The term adenocarcinoma describes any cancer that begins in glandular tissue. Therefore, included therein are cancers of the breast, pancreas, colon, small intestines, lungs and almost any organ in the body with few exceptions.
There are two main types of breast cancer, or carcinomas: ductal and lobular carcinomas. Each type of cancer (carcinoma) is a variant of adenocarcinoma because they originate in glandular tissue. Human breasts are composed of about 15 to 20 functional sections called lobes. Each lobe divides into smaller sections called lobules that further divide into very tiny bulbs.
These bulbs synthesize and secrete milk. The lobes, lobules and bulbs are interconnected by a system of ducts, which transport the milk from where it is produced to the nipple. All this tissue is responsive to different hormones, including estrogens, progesterone, and prolactin, which are the major determiners of development, size and function of these essential, accessory reproductive organs.
The tissue in which the cancer originates allows for a description of the malignant process and therefore, a diagnosis. A diagnosis then, is merely a description of what has been or can be observed. The prefix, dia… implying distinguish and the suffix …gnosis, meaning to know defines the origins, or etymology of the word, diagnosis. Once something has been distinguished, it must be named to be remembered and communicated. The ‘naming’ of that which has been distinguished is what constitutes a diagnosis.
The Art Of Diagnosing Is Simply Naming Something
A diagnosis then is quite inadequate when it comes to etiology (knowing how and why this condition came about) or treatment (what should be done about it). In fact, the grand art of diagnosing is merely naming something.
“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet” __William Shakespeare
The irony lies in the implication of what the term, ‘diagnosis’ intends, which is that, each diagnosed condition has a separate and distinct cause and therefore a separate and distinct cure, or treatment. This is simply not true. Even if one were to subscribe to fictitious, irrational, and misleading concept of the “disease model”, many diagnoses are qualified by the term, etiology unknown.
Sadly, even when it is stated that the etiology is known, what is being touted as the cause, is merely a description of what has occurred, not the actual underlying biochemical conditions that initiated and provoked the series of events in the first place. And it should be obvious to anyone with a modicum of intelligence that to undo or prevent a condition, it is required that one knows why and how it happened.
With all of this in mind, let’s explore the “different types” of breast cancer.
What Are The Different Types Of Breast Cancer?
Ductal carcinoma develops in the ducts that transport the milk to the nipple and is, by far the most common form of breast cancer. In fact, invasive ductal carcinomas account for almost 80% of all breast cancers. The other subcategory of ductal carcinoma is DCIS, ductal carcinoma-in-situ. This condition was never even identified until the advent of mammography and it is questionable whether or not it is cancer or would progress to cancer.
Lobular carcinoma is far less common than ductal carcinoma and can be of either variety, “in-situ” or invasive. The only difference between ductal and lobular carcinoma is where it originates. Lobular carcinoma develops in the milk-producing glands of the breast, hence the word, “lobular”.
Even conventional, mainstream medicine does not consider
lobular carcinoma-in-situ (LCIS) to be cancer and there is virtually no evidence that it ever progresses to become a true malignancy.
A small percentage of breast cancers are called, ‘inflammatory breast cancer’. Although they account for only 1-5% of all breast cancers, they are considered the most aggressive. These tumors most often originate in the milk ducts (ductal carcinoma) and then break through to become invasive ductal carcinoma. Hence ‘inflammatory breast cancer’ should be considered as a progression from a less malignant condition to a highly malignant condition. The final event that seems to occur in order to bring about ‘inflammatory breast cancer’ is that the small lymphatic vessels in the breast and the skin covering the breast tissue become engorged and occluded (blocked).
What Is Inflammatory Breast Cancer?
