Invasive breast cancer (no special type)

Invasive breast cancer (NST) is the most common type of breast cancer.

You may also hear it called:

• Invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast (IDC)
• Breast cancer not otherwise specified (NOS)

“Invasive” means the cancer cells have spread outside the ducts of the breast into the surrounding breast tissue. Invasive breast cancer has the potential to spread to other areas of the body. Treatments aim to reduce the risk of this happening.

NST stands for “no special type”. It’s called “no special type” because the cancer cells have no features that class them as a special type of breast cancer when examined under a microscope. Sometimes invasive breast cancer (NST) is found mixed with other types of breast cancer.

Both primary breast cancer and secondary breast cancer can be invasive breast cancer (NST).

Although it’s rare, men can get breast cancer. Invasive breast cancer (NST) is also the most common type of breast cancer in men.

Symptoms of invasive breast cancer (NST) include:

• A lump or thickening of the breast tissue, upper chest or armpit
• A change in the size or shape of the breast
• A change of skin texture, such as puckering or dimpling of the skin
• A change in colour of the breast - the breast may look red, darker or inflamed
• Changes to the nipple, for example it has become pulled in (inverted)
• Discharge from the nipple
• A rash involving the nipple

Routine breast screening can often pick up cancer before you notice any symptoms. Some people will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer (NST) after attending breast screening without having any of the symptoms above.

Invasive breast cancer (NST) is diagnosed using a range of tests.

These may include:

• A mammogram
• An ultrasound scan
• A core biopsy of the breast and sometimes lymph nodes
• A fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the breast and sometimes lymph nodes 

Treatment for primary breast cancer aims to remove the cancer and reduce the risk of it coming back or spreading to other parts of the body.

For secondary breast cancer, the aim of treatment is to control and slow down the spread of the cancer and relieve symptoms.

The treatment you’re offered will depend on the features of your cancer. This includes the:

• Size
• Grade
• Stage
• Hormone receptor status
• HER2 status

Surgery

Surgery to remove the cancer is usually the first treatment for invasive breast cancer (NST).

The type of surgery recommended may be:

• Breast-conserving surgery
• Mastectomy

Sometimes you might need further operations after having breast-conserving surgery if the margin of normal tissue surrounding the cancer that was removed is not clear. This is to make sure all the cancer has been removed. In some cases, this second operation will be a mastectomy.

Most women who have a mastectomy will have the option to have breast reconstruction. This can be done at the same time as your mastectomy (immediate reconstruction) or months or years later (delayed reconstruction).

Some people who have a mastectomy and do not have a reconstruction choose to wear a prosthesis.

Find out more about breast protheses, bras and clothes after surgery.

Some people choose not to have reconstruction and not to wear a prosthesis after their mastectomy.

Surgery to the lymph nodes under the arm

If you have invasive breast cancer, your treatment team will want to check if any cancer cells have spread to the lymph nodes (glands) under your arm.

Along with other information about your breast cancer, this helps them decide if you’ll benefit from any other treatment after surgery.

You may have:

• Sentinel lymph node biopsy
• Axillary clearance

Find out more about surgery to the lymph nodes.

Other treatments

After surgery you will usually need further treatment. This is called adjuvant treatment and can include:

These treatments aim to reduce the risk of breast cancer returning in the same breast or spreading elsewhere in the body (secondary breast cancer).

The treatments you’re recommended will depend on the features of your cancer and your individual situation.

Some of these treatments are given before surgery. This is known as neo-adjuvant or primary treatment.

Follow-up

You will continue to be monitored after your hospital-based treatments (such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy) finish. This is known as follow-up.

If you had breast-conserving surgery, follow-up will include regular mammograms to both breasts.

If you had a mastectomy, you’ll have a mammogram on your other breast. 

Checking for changes

It’s important to be aware of any changes to the breast, chest or surrounding area, whether you had breast-conserving surgery or a mastectomy (with or without reconstruction).

It can be difficult to know how your breast or scar area should feel. The area around the scar may feel lumpy, numb or sensitive.

This means you will need to get to know how it looks and feels so you know what’s normal for you. This will help you to feel more confident about noticing changes and reporting them early to your GP or breast care nurse.

Having breast cancer in one breast means the risk of developing cancer in the other breast (a new primary breast cancer) is slightly higher than in someone who has never had breast cancer. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of any new changes in your other breast and to report these as soon as possible.

If you have any concerns, speak with your GP or breast care nurse.

Secondary invasive breast cancer (NST)

Secondary breast cancer occurs when the breast cancer cells spread from the primary (first) cancer in the breast to other parts of the body.

It’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of secondary breast cancer.

Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be a difficult and frightening time.

If you’d like any further information and support or just want to talk things through, speak to one of our experts by calling our free helpline. See the bottom of this page for ways to get in touch.

You might want to speak to someone who knows what it’s like. If you’ve had a primary breast cancer diagnosis, our Someone Like Me service can put you in touch with someone who’s had a similar experience to you, so you can talk through your worries and share experiences over the phone or by email.  

And our Living with Secondary Breast Cancer service is available in person and online for anyone who’s been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer.

You can also visit our online forum and join one of the ongoing discussions.