While lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) sounds like a type of breast cancer, it is probably more accurate to say that it is an abnormal finding which suggests that the patient is at an additional risk of developing breast cancer in the future.
It is often asymptomatic, and may be found as a result of a patient undergoing mammograms for unrelated reasons such as breast pain, or through the national NHS breast screening programme.
Part of your initial imaging will be to ensure that there is not an invasive breast cancer associated with the area of LCIS identified, at which point we will be able to reassure you that you do not require any form of treatment at that time.
Whilst a diagnosis of LCIS is significant, it is important not to panic. Whilst it does predict an increased breast cancer risk for the affected patient, it does not mean that such a diagnosis is inevitable or that you will have to undergo radical risk reduction surgery like a mastectomy.
We can discuss the lifestyle modifications which you can make in order to reduce your risk of breast cancer generally. We can also discuss future surveillance of your breasts with the use of breast imaging such as mammograms carried out on an annual basis, more regularly than is used in the national screening programme. This would be to ensure that we are able to detect any changes which may (or may not) occur following the identification of LCIS in your breast
Discussion with Mr McIntosh is important to answer any questions that you may have. For information about any additional conditions not featured within the site, please contact us for more information.
