What is Lobular breast cancer? New Zealand comedian Jaquie Brown reveals breast cancer diagnosis in Instagram post; here’s what we know so far

Jaquie Brown, a New Zealand comedian and television personality, has revealed that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is recovering from a mastectomy. In an Instagram post on Friday (August 21, 2026), the 50-year-old described the moment she was given the diagnosis, saying she was told: “I’m so sorry, but it’s cancer.” Brown wrote: “Not the best thing I’ve ever heard. Not even in the top 10.”

Brown also revealed that she was diagnosed with invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) in April, 2026. Sitting across from her breast specialist, she said all she could think was: “This has to be a mistake. I’m so healthy! You should see how much broccoli I eat. I give to charity. I let other cars merge in front of me. I rescue [sic] worms from the rain.”

But a scan showed cancer in her left breast which Brown said had been there for at least a couple of years, despite her having clear mammograms. “ILC is sneaky like that. It grows through the breast in thin, single-file strands, making it harder to pick up early with standard screening,” she said in her Instagram post.

What is Lobular breast cancer

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is a type of breast cancer that begins with abnormal cell growth in the milk‑producing glands of the breast, known as lobules. Because it is invasive, the cancer cells break out of the lobule where they first formed and spread into the surrounding breast tissue, according to Mayo Clinic website. From there, the cells can travel further, reaching the lymph nodes and potentially spreading to other areas of the body.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ states on its website that around 450 New Zealand women are diagnosed with invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) each year. According to the foundation, ILC cells tend to grow in single-file patterns or layers of individual cells. This can make the cancer more difficult to detect through touch or mammograms than the masses or lumps commonly associated with ductal breast cancer.

Skin dimpling or thickening is often among the first signs of ILC, and the cancer may not always be visible on a mammogram. After diagnosis, ILC is graded and staged and tested for hormone receptor and HER2 status, just as other types of breast cancer are. ILC is very often hormone receptor-positive, and endocrine therapy is commonly recommended following surgery and/or radiation. Because ILC cells grow in a different pattern, the way they spread to other organs can also differ from the pattern seen in other forms of breast cancer.