Does follow-up after cancer treatment treat lobular carcinoma in situ?

Lobular carcinoma in situ, or LCIS, is an abnormal change in breast lobules. It is not the same as an invasive breast cancer, but it can affect how your future breast care is planned. Surveillance may include clinical reviews, breast imaging, and discussion of changes since the last visit. These checks can identify a new finding or a change that needs assessment; the appointment itself does not remove or destroy LCIS.

If treatment is appropriate, the choice depends on the LCIS type, breast findings, personal history, family history, and your clinician’s assessment. Some people need observation with a tailored monitoring plan, while others discuss risk-reducing options. A follow-up visit is the place to review those choices.

Keep the follow-up appointments arranged for you and bring reports from breast imaging or previous procedures. Tell the breast team about a new lump, nipple change, skin change, discharge, or persistent focal discomfort. Ask which imaging is planned, how results will be shared, and whether a breast specialist should review your situation. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without discussing it with the prescriber.

Contact your breast team promptly about a new or changing breast finding, bloody nipple discharge, a nipple that turns inward newly, skin dimpling, or swelling in the breast or underarm. Seek urgent help for severe breathing trouble, fainting, or chest pain. These symptoms need assessment because they can have causes unrelated to LCIS, and surveillance does not replace timely evaluation.

What does my LCIS finding mean for my monitoring plan? Which breast examinations or imaging do you recommend? Do I need review by a breast specialist? What changes should I report between visits? If you recommend treatment, what problem is it intended to address and what alternatives should I consider?