What is the difference between flat and round breast tumor masses?
Malignant tumors do vary in size, shape, and the rate of dividing cells. The most common type of breast cancer starts in the lining of the ducts called ductal carcinoma. Another less common type of breast cancer, lobular carcinoma, arises in the lobules at the end of the ducts. When the type is diagnosed, it is determined if the cancer is invasive or non invasive. If it is invasive, it has grown into surrounding tissues outside the duct or lobule where it started. Invasive carcinoma is also called infiltrating ductal or lobular carcinoma. An invasive ductal cancer looks like or feels like a firm lump because scar tissue forms around the cancer cells. Invasive lobular cancer is flatter because the cells form finger projections into the surrounding tissues. Rather than feeling a hard round lump, it feels like a thickening. It is difficult for the surgeon to tell if all the lobular cancer is removed with surgery because of the small projections. Lobular cancers do grow to a larger size li
