Inflammatory Breast Cancer Symptoms

A rare but very aggressive type of cancer is Inflammatory breast cancer. The mortality rate for Inflammatory breast cancer is higher than that for most other cancers. Contrary to its name, it doesn’t occur because of some inflammation; rather, inflammation is just a symptom in IBC. It is not confined to older women and can develop in very young women, too. Men are not totally protected from IBC, even though their risk is too low.

In Inflammatory breast cancer, the cancer cells block lymph vessels of the breast. This gives rise to the apparent inflammation and redness of the breast of a person diagnosed with IBC. Other forms of cancer usually develop in women as they age, but that is not the case with IBC. It can occur in young women, too. It is also said that African American women are more prone to developing IBC, and at a younger age too, compared to White women.

Inflammatory breast cancer advances very rapidly. That is to say, symptoms appear rapidly and become evident within weeks. This is the reason women with IBC are diagnosed at an early stage than women with other kinds of cancer.

The unique characteristic of Inflammatory breast cancer is that no lump formation is associated with it. This characteristic makes it all the more dangerous, because mammography and ultrasound can not detect it, and it often goes undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed. Biopsy is the best method for diagnosing IBC.

If you have developed IBC, your breast will appear extremely red or purple, often bruised and tender. The breast also gets enormously swelled, giving rise to its inflamed look. The breast size will increase rapidly, and there might be perpetual itching, too. You might get inverted nipples, a heavy aching and burning feel around the breast. The skin around the breast may also appear bumpy, like the skin of an orange, which gives name to the condition’s medical term, peau d’orange. This condition occurs due to fluid accumulation. Other symptoms are changes of color or texture in the skin around the nipple (areola), swelling of the nipple, swelling under the arm and on top and below the collarbone.

IBC is often confused with mastitis or breast infections that show the same symptoms. Sometimes, previous operations can partially block the lymph vessels of the breast, too, and give rise to redness and tenderness. This should not be confused with Inflammatory breast cancer. Remember, the symptoms regress after a week or two or treatment for mastitis.

Due to tremendous number of researches going into the field, Inflammatory breast cancer can be cured in almost fifty five out of every hundred IBC cases. What used to be a certain death two decades back is curable today! Today, the treatment for IBC is very extensive, although it gives a lot to hope for. Systemic therapies like chemotherapy and hormone treatments are backed up by surgeries like mastectomy and then by radiation therapy, to eliminate chances of a recurrence, and the treatment is done!

The high mortality rate, the extensive treatments, the fear because of uncertainty of results, and all the other woes Inflammatory breast cancer can bring you will naturally put you down and scare you. Your fear is justified, but you must remember that technology has advanced exponentially over the last few years. If you keep hope, all the technology will just go into curing you.