Invasive and Rare: Colloid Carcinoma

By Dr. Kathleen Ruddy

Getting a diagnosis of breast cancer can be scary enough. Finding a lump in your breast and learning that it is malignant and cancerous is difficult. However, some women may also find out that they have a very rare and invasive form of breast cancer known as colloid, or mucinous, carcinoma. Understanding what colloid carcinoma is and how it affects the progression of breast cancer is important. Whether you have been diagnosed with colloid carcinoma or simply want to understand the disease, research is a key tool in the prevention and public awareness of breast cancer and its many types.

What is Colloid Carcinoma?

Colloid carcinoma is a rare and invasive type of breast cancer. It is diagnosed in less than three percent of all women with breast cancer. It can be difficult to diagnose because it resembles other disorders such as ductal hyperplasia which is a mucinous disorder with similar symptoms. Colloid carcinoma forms when the cancer cells within breast tissue begin to produce a mucous. The mucous contains cancer cells that form a jelly-like tumor.

Invasive Breast Cancer

There are many types of breast cancer tumors, over 100 to be more specific. Invasive types of breast cancer are diagnosed when cancer cells spread throughout the healthy surrounding tissue. It is particularly concerning because some types of invasive breast cancer have the ability to travel through the body and through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Colloid carcinoma is of concern because of the cancer-filled mucus that it forms. However, unlike other more aggressive invasive cancers, it generally does not quickly spread throughout the body. If it is caught early, the prognosis can be very positive for the individual with the disease.

DID YOU KNOW?

Colloid carcinoma is generally found in older women. In women 75 years or older, colloid carcinoma accounts for nearly seven percent of all tumors which is much higher than the rate for younger women affected by this disease.

Colloid Carcinoma Prognosis

Colloid carcinoma is rare and affects mostly middle-aged to older women. It is considered a slow-growing type of cancer, which means that with proper treatment it will not progress through the stages of breast cancer very quickly. While it is quite invasive, the prognosis and outcome of colloid cancer is significantly better than other invasive breast cancers. One of the reasons for this can be found in the fact that colloid carcinoma generally does not spread to the lymph nodes. Similarly, it generally metastasize to other parts of the body. The treatments for colloid carcinoma are similar to other non-invasive types of cancer including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Treating Colloid Carcinoma

Like most types of breast cancer, colloid cancer can be treated with a lumpectomy, mastectomy, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy. The treatment depends on the type of cancer and the stage at which the cancer has reached. Once the cancer has been treated, frequent follow-up visits and a strict post-treatment schedule are necessary to follow. Regular mammograms, physical exams, and testing assure that the cancer does not progress. Regular testing of bone health and bone density are also done to make sure that bones are not affected by the cancer or the treatments.

It is important to remember that colloid carcinoma is very rare and affects less than two percent of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. While it can be very scary to be diagnosed with an invasive and rare type of breast cancer, colloid carcinoma is relatively slow-moving. Unlike other types of invasive breast cancer, it is generally diagnosed as stage one or two and does not spread through the lymph nodes or organs. If it is caught early and treated aggressively, colloid cancer does not have to be a death sentence.

If you’d like to learn more information about breast cancer and what the Breast Health and Healing Foundation is doing to battle the disease, please sign up to receive our newsletter. You can sign up here: http://breasthealthandhealing.org/im-in/.