Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesPrevalenceSymptomsCauses and Risk FactorsDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisFAQ
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Prevalence
Symptoms
Causes and Risk Factors
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
FAQ
Infiltrating ductal carcinoma(IDC) is themost commontype of breast cancer. With IDC, cancer cells start growing in the milk ducts of the breast. As the tumor grows, it may spread beyond the ducts into surrounding tissues.
Lara Antal / Verywell
The term “invasive” means cancer cells have spread beyond the duct system into other parts of the breast. This does not always mean IDC has spread beyond the breasts, or even that it has invaded the lymph nodes or blood vessels.
This article will discuss the prevalence and symptoms of invasive ductal carcinoma. It will also cover causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment.
Types of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Most invasive ductal carcinomas are the general type. There are also four additional sub-types, and they are much less common:
How Common Is Invasive Ductal Carcinoma?
According to the American Cancer Society, about 80% of all breast cancers are IDC.This type of breast cancer can occur at any age, but many people are over the age of 55 at the time of diagnosis. The National Cancer Institute reports that a woman’s risk of breast cancer increases with age.
IDC is also the main cause ofmale breast cancers.The American Cancer Society estimates that about 1 in 833 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Symptoms
According to the American Cancer Society, a new lump or mass is the most common symptom of breast cancer.
Your provider may also do a clinical breast exam or may recommend you complete a monthlybreast self-examination (BSE). Medical guidelines are changing and BSE is not often recommended for cancer screening.However, self-examination of your breast can be helpful in other ways.
A monthly BSE helps you to know what is normal for your breast tissue. Over time, you will become familiar with your breast health. This helps you recognize changes to the breast and identify breast cancer early.
Some signs of breast cancer that may be found during a breast self-examination include:
If you find changes to your breast or if you develop any of the issues listed, reach out to your healthcare provider for further evaluation.
Breast painis most often due to a benign (noncancerous) condition. However, sometimes, it can be a symptom of breast cancer. Talk to your healthcare provider about any new or worsening breast pain.
Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms
Causes and Risk Factors for IDC
The underlying causes of IDC are not fully known. Scientists continue to study what makes a person more or less likely to develop breast cancer. There are somerisk factorsyou can change, and some you cannot.
Researchers think certain hormonal, environmental, and lifestyle factors increase a person’s risk for breast cancer. These may include:
Other times, people develop breast cancer without such known risk factors.
Some breast cancer risk factors are not changeable. They are things you are born with or inherit from your parents.
These include:
Your healthcare provider will review your risk factors with you and help you make decisions about your health choices and cancer screening.
Diagnosing Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
If you find a breast lump during your breast self-exam or a clinical exam, you need to have it properly checked out. Fortunately, 80% of all breast lumps are not cancer. Instead, they are oftenbenign issues that maymimiccancer.For the other 20%, if breast cancer is caught early, your chances of survival are generally very good.
The American College of Physicians (ACP) published clinical guidelines for people with an average risk for breast cancer without symptoms. Overall, the recommendation is for regular mammograms to screen for breast cancer.
In people considered at average risk who do not have symptoms of breast cancer, the recommendations change with age:
Clinical breast exam, breast ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are not recommended as initial screening tests.
If your mammogram shows an area of concern, your healthcare provider may recommend that you have abreast biopsy. A biopsy is a procedure that involves obtaining a sample of the growth. There are several ways to obtain a biopsy sample, and your healthcare team will let you know which is recommended for you based on size, location, and other factors.
Stages of IDC
Healthcare providers use astaging systemto describe how far cancer has spread within the body. Forbreast cancer, the stages are numbered from 0 to 4.Higher numbers indicate more extensive spread. Stage 0 breast cancer (carcinoma in situ) is the only non-invasive stage. All breast cancers from stages 1 to 4 are invasive.
How Breast Cancer Can Be Misdiagnosed
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What Is the Treatment for Invasive Ductal Carcinoma?
The goal of treating any breast cancer is to get rid of cancer cells and prevent any cancer from coming back. The return of cancer is calledrecurrence.
