Lorraine's Story: Living with Lobular Cancer

Today is Lobular Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Community Ambassador Lorraine shares her story.

"Hi, I’m Lorraine Landman, I’m 56 and live in Glasgow with my husband, Paul. Our son, David, recently flew the nest to start university. I work as a library assistant at The Mitchell Library.

Back in September 2021, about six months after a routine mammogram that came back clear, I noticed something odd — my right nipple had changed shape. It wasn’t painful, but it didn’t look right. I emailed my GP, got seen the very next day, and was quickly referred to the breast cancer clinic.

Two weeks later, at the clinic, I had another mammogram — again, it showed nothing unusual. But because there was a small swelling under my armpit, I was sent for an ultrasound. I’d had boils in that area before, so I wasn’t overly worried. But when the consultant came in, she noticed my right breast looked swollen and decided to take several biopsies. A few weeks later, I got the results: lobular breast cancer. I was shocked."

Lobular breast cancer, also known as invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), is a type of breast cancer that begins in the milk-producing lobules and has a distinct, "single-file" growth pattern, making it harder to detect on scans.

"My mum had passed away from secondary breast cancer, so I immediately started worrying that I’d somehow missed something earlier. But my consultant reassured me that lobular cancer is particularly tricky — it doesn’t always form lumps or show up on mammograms.

Next came the MRI and CT scans, and what felt like an endless wait for results. I’ll admit, I phoned my breast care nurse almost every day. When the results finally came, the scans looked clear apart from the breast. Unfortunately, the very next day, my consultant said their radiographer had spotted some unclear areas, so I was sent for more scans. For a while, they weren’t even sure if the breast was the primary site. Eventually, they confirmed it was — and I was booked in for a mastectomy in January 2022.

After surgery, I learned I’d now need chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I managed five of my six chemo rounds, but the last one had to be cancelled after I ended up in hospital with sepsis — twice. When it was time to start radiotherapy, a CT scan from during chemo raised some concerns about the previous “inconclusive areas” on my ribs and pelvis. To get answers, I had a bone biopsy, which took another six weeks for results.

That biopsy confirmed my fears: the cancer had spread. I started Letrozole the month before, and in August 2022, I began Palbociclib. Thankfully, I’ve now been stable on these medications for three years.

Eighteen months after my diagnosis, I went back to work on reduced hours. Life looks very different now. I’m on a four-week medication cycle — as the weeks go on, the fatigue, joint stiffness, and diarrhoea tend to build up. There are regular scans, and then the anxious wait for results that follows.

I’m usually quite a positive person, but I’ll be honest — sometimes the stress and anxiety can be overwhelming. Cancer doesn’t just affect your body; it changes every part of your life.

Then, I discovered the Make 2nds Count Facebook page. Just as I was returning to work, I joined their Tea and Chat group — and it truly changed my life. I’ve made amazing friends, found emotional support, learned about treatments and side effects, and even been inspired to travel again.

One thing I’ve learned through all of this is that we need more awareness of lobular breast cancer. It’s the second most common type of breast cancer, yet it behaves very differently from the more well-known ductal type — and, frustratingly, there’s still no specific treatment for it.

If sharing my story helps even one person feel less alone, then it’s worth every word."