Lobular Breast Cancer Awareness Day 2026

As part of Breast Cancer Awareness month, October 15 is designated as Global Lobular Breast Cancer Awareness Day to shine a spotlight on the 15% of breast cancer diagnoses each year that are invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), also known as lobular breast cancer. The inaugural awareness day was declared by the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance (LBCA) and 60 other signatories in 2024 and has generated a global awareness movement across 10 countries.

ILC is the second most common type of breast cancer with over 48,000 women diagnosed each year in the US, but receives less than 1% of breast cancer research funding. Because ILC behaves differently than other breast cancer types and may not always form a lump, it is extremely hard to detect on mammograms, especially in women with dense breast tissue. This leads to the shared story of so many individuals with ILC: delayed diagnoses despite regular screening when tumors are larger or already metastatic. Once diagnosed, ILC is treated the same as other types of breast cancer despite scientific consensus that ILC behaves differently.

Visit the LBCA website to read more on how to get involved!