Lobular Carcubina

I have been diagnosed with Invasive Lobular Carcinoma of the left breast with no size of tumor mentioned.  Only that it is
associated foci of lobular atypia and lobular carcinoma in-situ.
Cells were positive to both estrogen and progesterone.  What does
this mean exactly? I know I must have breast removed and also recommended the other one be removed at the same time to prevent spreading. What is the percentage of cure and also what is the followup treatment? They find no lymph node involvement by exam.

[CCF-RN,MSN-JS]

Dear Jonesgirl, Lobular cancers start in the many small sacs in the breast that produce milk.  Infiltrating lobular carcinoma, which is often detected as a thickening of the breast tissue rather than as a lump, may be found in many places, not only in the same breast but also in the opposite one.

In situ cancers are confined within the lining of the ducts or lobules.  In situ lobular cancers (also called lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)) are best understood as markers for the risk of developing cancer. There is about a 25% risk of developing some form of invasive cancer in either breast over many years. Since LCIS tends to reflect risk in both breasts, it is not usually possible to remove the entire tumor without removing all of both breasts.  If only the one breast is removed very careful follow up is recommended, because of the risk of developing a cancer in the opposite breast.  The follow-up would mean examinations several times a year including mammograms.

Recommendations for further treatment or follow-up after surgery will depend on some of the staging that can only be accomplished through surgery and examination of lymph node samples under the microscope.   The more contained the cancer is, for example, to one breast or not found in the lymph nodes the greater the likelihood the treatment will be successful in removing all of the cancer.