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Inflammatory Breast Cancer

What is Inflammatory Breast Cancer

This type of breast cancer is a rare but aggressive type of breast cancer that develops rapidly. The breast affected can be red, swollen and tender. It can be difficult to health care providers and women affected to recognize this sometimes because it can look like a bug bite or a small infection. Certainly if you have a red sore and/or swelling with tenderness and it doesn't get better in a week or less, you'll want to let your health care provider know. It is aggressive and can spread quickly. This type of breast cancer is particular frightening because it is uncommon; it doesn't look like other breast cancers; it spreads rapidly.

The early signs of more common forms of breast cancer — a breast lump or suspicious area on a routine, screening mammogram — are often not found in inflammatory breast cancer. Instead, the breast may appear normal until tumor cells invade and block the small lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. Fluid backs up, and the breast swells and becomes discolored-usually red. This looks like an 'infection' which causes redness, swelling and pain.

Infections go away with treatment, such as antibiotics.
Irritations which can cause redness and tenderness, will sometimes just go away on their own. Inflammatory breast cancer does not.

What can you do? If you notice skin changes, redness, swelling or pain in your breast, see your health care provider. If some kind of treatment is prescribed, expect to see improvement. Ask your health care provider how long it will take to heal. If you don't see improvement or if it gets worse, seek medical attention.

Inflammatory breast cancer accounts for between 1 to 6 percent of all breast cancer cases in the United States. Survival rates are lower than those observed in other locally advanced breast cancers. But new treatment approaches offer greater odds for survival than ever before. Be proactive-seek attention and be persistent when necessary.

Ways to help prevent Inflammatory Breast Cancer and other breast cancers

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