Treatment of Lobular Carcinoma in Situ in Israel

Breast cancer is a disease that affects an increasing number of women each year. In the classification of this pathology, non-invasive forms of cancer, known as precancers, are distinguished: ductal and lobular carcinomas in situ. Lobular carcinoma in situ is rare, making its diagnosis and treatment very challenging. However, in Israel, even the rarest diseases are treated with high professionalism: Israeli doctors are highly skilled in the treatment methods for all known pathologies. At the Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center, the treatment of lobular carcinoma poses no difficulties, as the doctors working at this clinic are the best specialists in the country. Patients with lobular carcinoma in situ who turn to the Sourasky (Ichilov) clinic will not regret their choice for a second.

What is Lobular Carcinoma in Situ?

Lobular carcinoma in situ is characterized by uncontrolled development of atypical cells in the lobules of the breast. In most cases, cancer cells are spread throughout the breast tissue, and lobular carcinoma often develops simultaneously in both breasts. Some doctors suggest that lobular non-invasive cancer is not life-threatening for women and that no specific treatment is required for patients with such a diagnosis.

Israeli specialists deny the correctness of this statement, as it is enough to review statistical data to understand that treatment of lobular carcinoma in situ significantly reduces the risk of developing invasive breast cancer in the future. At the Sourasky (Ichilov) clinic, patients diagnosed with "lobular carcinoma in situ" receive comprehensive treatment aimed at the maximum removal of tumor tissue.

Lobular Carcinoma in Situ: Causes and Symptoms

The causes of lobular carcinoma are not well understood; however, doctors have identified risk factors for developing this disease:

• Hereditary predisposition;
• Early menstruation;
• Late first childbirth or no childbirth at all;
• Age of the woman (40-45 years);
• Prolonged hormone therapy.
• Exposure to ionizing radiation, including undergoing radiation therapy.

Lobular carcinoma is practically impossible to detect, as it does not manifest itself: patients with this disease have no mammological signs (such as breast lumps, discharge from the nipple, etc.).

Breast Cancer - Treatment in Israel

Lobular Carcinoma in Situ: Treatment in Israel

There are several methods for treating lobular carcinoma in situ, all of which differ radically in terms of the extent of intervention and effectiveness.

1. Excisional biopsy with subsequent monitoring. This type of biopsy involves the removal of the detected tumor along with a portion of the surrounding tissue. This intervention is performed under local anesthesia. If the patient chooses this type of treatment, she will need to undergo annual examinations by a specialist and, if necessary, repeat biopsies. Mammography, CT, and/or MRI must be performed at least once a year.
2. Hormonal therapy. Since lobular carcinoma in situ is an estrogen-dependent tumor, hormone therapy is quite effective and reduces the risk of the patient developing invasive cancer. Hormonal medications are prescribed in conjunction with excisional biopsy.
3. Bilateral prophylactic total mastectomy. Complete removal of the breasts to prevent the development of invasive cancer. Many surgeons consider such a radical operation unnecessary; however, if the patient is at risk and agrees to undergo the surgery, Israeli surgeons will perform the mastectomy at the highest level. The Sourasky (Ichilov) clinic also employs highly skilled plastic surgeons who can immediately begin breast reconstruction.

Diagnosis of Lobular Carcinoma in Situ in Israel

Detecting lobular carcinoma in situ is extremely challenging; the tumor can only be diagnosed through examination at a clinic equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Mammography, one of the most common methods for examining the breast, is ineffective for this pathology, as is physical examination. At the Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center, a diagnostic program has been developed and implemented that allows for the detection of lobular carcinoma and its differentiation from other types of tumors. A patient suspected of having lobular carcinoma in situ undergoes the following procedures:

• Mammography (to rule out other breast cancers);
• CT;
• MRI;
• Biopsy with subsequent cytological examination;
• Blood test for tumor markers;
• Estrogen receptor testing (lobular carcinoma in situ is hormone-dependent).