Sarah Cannon
- November 06, 2017
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The American Cancer Society estimates that breast cancer will affect 316,120 women in the U.S. this year. There are many different variations of breast cancer. Common types of breast cancer can be found here. Below you will find more information on less common types of breast cancers to help you understand the differences, signs, and symptoms:
1. Angiosarcoma
- Symptoms: lumps in the breast or changes in skin
- This soft tissue sarcoma (cancer that occurs in fat muscle, nerves, blood vessels, etc.) spreads aggressively via blood or lymph vessels. Sometimes angiosarcomas occur years after radiation for breast cancer. Cancer cells spread through the lymph nodes due to a swelling in the arms called lymphedema.
2. Paget disease
- Symptoms: crusty, scaly, red nipple skin, yellow discharge, bleeding from the nipple, inverted or itchy nipples
- Occurring in the surface layer of the skin, most Paget disease cases appear along with a tumor in the breast. Although Paget disease of the breast it more common in women, it can also develop in men.
3. Inflammatory breast cancer
- Symptoms: thickening of the skin(it might feel like an orange peel), skin changes to pink and purple color, an inverted nipple, and swelling in the breasts
- Inflammatory breast cancer cells block lymph vessels. Although rare, this form of breast cancer typically occurs in younger women and spreads aggressively. When it does metastasize, it can travel to distant parts of the body.
Sources:
American Cancer Society - Angiosarcoma