The theory of the sick lobe -- Lobar anatomy of human breast and its importance for breast cancer -- Breast cancer may originate in utero: The importance of the intrauterine environment for breast cancer development -- Genetic alterations in normal and malignant breast tissue -- The role of ductal lavage: a cautionary -- The distribution of the earliest forms of breast carcinoma -- The implications of the imaging manifestations of multifocal and diffuse breast cancers -- Lobar ultrasound of the breast -- The lobar distribution of the lesions in breast carcinoma: Ductoscopy and surgery -- Stop Breast Cancer Now! Imagining imaging pathways towards search, destroy, cure and watchful waiting of premetastasis breast cancer -- Epilogue: The diseased breast lobe in the context of x-chromosome inactivation and differentiation waves.

The theory of the sick lobe states that breast carcinoma is a lobar disease developing most often within a single lobe, meaning that, at an early stage, breast carcinoma occupies a limited, anatomically well-defined portion of the breast. This theory unites observed patterns from the genetic, developmental and morphological perspectives, into an overall concept. Breast Cancer: A Lobar Disease, presents this hypothesis and its consequences. The body of evidence, pro and contra, generated in recent years is presented in this volume. The chapters, all authored by leading experts in their respective areas, gather evidence from the perspectives of epidemiology, genetics, radiology, anatomy, developmental biology, morphology, endoscopy, ultrasound and therapeutics to give the reader a full picture of recent developments regarding the sick lobe hypothesis. Tibor Tot, MD PhD is Head of the Pathology and Clinical Cytology Department at the Central Hospital of Falun, in Sweden; breast cancer expert of the National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden; and regular Course Director of the breast pathology program, the official educational program for Swedish residents in clinical pathology, oncology, radiology and surgery.