Inflammatory breast cancer (also called IBC) is rare but very aggressive. The cancer blocks the lymph vessels in the skin, causing the skin to become inflamed.
Significance
The National Cancer Institute estimates IBC accounts for 1 percent to 5 percent of all breast cancer cases in the United States. It is usually diagnosed in younger women and more often in black women when compared with non-IBC cancer.
Symptoms
The breast might become red or swollen and feel very warm. There is typically not a defined lump with IBC. Other symptoms might include an inverted nipple, heaviness in the breast, and the skin might appear pitted, like the skin of an orange.
Diagnosis
IBC is diagnosed mainly from a clinical exam by a physician, and a biopsy, mammogram and ultrasound help confirm the diagnosis. IBC is staged as Stage IIIB breast cancer or, if it has spread to other organs, Stage IV.
Treatment
For IBC, unlike other forms of breast cancer, surgery is not the initial treatment. A variety of treatments can be used, including chemotherapy, radiation and targeted therapies. Surgery might be used after radiation and chemotherapy.
Prognosis
At the time of diagnosis, IBC is more likely to have spread to other areas of the body than non-IBC cancers. The five-year survival rate for patients with IBC is 25 percent to 50 percent.