There are multiple kinds of treatment for breast cancer, and they can be used in different combinations. Researchers are continuing to study what combination oftreatmentsfor IDC is most effective.
Breast cancer treatments may include:
The goal of treatment is to give you the best possible outcome, so treatment plans are adjusted for each individual person.
Considering Clinical Trials
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Even after you have completed primary treatments for breast cancer, you will still see your oncologist for several years for check-ups. You may need to take hormone therapy for up to 10 years if the tumor was estrogen- or progesterone-sensitive.
You will continue to have mammograms on any breast tissue that you still have.
Bone density scansare usually recommended once you reach menopause to check for signs of bone loss.Osteopenia(thinning bone) andosteoporosis(weak bone) are more common when women have changes in estrogen—a common side effect of some breast cancer treatments.
Prognosis of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Healthcare providers use the term “prognosis” to talk about your future outlook and survival. Different factors influence a person’s prognosis with IDC, including:
Your healthcare team will be able to give you more information about how treatable they expect your cancer to be. You will also likely have more tests along the way to see how your cancer is responding to the treatment.
What Are the Survival Rates of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma?
Summary
Invasive ductal carcinoma is a very common type of breast cancer. Regular mammograms are the recommended way to screen for this kind of cancer. If you are diagnosed with IDC, your healthcare team will work together with you to make a plan to treat your cancer based on the size and location of the tumor, the extent of spread, and your overall health.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn MoreHow fast does breast cancer start, grow, and spread?
Generally, invasive ductal carcinoma is considered a treatable type of cancer, especially when caught early and treatment is started right away. Overall, 90% of people are expected to live at least five years. The smaller and more contained the tumor, the higher the survival rate.
The American Cancer Society reports that 5%-10% of breast cancers are believed to be hereditary (passed from parents to children in the genes).Certain genes are known to increase the risk of breast cancer. Talk to your doctor about your family health history to see if testing forBRCA1 or BRCA2is right for you.
The National Cancer Institute reports a 90% five-year relative survival rate for females with breast cancer.There are some differences inbreast cancer survival ratesdepending on the age at diagnosis, the stage of cancer, and the hormone receptor status. Race is also a factor in survival. Screening and early intervention for breast cancer typically give the best chance for survival.
26 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive ductal carcinoma.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: medullary carcinoma of the breast.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: mucinous carcinoma of the breast.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: papillary carcinoma of the breast.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: Tubular carcinoma of the breast.American Cancer Society.Invasive breast cancer (IDC/ILC).National Cancer Institute.Breast cancer risk in American women.American Cancer Society.What is breast cancer in men?American Cancer Society.Key statistics for breast cancer in men.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.Qaseem A, Lin JS, Mustafa RA, Horwitch CA, Wilt TJ, for the Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians.Screening for breast cancer in average-risk women: a guidance statement from the American college of physicians.Ann Intern Med. 2019;170(8):547. doi:10.7326/M18-2147Mayo Clinic.Breast self-exam for breast awareness.Zhang BN, Cao XC, Chen JY, et al.Guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer (2011 edition).Gland Surg. 2012;1(1):39-61. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2227-684X.2012.04.07American Cancer Society.Lifestyle-related breast cancer risk factors.Berg WA, Rafferty EA, Friedewald SM, Hruska CB, Rahbar H.Screening algorithms in dense breasts: AJR expert panel narrative review.American Journal of Roentgenology.2021;216(2):275-294.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer risk factors you cannot change.Patil KS, Ragupathi S, Bhaskar SP, Ambujam G.Mammography screening in benign breast disease for risk stratification of malignancy.Journal of Medical Science and Clinical Research.2017;5(12):31890-31897. doi:10.18535/jmscr/v5i12.100American Cancer Society.Survival rates for breast cancer.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer stages.Sharma GN, Dave R, Sanadya J, et al.Various types and management of breast cancer: an overview.J Adv Pharm Technol Res. 2010;1(2):109-126.National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).NCCN guidelines for patients: Breast cancer invasive.American Cancer Society.Hormone therapy for breast cancer.Moffitt Cancer Center.Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Stages.Nakashima K, Uematsu T, Takahashi K, et al.Does breast cancer growth rate really depend on tumor subtype? Measurement of tumor doubling time using serial ultrasonography between diagnosis and surgery.Breast Cancer. 2019;26(2):206-214. doi:10.1007/s12282-018-0914-0National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: female breast cancer.Neal RD, Tharmanathan P, France B, et al.Is increased time to diagnosis and treatment in symptomatic cancer associated with poorer outcomes? Systematic review.Br J Cancer. 2015;112(1):S92-S107.
