Up to 15 percent of invasive breast cancers are classified as lobular carcinoma, referring to the fact that it developed in the cells that line the milk-producing glands (the lobules) of the breast. The most common histological type of breast cancer, accounting for approximately 70 percent of cases, is invasive ductal carcinoma, which forms in the milk ducts.
Lobular breast cancer is more likely to be multifocal (more than one tumor per breast), bilateral (diagnosed in both breasts at the same time), and both estrogen receptor-positive and progesterone receptor-positive (ER+/PR+) than ductal breast cancer, and it is also more likely to have a hereditary component.
Please see our articles on lobular breast cancer and LCIS and lobular breast cancer prognosis for information on lobular and LCIS (lobular carcinoma in situ) characteristics and outcomes. We suggest that lobular breast cancer and LCIS patients and survivors also refer to our articles concerning diet and their breast cancer subtypes (e.g., ER+/PR+, HER2+, triple negative).

Foods that might reduce the risk of lobular breast cancer

Few specific foods have been found to be strongly associated with reduced risk of lobular breast cancer. However, women with high consumption of foods (but not supplements) incorporating beta-carotene or soluble fiber have been reported to experience reduced risk. In addition, cucurbitacin B, indole-3-carbinol (I3C), marine fatty acids (DHA and EPA), melatonin, pterostilbene, quercetin, and vitamin D all have been shown to have chemopreventive properties with respect to lobular breast cancer in cell or animal studies. Below are foods on our Recommended list that may help reduce the risk of lobular breast cancer or its recurrence:
Please read the applicable food pages when making your own food lists since these pages contain important advice, consumption limits, and other pertinent information.

Supplements for lobular breast cancer patients and survivors

There is no supplement or combination of supplements that has been proven to reliably reduce the risk of lobular breast cancer recurrence in women. Attempting to take advantage of the apparent treatment effects of micronutrients and other dietary components by using supplements carries the risk of adverse and paradoxical effects, including promoting breast cancer growth and metastasis.
For example, one study reported that women with early stage breast cancer who frequently took supplements containing multiple carotenoids had double the risk of death from breast cancer compared to non-users. (However, the same study found no such relationship for beta-carotene or lycopene supplements alone.)
It is best to obtain beneficial compounds by consuming food, if possible. Supplements make sense if medically necessary or to make up for deficiencies that are difficult to correct through diet.
The following supplements have been found generally to be safe and beneficial for lobular breast cancer or LCIS patients and survivors:
SupplementDosage
CoQ10 (if needed for heart health)100 to 400 mg/day
Fish oil (from wild-caught fish)1000 to 2000 mg/day
Vitamin D1000 to 2000 IU/day
Please consult your oncology team for advice concerning your situation and dosages. It might make sense to be tested for deficiency in vitamin D and plan for follow up to determine if your reading has reached a desirable level.

Foods to limit or avoid by lobular breast cancer patients

Alcohol has been found specifically to increase the risk of lobular breast cancer.

Medications to limit or avoid

The following have been found specifically to increase the risk of lobular breast cancer:
  • Combined HRT (hormone replacement therapy containing both estrogen and progestin)
  • Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (IUD)
Long-term statin use was also found to be associated with increased risk of lobular breast cancer in one study, contradicting other reports that statins are linked to reduced risk of breast cancer overall.

Foods linked to increased risk of ovarian cancer

The foods listed below have been found to increase the risk of ovarian cancer. Lobular breast cancer patients are at heightened risk of ovarian metastases. Although the risk factors for ovarian metastases probably are not identical to those for primary ovarian cancer, it makes sense for women diagnosed with lobular breast cancer to limit their intake of these foods:

Foods linked to increased risk of gastric cancer

The foods listed below have been found to increase the risk of stomach cancer. Unlike most breast cancer, lobular breast cancer will sometimes metastasize to the digestive tract. Most of these foods have a high salt content, which is consistent with the finding of numerous studies that diets high in salty foods increase the risk for gastric cancer. Again, although the risk factors for gastric metastases probably are not identical to those for primary gastric cancer, it makes sense for women diagnosed with lobular breast cancer to avoid overconsuming these foods and salty foods in general:
The following foods have been found to be associated with lower risks of both gastric cancer and breast cancer:

Additional comments

It makes sense for lobular breast cancer patients and survivors to eat a wide variety of the foods on our recommended food list and limit or avoid those on our avoid list, in addition to paying particular attention to the foods, spices and supplements on the lists above. Please see our article on how to optimize your breast cancer diet for information on what to eat during all stages of treatment and recovery.

Sources of information provided in this webpage

The food lists and other information above, which are updated continually as new research becomes available, have been developed based solely on the results of academic studies. Clicking on any of the foods will take you to its webpage, which contains specific information concerning that food's relationship to breast cancer (including its overall ranking), as well as links to supporting studies.
Below are links to 20 recent studies concerning diet and lobular breast cancer. For a more complete list of studies and more articles concerning lobular breast cancer and LCIS, please click on the tag lobular.