid carcinoma tissue within the breast, sparing the healthy tissue around the tumor. The doctor will also typically remove a few small tissue samples around the edge of the tumor to check for cancer invasion, which helps determine the need future cancer treatment.
Patients with later-stage colloid carcinomas may receive a mastectomy, a surgery in which the entire affected breast is removed. During a mastectomy, the surgeon removes the entire breast and nipple, as well as surrounding lymph nodes, since these represent possible sites of cancer spreading. In some cases, the doctor must also remove part of the chest muscle under the breast. Following breast cancer surgery, patients with colloid carcinoma may receive additional treatment to prevent cancer recurrence.
Radiation Treatment
Patients with mucinuous carcinoma of the breast may also receive radiation treatment as part of breast cancer therapy. During radiation treatment, doctors aim a beam of high-dose radiation into the affected breast, where the radiation exposure damages cancer cells. During radiation therapy, colloid cancer cells undergo damage to cellular DNA, eventually leading to cell death. Patients who undergo a breast-sparing lumpectomy typically receive radiation treatment after surgery, according to the National Cancer Institute. This radiation targets and kills any cancer cells remaining the healthy tissue following surgery, and therefore reduces the risk of cancer recurrence. Patients with aggressive colloid carcinomas may also receive radiation treatment to prevent or treat cancer regrowth.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy--the use of drugs to kill breast cancer cells--may also help treat mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Particularly aggressive forms of colloid cancer may require chemotherapy, if the cancer is not effectively treated with surgery or radiation. Chemotherapy drugs typically damage important cellular structures such as DNA, preventing the colloid cancer cell from carrying out functions it needs to survive. Other chemotherapy drugs interfere with proper cellular metabolism, preventing the cell from synthesizing chemicals important for survival. Over the course of chemo treatment, colloid cancer patients may suffer from a number of side effects during treatment. MedlinePlus indicates that common side effects of chemotherapy include hair loss, as well as nausea, fatigue and vomiting.