26 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive ductal carcinoma.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: medullary carcinoma of the breast.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: mucinous carcinoma of the breast.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: papillary carcinoma of the breast.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: Tubular carcinoma of the breast.American Cancer Society.Invasive breast cancer (IDC/ILC).National Cancer Institute.Breast cancer risk in American women.American Cancer Society.What is breast cancer in men?American Cancer Society.Key statistics for breast cancer in men.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.Qaseem A, Lin JS, Mustafa RA, Horwitch CA, Wilt TJ, for the Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians.Screening for breast cancer in average-risk women: a guidance statement from the American college of physicians.Ann Intern Med. 2019;170(8):547. doi:10.7326/M18-2147Mayo Clinic.Breast self-exam for breast awareness.Zhang BN, Cao XC, Chen JY, et al.Guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer (2011 edition).Gland Surg. 2012;1(1):39-61. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2227-684X.2012.04.07American Cancer Society.Lifestyle-related breast cancer risk factors.Berg WA, Rafferty EA, Friedewald SM, Hruska CB, Rahbar H.Screening algorithms in dense breasts: AJR expert panel narrative review.American Journal of Roentgenology.2021;216(2):275-294.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer risk factors you cannot change.Patil KS, Ragupathi S, Bhaskar SP, Ambujam G.Mammography screening in benign breast disease for risk stratification of malignancy.Journal of Medical Science and Clinical Research.2017;5(12):31890-31897. doi:10.18535/jmscr/v5i12.100American Cancer Society.Survival rates for breast cancer.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer stages.Sharma GN, Dave R, Sanadya J, et al.Various types and management of breast cancer: an overview.J Adv Pharm Technol Res. 2010;1(2):109-126.National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).NCCN guidelines for patients: Breast cancer invasive.American Cancer Society.Hormone therapy for breast cancer.Moffitt Cancer Center.Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Stages.Nakashima K, Uematsu T, Takahashi K, et al.Does breast cancer growth rate really depend on tumor subtype? Measurement of tumor doubling time using serial ultrasonography between diagnosis and surgery.Breast Cancer. 2019;26(2):206-214. doi:10.1007/s12282-018-0914-0National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: female breast cancer.Neal RD, Tharmanathan P, France B, et al.Is increased time to diagnosis and treatment in symptomatic cancer associated with poorer outcomes? Systematic review.Br J Cancer. 2015;112(1):S92-S107.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive ductal carcinoma.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: medullary carcinoma of the breast.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: mucinous carcinoma of the breast.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: papillary carcinoma of the breast.Breastcancer.org.IDC type: Tubular carcinoma of the breast.American Cancer Society.Invasive breast cancer (IDC/ILC).National Cancer Institute.Breast cancer risk in American women.American Cancer Society.What is breast cancer in men?American Cancer Society.Key statistics for breast cancer in men.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.Qaseem A, Lin JS, Mustafa RA, Horwitch CA, Wilt TJ, for the Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians.Screening for breast cancer in average-risk women: a guidance statement from the American college of physicians.Ann Intern Med. 2019;170(8):547. doi:10.7326/M18-2147Mayo Clinic.Breast self-exam for breast awareness.Zhang BN, Cao XC, Chen JY, et al.Guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer (2011 edition).Gland Surg. 2012;1(1):39-61. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2227-684X.2012.04.07American Cancer Society.Lifestyle-related breast cancer risk factors.Berg WA, Rafferty EA, Friedewald SM, Hruska CB, Rahbar H.Screening algorithms in dense breasts: AJR expert panel narrative review.American Journal of Roentgenology.2021;216(2):275-294.