Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)

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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration of lobular carcinoma in situ 
Lobular carcinoma in situ

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Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is an uncommon condition in which abnormal cells form in the lobules or milk glands in the breast. LCIS isn't cancer. But being diagnosed with LCIS indicates that you have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

LCIS usually doesn't show up on mammograms. The condition is most often discovered as a result of a biopsy done for another reason, such as a suspicious breast lump or an abnormal mammogram.

Women with LCIS have an increased risk of developing invasive breast cancer in either breast. If you're diagnosed with LCIS, your doctor may recommend increased breast cancer screening and may ask you to consider treatments to reduce your risk of invasive breast cancer.

References
  1. Abeloff MD, et al. Cancer of the breast. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2008:1875.
  2. Breast cancer. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/breast.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2011.
  3. Sabel MS. Lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 26, 2011.
  4. Venkitaraman R. Lobular neoplasia of the breast. The Breast Journal. 2010;16:519.
  5. Arpino G ,et al. Premalignant and in situ breast disease: Biology and clinical implications. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2005;143:446.
  6. SEER stat fact sheet: Breast. National Cancer Institute. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html. Accessed May 4, 2011.
DS00982 June 24, 2011

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