Inflammatory Breast Cancer

The breast cancer no one is talking about ... Could it affect you?

provided by the National Cancer Institute

Topics: symptoms, breast cancer, diagnosis, treatment More

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare but extremely aggressive form of breast cancer that you may not know about — but you should. With IBC, cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast, causing it to appear inflamed. IBC accounts for 1 to 5 percent of all breast cancer cases in the United States, and it tends to be diagnosed in younger women compared with non-IBC breast cancer, as well as more frequently in African-American than Caucasian women. It's important to be informed about this disease, so read on.

What are the symptoms of IBC?

The skin of the breast may appear red, pink or purple, bruised, with ridges or pits like the skin of an orange, caused by a buildup of fluid and swelling. The breast may feel swollen, hot or warm, heavy, achy and tender; it may even increase in size, or the nipple could invert, facing inward. With IBC, swollen lymph nodes may also be present under the arm or above the collarbone. Symptoms occur often without a distinct lump in the breast, and they usually develop quickly — over weeks or months.

How is IBC diagnosed?

It's primarily discovered in the results of a doctor's clinical exam. Biopsy, mammogram and breast ultrasound are used to confirm the diagnosis. IBC is classified as either stage IIIB (locally advanced) or stage IV breast cancer (spread to other organs).

How is IBC initially treated?

Chemotherapy is generally the first treatment in order to control or kill cancer cells, including those that may have spread elsewhere. After chemo, IBC patients may undergo surgery (to remove the tumor) and radiation therapy (to destroy remaining cancer cells) to the chest wall. Both are local treatments, affecting only cells in the tumor and the immediate surrounding area.

What about follow-up treatment?

Additional chemotherapy, hormonal therapy (treatment that interferes with the effects of the female hormone estrogen, which can promote the growth of breast cancer cells), targeted therapy (such as the medication trastuzumab, also known as Herceptin), or all three can be used to reduce the risk of a recurrence.

Are clinical trials available for IBC patients?

Yes. Those interested should first talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the NCI's Cancer Information Service at 800-4-CANCER, in the NCI booklet Taking Part in Clinical Trials or at the National Cancer Institute website.

What is the prognosis for those with IBC?

IBC is more likely to have metastasized (spread to other body areas) by the time of diagnosis than non-IBC cases. As a result, the five-year survival rate for IBC patients is between 25 and 50 percent — significantly lower than the survival rate for patients with non-IBC breast cancer. But these statistics are averages based on large numbers of patients and cannot be used to predict a particular patient's outcome. Patients should consult their doctor about their specific prognosis.

Learn more about IBC at the National Cancer Institute.

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opps wrong button. I was saying that unfortunatly she didn't have time to do ant chemo or radiation. By the time she made it to the doctor it had spread to her lungs, all her lymp nodes and some of her bones. She lost the fight July 9,2006 and I really miss her. If my mother had did self exams and had gotten mamagrams she might be here with me today. I had to get my first one this year on my 30th birthday cause of my mom. I am now a fighter against breast cancer and urge every women to do salf exams and mamagrams so that maybe someone else doesn't lose their mother, sister, friend or just someone close.

Posted by CrystalMerklin Oct 08, 2007 8:39 pm ET

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My mother died last year 2006 at the age of 63. She came to me about one month before she passed away and told me she needed to go to the doctor. She then showed me and I was devastated. They took a biopsy of the area and sent it in. It came back positive, we then went to a specialist and he felt the mass but never looked at it. If he would have looked at it then he might have not given me false hope. U see on the day we went to see the specialist my dad had passed away from heart failure. So I was really holding on to his every word. Unfortunatly we

Posted by CrystalMerklin Oct 08, 2007 8:33 pm ET

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My sister died at the age of 37 from IBC, in 1992. All must be aware, as a doctor could mis-diagnose this disease as Mastitis(Inflammation of the breast tissue) and treat with antibiotics. This was the case with my sister. She undersent two round of antibiotics before being sent to a surgeon. At that time, there weren't many options except for Chemotherapy and Radiation therapy. My sister took Chemotherapy and asked for bilateral mastectomies. By the third day, tumors were already growing in the incision lines. She underwent Radiation Therapy and exhausted all Chemo options available. She died 15 months and 3 days from date of diagnosis. So please, every woman should have mammograms every year if there is any history of breast cancer in the family, and go to the doctor of any changes in your breasts, even if it doesn't bother you. Better safe than sorry. Make sure everyone does breast self examinations each month, it could save your life!

Posted by muttley74 Oct 01, 2007 4:25 pm ET

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