Inflammatory Breast Cancer Symptoms

Of all the types of breast cancer, the one claiming more lives than not is Inflammatory breast cancer. IBC is a very aggressive cancer, and it gets its name from the symptoms women diagnosed with it show. This can occur in women of any age, and is fortunately, a rare type of cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer can also develop in men, though the chances are extremely thin.

There are lymph vessels in the breasts. When a person develops IBC, the malignant cancerous cells block these vessels. IBC develops in women at a younger age, compared to other forms of breast cancer. Some studies also suggest that White people are less likely to develop this cancer than the African Americans, who are also said to be vulnerable at a younger age.

This tumor advances very rapidly. That is to say, symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer 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 this 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.

Inflamatory Breast Cancer

The typical attributes of inflamatory breast cancer are extreme redness, purple-ish bruised appearance, and swelling of the breast, which makes it look inflamed, hence the cancer’s name. The blocking of the lymph vessels by the cancer cells is the reason for both redness and swelling. Continual itching, a fast and constant increase in size of the breast, inverted nipples, tenderness, aches, heavy and burning sensations are all associated with Inflammatory breast cancer. Sometimes, the skin of the breast may also appear pitted, medically called peau d’orange, and this is due to swelling and accumulation of fluids. Also, the areola or the skin around the nipple can change in color, the skin of the nipple can swell, and lymph nodes on either side of the collarbone and under the arm can swell.

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.

The mortality rate for IBC used to be 100% some decades back. Now, due to great advancement in technology, inflammatory breast cancer treatment has dropped down rates to 30% to 50%. Systemic therapy is a great treatment option with both chemotherapy and hormone therapy tried. This is usually followed by a surgery – neoadjuvant therapy – which should ideally be followed by mastectomy. Radiation therapy following the above combination of treatments reduces the chances of a redevelopment of cancer greatly.

The high mortality rate, the extensive treatments, the fear because of uncertainty of results, and all the other woes inflamitory 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.

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