Inflammatory breast disease, also known as inflammatory breast cancer, is an uncommon and aggressive form of breast cancer. IBC occurs when breast cancer cells block lymph vessels and the breast tissue becomes red or swollen. Inflammatory breast cancer is different from other types of breast cancer in that it does not produce a lump or mass of any kind. Traditional methods of detection may fail to identify IBC.
Prevalence
It is estimated that there will be 209,060 news cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the United States in 2010. Of those cases, 1 percent to 2 percent will be classified as inflammatory breast cancer.
Symptoms
There are a variety of symptoms associated with inflammatory breast cancer. The breast tissue may appear red, pink, purplish or orange. The skin may be warm or swollen. Swelling may cause one breast to be larger than the other. Pain or itching of one or both breasts can occur. A rash may appear in small patches or cover the breast entirely. The texture of the breast may also change. Ridges may emerge in the skin or the skin might feel thickened in places. Other symptoms can include changes in the nipples. One or both nipples may produce a discharge or appear receded or inverted. Lymph nodes underneath the arms or in the neck may also swell.
Diagnosis
Mammograms are unable to definitively detect IBC because this type of cancer does not involve the presence of lumps. The most accurate test for inflammatory breast cancer is the surgical biopsy, which can confirm the existence of cancer cells. Ultrasounds can be used to detect swelling and to evaluate the condition of the lymph nodes.
Treatment
The typical treatment for IBC involves chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Chemotherapy is used first. It shrinks or kills the cancer cells. The aim of chemotherapy is to make surgery and radiation treatments more successful. After chemotherapy, a mastectomy may be conducted to remove the entire breast. Radiation and possibly more chemotherapy can follow to kill remaining cancer cells.
Prognosis
As of 2010, the five-year survival rate for people with IBC is between 25 percent and 50 percent.. The rate is low partly because the public is less aware of warning signs. IBC is more likely to have spread to the rest of the body when it is diagnosed than other types of breast cancer. If symptoms persist for more than a week, see an oncologist with experience treating IBC.
