Breast Cancer

Appointments Indian mother and daughter hold a breast cancer awareness ribbon
  • Overview
  • Types of breast cancer
  • Our Approach
  • Appointments
  • Symptoms
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Resources
  • Locations
  • Physicians
  • Providers

    • Breast cancer happens when cells in your breast grow abnormally and out of control. The cancer cells can spread to other parts of your body.  You're more likely to get breast cancer as you get older.  Breast cancer can occur in anyone.

    Types of breast cancer

    Breast cancer may be either:

    Invasive:

    This means cancer has spread from the ducts or lobes into normal breast tissue. The main invasive types are:

    • Ductal carcinoma. This cancer starts in the ducts of the breast. It’s the most common type of breast cancer.
    • Lobular carcinoma. This cancer starts in the lobes of the breast. It’s the second most common type.

    Some breast cancer is a mix of ductal and lobular carcinoma. Other less common invasive types include inflammatory breast cancer and male breast cancer.
     

    Noninvasive:

    This means the abnormal cells haven't spread beyond the ducts or lobes. These cancers include:

    • Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). In this type, the abnormal cells are only in the ducts of the breast. (Lobular carcinoma in situ [LCIS] is not considered to be cancer.)
    • Paget disease of the nipple. The abnormal cells are only in or around the nipple. This is a rare type of cancer.

    After the type of cancer is known, the cancer cells are checked for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and large amounts of a protein called HER2. This information helps a doctor plan the treatment.  More information on this is found on our Tumor Receptors & Breast Cancer page.

    If the cancer cells don’t have these three traits, they are called “triple negative.” Triple-negative breast cancer is a less common type of invasive breast cancer.

    Our Approach
    Drs. Aki Morikawa and Erin Cobain view a breast scan

    The Weiser Family Center for Breast Cancer is dedicated to providing compassionate, cutting-edge care for individuals affected by breast cancer. We enhance lives through early detection, personalized treatment, and survivorship support, while advancing research, education, and advocacy. Our unwavering commitment is to make a meaningful difference, improving breast cancer outcomes for all.  

    Drs. Aki Morikawa and Erin Cobain discuss a breast scan in the photo above.

    Appointment Information

    If you're a patient interested in making an appointment, please call 734-647-8902. 

    Healthcare providers looking to refer a patient, please contact M-LINE: 800-962-3555.

    For those with questions, please contact our Cancer AnswerLine at 800-865-1125.

    What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

    The first sign of breast cancer is often a painless lump. But early breast cancer is often found on a mammogram before a lump can be felt.

    Other symptoms of breast cancer may not appear until the cancer is more advanced. These include:

    • A thickening in the breast or armpit.
    • A change in the size or shape of the breast.
    • Changes in the skin of the breast, such as a dimple or skin that looks like an orange peel.
    • A change in the nipple, such as scaling of the skin or a nipple that turns in.
    • A green or bloody fluid that comes from the nipple.
    • A change in the color or feel of the skin around the nipple (areola).

    Symptoms such as changes in the skin of the breast or the nipple may be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer.

    How is breast cancer diagnosed?

    Depending on your age and risk factors, the doctor may recommend that you have an ultrasound or a mammogram. A mammogram can often find a lump that is too small to feel.

    During a regular physical exam, your doctor can check your breasts for lumps or changes. You also may find a lump on your own.

    If there are concerns, the doctor will check to see if there is cancer by looking at a sample of cells (biopsy). The results of the biopsy help your doctor know if you have cancer and what type of cancer it is.

    You may have other tests to find out the stage of the cancer. The stage is a way for doctors to describe how far the cancer has spread.

    How is breast cancer treated?

    Treatment for breast cancer is based on the type and stage of the cancer and other things, such as your overall health. The main treatment is:

    Surgery.
    The doctor may remove just the part of the breast that contains the cancer (breast-conserving surgery). Or the doctor may remove the whole breast (mastectomy). Some lymph nodes under the arm may also be removed and checked for cancer.

