Iowa Radiology Blog

What is lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)?

LCIS refers to abnormal cell growth in the lobules (milk-producing glands) of the breast. In contrast to invasive lobular carcinoma, LCIS remains contained within the lobules without spreading beyond its original site. While it’s most commonly found in women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, LCIS affects women of all ages.[1]

What is invasive ductal carcinoma?

The most common form of breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) accounts for about 80% of all breast cancers.[1] Like ductal carcinoma in situ, IDC begins in the milk ducts. Rather than remaining contained there, however, IDC spreads outside the milk ducts to infiltrate other tissues.

Getting called back after your mammogram for follow-up can be stressful and worrying—even more so if you’re not sure what the results of your follow-up tests may mean for your health. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is the most commonly diagnosed form of non-invasive breast cancer, accounting for about 1 in 5 breast cancer cases. Each year, approximately 60,000 patients in the U.S. are diagnosed with DCIS.[1] Learn what you should know if you or someone you love is touched by this condition.

Gynecologic cancers cause more than 30,000 deaths in the U.S. and affect more than 95,000 women every year. These include ovarian, uterine, cervical, vaginal, an vulvar cancers. For Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, we’re sharing information about each type of gynecologic cancer. In part one of this series, we discussed ovarian and uterine cancers. This week, we’re covering cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers.

Gynecologic cancers affect more than 95,000 women and cause more than 30,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Gynecologic cancers include cancers of the ovaries, uterus, cervix, vagina, and vulva. While uterine cancer is the most commonly diagnosed of these, the difficulty of diagnosing ovarian cancer early makes it the most deadly.

National Cancer Survivors Day, recognized on the first Sunday in June, is an annual celebration of life for those who have been touched by cancer. It’s a time for cancer survivors to connect, celebrate victories, and raise awareness of the need for resources and support after cancer treatment.

The Testicular Cancer Society recognizes April as Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 9,310 new cases of testicular cancer will be diagnosed and approximately 400 men will die of the disease in the U.S. this year.^[1] While testicular cancer is relatively rare, accounting for just 1% of male cancers and occurring in about 1 in 250 males,^[2] the incidence of this type of cancer has been increasing over the past several decades. So far, cancer researchers have not identified causes of this increase.^[3]

Each April, the U.S. recognizes National Cancer Control Month. Cancer control includes each phase of the fight against cancer: prevention, detection, and treatment. More than 1.7 billion Americans will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and 38.5% (approximately 1 in 2.6) of people in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetimes. However, the numbers of both new cancer cases and cancer-related deaths per capita have been declining steadily since the early 1990s. In 1975, cancer patients faced an overall relative 5-year survival rate of 48.7%; in 2009, this rate was up to 69.3%.^[1] 

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare form of breast cancer in which cancerous cells block the lymph vessels in breast tissue, causing the breast to become swollen, red, sensitive, or otherwise inflamed. It is rare, accounting for less than 5% of breast cancer cases, and it is easily mistaken for mastitis, a breast infection common among nursing mothers.^[1] Because inflammatory breast cancer is also very aggressive, it’s important to be able to recognize its symptoms and get in to see your doctor as soon as possible if they appear.

World Cancer Day & National Cancer Prevention Month

February is a month to raise awareness of cancers of all kinds. February 4 is World Cancer Day, a global event created to unite the world’s population in the fight against cancer through education and encouraging governments and individuals to take action. Here in the U.S., February is National Cancer Prevention Month. There are a number of ways we can participate in the fight against cancer. On the most personal level, we can adopt healthy habits and educate ourselves about known and suspected causes of cancer. On a national and global level, we can help to raise awareness, contribute to reputable research organizations, and reach out to our representatives to tell them that funding cancer research should remain a national priority.