What should you know about lobular breast cancer?

Unlike a firm, distinct mass, lobular cancer may cause thickening, fullness, subtle pulling of the skin, or a change in breast shape. Some people have no noticeable change and are diagnosed through breast imaging. The cancer may affect more than one area of a breast or involve both breasts, which is why the imaging plan is tailored to the findings.

A mammogram, ultrasound, or breast MRI can show areas that need closer assessment. A breast biopsy provides tissue for confirmation and helps the team examine hormone receptors, HER2, tumour grade, and other features. Lymph-node assessment may be part of staging.

Your breast team will discuss surgery, lymph-node evaluation, and whether radiotherapy, endocrine treatment, chemotherapy, or another medicine is appropriate. A breast cancer gene expression test or genomic tumour profiling may provide additional information in selected situations; these tests do not replace the pathology report or clinical assessment.

Bring imaging reports, medicine lists, and family cancer history to appointments. Ask for a written treatment sequence and who to contact about wound care, arm swelling, pain, or emotional support. A second specialist opinion can be useful when the operation or treatment order is not clear to you.

Seek prompt assessment for a new breast or underarm change, nipple inversion that is new, bloody nipple discharge, skin ulceration, rapid swelling, or persistent focal pain. During treatment, urgently report fever, sudden shortness of breath, severe allergic symptoms, or rapidly increasing redness and swelling around a surgical wound.

Ask how the biopsy defines the cancer, what the imaging shows, whether MRI is useful, and how lymph nodes will be assessed. Ask which receptors and genomic features were tested, why a particular operation is advised, and how each treatment affects fertility, menopause, arm movement, and future monitoring.