    Other treatment options may include:

    Radiation therapy.
    This uses high-dose X-rays to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors.
    Chemotherapy.
    These medicines kill fast-growing cells, including cancer cells and some normal cells.
    Endocrine therapy.
    These medicines block hormones that cause certain cancers to grow. This helps slow or stop cancer growth.

    Other treatment options may include targeted therapy or immunotherapy. A clinical trial may be a good choice.

    Your doctor will talk with you about your options and then make a treatment plan.

    Patient Resources

    The psychosocial impacts of breast cancer are profound and multifaceted, necessitating a comprehensive approach to care that addresses emotional, psychological, and social needs. At the Weiser Family Center for Breast Cancer, we understand by leveraging a range of support services and resources, breast cancer patients can better cope with their diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment phases, enhancing their overall quality of life.

    For more specific information on symptoms, diagnosis and treatment information, please visit the following pages on the different types of breast cancer:

    Visit our online library

    Related services offered by U-M Health:

    Locations
    • Breast Care Clinic | Brighton Center for Specialty Care 7500 Challis Rd
      Entrance 1, Level 1
      Brighton, MI 48116-9416       Get Directions
    • Breast Oncology Clinic | Rogel Cancer Center 1500 E Medical Center Dr
      Floor 1
      Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5916       Get Directions

    Doctors

     Search for a U-M Health doctor     Monika Leigh Burness, MD

    Monika Leigh Burness, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Medical Oncology, Internal Medicine

    Erin Frances Cobain, MD

    Erin Frances Cobain, MD

    Associate Professor

    Medical Oncology, Internal Medicine

    Michigan Photo

    Aleksandar Filip Dragovic, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Radiation Oncology

    Norah Lynn Henry, MD

    Norah Lynn Henry, MD, PhD

    Professor

    Medical Oncology, Internal Medicine

    Borislav Hristov, MD

    Borislav Hristov, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Radiation Oncology

    Tasha Michelle Hughes, MD

    Tasha Michelle Hughes, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Surgical Oncology, Surgery

    Jacqueline Sara Jeruss, MD

    Jacqueline Sara Jeruss, MD, PhD

    Professor

    Surgery

    Kathleen Anne Kemmer, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Medical Oncology, Hematology, Internal Medicine

    Aki Morikawa, MD

    Aki Morikawa, MD, PhD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Medical Oncology, Hematology, Internal Medicine

    Lauren Michelle Perry, MD

    Lauren Michelle Perry, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Surgical Oncology, Surgery

    Show All Doctors

    Providers

     Search for a U-M Health provider     Michigan Photo

    Joan Marie Armstrong, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner - Family, Nurse Practitioner

    White labcoat with the University of Michigan Health logo.

    Susan Marie Egner, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner

    White labcoat with the University of Michigan Health logo.

    Tamara Mangan Ghormley, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner - Community Health

    White labcoat with the University of Michigan Health logo.

    Kimberly Ann Hoskins, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner - Adult Health

    White labcoat with the University of Michigan Health logo.

    Mary-Jo Marie Julin, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner

    Katherine Ann Lew, PA-C

    Katherine Ann Lew, PA-C

    Physician Assistant

    Physician Assistant

    White labcoat with the University of Michigan Health logo.

    Margaret Anne Miodonski, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner-Women's Health, Nurse Practitioner

    White labcoat with the University of Michigan Health logo.

    Alissa Ann Stewart, PA-C

    Physician Assistant

    Physician Assistant

    White labcoat with the University of Michigan Health logo.

    Megan Ann Williams-Morad, PA-C

    Physician Assistant

    Physician Assistant

    Christie Byrne and Kim Zapor Cancer AnswerLine nurses

    Questions about cancer?

    Contact our Cancer AnswerLine™ at 800-865-1125. You'll talk to a nurse with years of experience in cancer care.

    Learn More

    News & Stories
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    Breast cancer patient encourages women to commit to their health

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    Health Lab

    Capturing cancer cells from blood could help doctors choose the right breast cancer treatment

    Doctors may be able to spare patients unnecessarily aggressive breast cancer treatments by collecting and testing cancer cells in patients' blood, study from the University of Michigan and the University of Kansas suggests.