The effect is that the underlying, chronic inflammatory process that defines all cancers is being thwarted. Inflammation is a process that allows for an accelerated influx of fluids, nutrients, and immune chemicals (cytokines) to bring about healing. Once delivered and processed, the unused cytokines and waste products are just as rapidly and effectively removed. Therefore, the highly aggressive nature of inflammatory breast cancer is a direct consequence of the blocked lymph vessels preventing the necessary drainage of the inflammatory byproducts. Hence the inflammatory process is greatly accelerated. The outcome is readily “diagnosed” by observing the rapid swelling, redness, pain, and even skin breakdown with a resultant crusted ulcer and exudative discharge.
Note that malignancies, or cancers of the breast are termed, carcinomas. This is another descriptive indicator employed merely to further distinguish, but provides nothing more in terms of practical, useful information.
Carcinomas are cancers that begin in the skin or in the tissues that line or cover internal organs. There are a several subtypes of carcinoma, including adenocarcinoma, which, as stated includes all breast cancers. All breast cancers are adenocarcinomas that are further distinguished by identifying and naming which part of the gland the cancer originates.
There are four other general categories of cancer distinguished as a consequence of the subtype of tissue from which they emerge.
Categories Of Cancer Determined By The Subtype Of Tissue From Where It Originated
Sarcomas include malignancies originating in tissues that are derived from a certain tissue found in embryos called Mesenchymal tissue in contrast to carcinomas originating in epithelial tissues, as discussed previously. Sarcomas then would include malignancies of the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, and vascular. Although hematopoetic tissue (bone marrow) is of mesenchymal origin and should be classified as a sarcoma, leukemias (cancers of the bone marrow) are usually classified separately from sarcomas.
Lymphomas and myelomas are malignancies that originate in cells that constitute the immune system. Lymphomas begin in lymph nodes and myelomas begin in a certain subset of immune cells called plasma cells. And the almost arbitrary distinction between Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas has, once again succeeded only in obfuscating the sincere, non-allied (unbiased) investigation of these conditions and how best to “treat” them. There are so many subtypes of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas that have no apparent commonalities other than consisting of lymphoid tissue and not meeting the criteria for a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
The final classification includes those malignancies that originate in the central nervous system, the brain and spinal cord. The most nefarious of these malignancies is glioblastoma multiforme, although sadly enough, there are many, many others. But, again, these cancers are distinguished by their cell of origin, and thereby, somehow designated as “different” cancers.
Conventional Medical Model Is More Interested In Naming Cancer Rather Then Treating It
Unfortunately, it is easy to become lost in the quagmire of “diseases” and especially in all of the “different” cancers unless one keeps in mind that each “type” of cancer is merely a detailed, technical description of where it originates and provides no other information.
When microscopic (histological) changes in the cellular anatomy have taken place in response to new and different metabolic requirements pertaining to anaerobic metabolism, the structure and shape of the cells change to accommodate the new functional requirements. This process can occur anywhere in the body and the cells out of which it originates is the ‘name’ of the cancer…. the diagnosis.
This obsession with further dividing and subdividing dynamic conditions has locked the medical world into a paradigm that is antithetical to nature. There can be no resolution of pathological conditions without somehow supporting nature to proceed in its restorative efforts to cleanse and heal. In spite of the enormous financial resources and intellectual effort and technological advancement, all that the conventional medical world seems to be interested in is more precisely naming one or more aspects of these dynamic homeostatic processes. Once someone has completed their grotesque dance with the sophisticated machinery operated by highly trained technicians, a team of intellectual Cyclops interprets the results. Then, the prize, the golden calf, the treasure that has been ambiguous and concealed is finally revealed…and it is nothing more than a name…. a diagnosis…nothing more.
The unfortunate victims of these atrocities soon learn of the fraudulent implication woven twixt the technological fanfare; that once a diagnosis is discovered, the cure will be immediately evident and forthcoming. This is both fallacious and deceitful. In fact, the modalities employed by the conventional world to treat cancer are an abominable and heinous offense against all that should be sacred between human beings. The victims of war are no worse off than those who can be seen any day or night in the ICUs, chemo wards, radiation oncology suites and operating rooms where government sponsored mayhem and societies’ tacit agreement propel the multitudes into their agonal death throws as they are swallowed by machines.