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By Mayo Clinic staffLobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) may be present in one or both breasts, but usually isn't visible on a mammogram. The condition is most often diagnosed as an incidental finding when you have a biopsy done to evaluate some other area of concern in your breast.
Types of breast biopsy that may be used include:
- Fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Your doctor directs a very fine needle into the breast lump. Next, your doctor uses a syringe attached to the needle to collect a sample of cells or fluid for examination.
- Core needle biopsy. A radiologist or surgeon uses a thin, hollow needle to remove several tiny tissue samples from the breast mass. Imaging techniques, such as mammography, ultrasound or MRI, are often used to help guide the needle used in a core needle biopsy.
- Surgical biopsy. A surgeon removes either a portion of the breast lump (incisional biopsy) or the entire breast lump (excisional biopsy, wide local excision or lumpectomy) for examination.
- Sabel MS. Lobular carcinoma in situ. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 9, 2009.
- Ableoff MD, et al. Cancer of the breast. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/136909859-11/840302961/1709/129.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06694-8..50099-3_4050. Accessed May 9, 2009.
- LCIS — lobular carcinoma in situ. Breastcancer.org. http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/types/lcis/index.jsp. Accessed May 9, 2009.
- Can breast cancer be found early? American Cancer Society. Accessed May 8, 2009.
- Symptoms and diagnosis of LCIS. Breastcancer.org. http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/types/lcis/symptoms_diagnosis.jsp. Accessed May 9, 2009.
- LCIS and breast cancer risk. Breastcancer.org. http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/types/lcis/cancer_risk.jsp. Accessed May 9, 2009.
- Treatment for LCIS. Breastcancer.org. http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/types/lcis/treatment.jsp. Accessed May 9, 2009.
- Meisner ALW, et al. Breast disease: Benign and malignant. Medical Clinics of North America. 2008;92:1115.
- Arpino G, et al. Premalignant and in situ breast disease: Biology and clinical implications. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2005;143:446.