Infiltrating duct cancer, also called invasive ductal carcinoma or IDC, is the most common type of breast cancer. The disease, which develops from abnormal growth of the breast ducts, accounts for around 80 percent of breast cancer cases, reports the American Cancer Society. Many patients with infiltrating ductal carcinoma notice palpable abnormal growths in their breasts and, if left untreated, the cancer can eventually spread throughout the body. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma, once diagnosed, can be treated with a number of therapies.
Lumpectomy
Women with small and relatively non-invasive, early-stage infiltrating duct cancers may receive a lumpectomy. This is a surgery designed to remove cancerous growth in and around the breast while sparing healthy breast tissue to help maintain the appearance of the breast. During the surgery, doctors excise the cancer along with a small amount of healthy tissue around the edges of the tumor. The surgeon may also remove small structures called lymph nodes, a common site of early breast cancer spread. Following the surgery, some women may opt for breast reconstructive surgery to restore the appearance of their breast. BreastCancer.org mentions that many breast cancer patients receive other cancer treatments, such as radiation therapy, following their surgery to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence.
Mastectomy
Patients with larger, more invasive and more advanced infiltrating ductal breast cancers may require a complete removal of the affected breast, called a mastectomy. Surgeons performing a mastectomy remove the cancerous tissue as well as all healthy tissue within the affected breast, along with the overlying skin and nipple. The surgeons may also remove a small amount of muscular tissue underneath the affected breast if the cancer has begun to spread to the chest wall. In addition, doctors performing a mastectomy remove a series of lymph nodes around the breast in an effort to curb cancer spreading. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that women who undergo a mastectomy may also receive breast reconstructive surgery, using natural tissue or implants to restore the appearance of the breast.
Anti-Estrogen Therapies
Some women with infiltrating duct breast cancers receive anti-estrogen therapy to slow or stop cancer growth. Estrogen, a naturally-occurring female hormone, plays a role in signaling to normal breast tissue and may also signal to breast cancer cells. Estrogen-sensitive breast cancers contain a protein called the estrogen receptor, which binds to circulating estrogen and promotes cancer cell growth and tumor development. Women with estrogen-sensitive breast cancers may respond to anti-estrogen therapies--drugs that prevent estrogen from signaling to the cancer cells or prevent estrogen from being produced in the body in the first place. The National Cancer Institute indicates that anti-estrogen treatments, such as tamoxifen, prove effective in managing many estrogen-sensitive ductal breast cancers.