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer risk factors you cannot change.Patil KS, Ragupathi S, Bhaskar SP, Ambujam G.Mammography screening in benign breast disease for risk stratification of malignancy.Journal of Medical Science and Clinical Research.2017;5(12):31890-31897. doi:10.18535/jmscr/v5i12.100American Cancer Society.Survival rates for breast cancer.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer stages.Sharma GN, Dave R, Sanadya J, et al.Various types and management of breast cancer: an overview.J Adv Pharm Technol Res. 2010;1(2):109-126.National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).NCCN guidelines for patients: Breast cancer invasive.American Cancer Society.Hormone therapy for breast cancer.Moffitt Cancer Center.Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Stages.Nakashima K, Uematsu T, Takahashi K, et al.Does breast cancer growth rate really depend on tumor subtype? Measurement of tumor doubling time using serial ultrasonography between diagnosis and surgery.Breast Cancer. 2019;26(2):206-214. doi:10.1007/s12282-018-0914-0National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: female breast cancer.Neal RD, Tharmanathan P, France B, et al.Is increased time to diagnosis and treatment in symptomatic cancer associated with poorer outcomes? Systematic review.Br J Cancer. 2015;112(1):S92-S107.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive ductal carcinoma.
Breastcancer.org.IDC type: medullary carcinoma of the breast.
Breastcancer.org.IDC type: mucinous carcinoma of the breast.
Breastcancer.org.IDC type: papillary carcinoma of the breast.
Breastcancer.org.IDC type: Tubular carcinoma of the breast.
American Cancer Society.Invasive breast cancer (IDC/ILC).
National Cancer Institute.Breast cancer risk in American women.
American Cancer Society.What is breast cancer in men?
American Cancer Society.Key statistics for breast cancer in men.
American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.
Qaseem A, Lin JS, Mustafa RA, Horwitch CA, Wilt TJ, for the Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians.Screening for breast cancer in average-risk women: a guidance statement from the American college of physicians.Ann Intern Med. 2019;170(8):547. doi:10.7326/M18-2147
Mayo Clinic.Breast self-exam for breast awareness.
Zhang BN, Cao XC, Chen JY, et al.Guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer (2011 edition).Gland Surg. 2012;1(1):39-61. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2227-684X.2012.04.07
American Cancer Society.Lifestyle-related breast cancer risk factors.
Berg WA, Rafferty EA, Friedewald SM, Hruska CB, Rahbar H.Screening algorithms in dense breasts: AJR expert panel narrative review.American Journal of Roentgenology.2021;216(2):275-294.
American Cancer Society.Breast cancer risk factors you cannot change.
Patil KS, Ragupathi S, Bhaskar SP, Ambujam G.Mammography screening in benign breast disease for risk stratification of malignancy.Journal of Medical Science and Clinical Research.2017;5(12):31890-31897. doi:10.18535/jmscr/v5i12.100
American Cancer Society.Survival rates for breast cancer.
American Cancer Society.Breast cancer stages.
Sharma GN, Dave R, Sanadya J, et al.Various types and management of breast cancer: an overview.J Adv Pharm Technol Res. 2010;1(2):109-126.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).NCCN guidelines for patients: Breast cancer invasive.
American Cancer Society.Hormone therapy for breast cancer.
Moffitt Cancer Center.Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Stages.
Nakashima K, Uematsu T, Takahashi K, et al.Does breast cancer growth rate really depend on tumor subtype? Measurement of tumor doubling time using serial ultrasonography between diagnosis and surgery.Breast Cancer. 2019;26(2):206-214. doi:10.1007/s12282-018-0914-0
National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: female breast cancer.
Neal RD, Tharmanathan P, France B, et al.Is increased time to diagnosis and treatment in symptomatic cancer associated with poorer outcomes? Systematic review.Br J Cancer. 2015;112(1):S92-S107.
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