Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a form of breast cancer that is rare but extremely aggressive. In IBC breast cancer, the lymph vessels in the breast become clogged by cancerous cells. This causes the breast to become red and swollen, or "inflamed." IBC breast cancer develops very quickly and often is not detected by routine methods of breast cancer screening, such as mammography.
Considerations
According to the National Cancer Institute, 1 to 5 percent of all people with breast cancer in the United States have IBC breast cancer. Compared to non-IBC breast cancer, this type tends to be found in younger women. More African Americans develop the cancer than Caucasians, and at an earlier age. Men can get IBC breast cancer, but it tends to occur later in life.
Symptoms
One of the most important differences in symptoms of IBC breast cancer and non-IBC breast cancer is that IBC breast cancer often has no defined lump in the breast. Typical symptoms include swelling, redness and warmth in the breast. The skin can also appear reddish purple, pink or bruised and may have ridges or a pitted appearance. Other symptoms may include increase in breast size, heaviness, aching, burning, tenderness or an inverted nipple. Swollen lymph nodes may be detected above the collarbone, under the arm or in both locations. Symptoms typically develop very quickly, usually over a period of weeks or months.
Diagnosis
To diagnose inflammatory breast cancer, your doctor will assess your medical history and perform a clinical examination, including an excisional biopsy. Imaging tests such as a mammogram and breast ultrasound are usually used to confirm the diagnosis. If the biopsy results indicate that you have inflammatory breast cancer, the doctor will determine what stage the cancer is in so that an appropriate treatment plan can be developed. According to the Mayo Clinic, approximately one-third of all newly diagnosed IBC breast cancers are in stage IV, which means that the cancer has spread to other areas of the body.
Treatment
The initial treatment for inflammatory breast cancer is chemotherapy, which is usually followed by surgery and radiation therapy. The purpose of the chemotherapy is to attack the cancer cells, shrink the cancer and correct skin problems before surgery is performed. After chemotherapy, an operation to remove the affected breast (mastectomy) is performed. Conservative surgery to keep from removing the breast is not recommended for women with IBC breast cancer. After the mastectomy, most women receive additional chemotherapy, followed by radiation therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Prognosis
The 5-year survival rate for people with IBC, at between 25 and 50 percent, is significantly lower than the survival rate for those with non-IBC breast cancer. This can be attributed to the fact that IBC is much more likely to have spread to other parts of the body by the time the cancer is diagnosed. The National Cancer Institute encourages people with IBC to enroll in clinical trials to explore new treatments.
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