Cancer that develops in the breast tissues is known as breast cancer. Symptoms of breast cancer may include a change in the shape of the breast, swelling, inverted nipple, or lump in the breast. Risk factors of developing this type of cancer include lack of physical exercise, obesity, drinking alcohol, etc. There are several types of breast cancers. The common types of breast cancer are invasive ductal carcinoma in situ, lobular carcinoma, and invasive ductal carcinoma.

The type of breast cancer a person is suffering from is largely based on what part of the breast is affected:

1. Carcinoma
The most common type of breast cancer is carcinoma, which is a tumor that originates in the epithelial cells that line the tissues and organs in the entire body. Carcinoma, which is also known as adenocarcinoma, begins in the cells that form the glandular tissues. The most common type of breast cancer is carcinomas. other carcinomas include:

• Intraductal carcinoma is also known as ductal carcinoma in situ. It is pre-invasive or noninvasive in nature.
• Lobular neoplasia is also known as lobular carcinoma in situ. Lobular carcinoma in situ is the region of abnormal growth of cells that may increase the person’s risk of developing invasive breast cancer.
• Cancer that spreads to the breast tissues is termed as invasive breast cancer. There are several different types of invasive breast cancers but among all of them, the most common ones are invasive lobular carcinoma and invasive ductal carcinoma.

2. Rare breast cancers
Many types of breast cancers are less common, like angiosarcomas, Paget disease of the breast, sarcomas, and phyllodes, which start in the cells of the connective tissue, fats or muscles. There are some cases of rare kinds of breast cancers wherein the cancerous cells do not form lumps or tumors. Here are more details on each:

• Inflammatory breast cancer is not a very common type of breast cancer. It comprises around one to five percent of all breast cancer cases registered.
• Paget disease in the breast ducts affects the nipple, which then spreads across the areola. It is a very rare condition that comprises just one to three percent of almost all breast cancer cases.
• Phyllodes tumors develop in the stroma or the connective tissue of the breast as opposed to the carcinoma that develops in the lobules or ducts. Most of these are benign but others can be quite malignant.
• Angiosarcoma originates in cells that line the lymph vessels or blood vessels. It involves the skin of the breast or the tissue of the breast.

It is advisable to get checked if one suspects that they might have breast cancer. Although the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is high among women, men, too, can find themselves victim to this disease.