By
Holly Ames/Mayo Clinic
.
Published: Wed, August 22, 2007 - 1:17 pm
Last Updated: Wed, August 22, 2007 - 1:57 pm
We all get those emails from friends and family with a “you must read” type subject line. They often warn of some sort of danger. Some of them are true, but many are not. But there is one that’s been going around a few years now that is true. It’s about inflammatory breast cancer. Every year we get emails from people wanting to know more.Inflammatory breast cancer usually doesn’t show up on mammograms. According to the Mayo Clinic, it strikes fast and it spreads quickly. I can be stopped if you know the signs and symptoms of IBC.
Marilyn Stanchfield and Bobbie Schopp are both inflammatory breast cancer survivors. Bobbie recalls when she first noticed a problem. “As I was getting ready for bed, I noticed that the upper part of my left breast was kind of warm and red.”
Bobbie Schopp had similar symptoms. “I noticed a redness. The redness spread from the size of a golf ball to a tennis ball from Friday to Monday.”
Dr. Charles Loprinzi says IBC is often misdiagnosed. “It’s a relatively rare form of breast cancer that comes up rapidly and it looks like the breast is inflamed.” Dr. Loprinzi says IBC can look like an infection called mastitis. Instead, the inflamed breast is the result of cancer cells quickly spreading through the breast’s lymph system. They get stuck and clog lymph ducts resulting in swelling, redness and soreness. The clogged ducts can also cause puckering, ridges or pits in the breast skin. The skin can also take on a dimpled texture similar to that of an orange peel.
Dr. Loprinzi says, “If the cancer is only evident in the breast and/or the lymph nodes around the breast, then it is still potentially curable. But the chance of cure is much lower than with other types of breast cancer.”
Marilyn and Bobbie say they were lucky. Their cancer was caught early enough for chemotherapy surgery and radiation to be effective. See a doctor if you notice any changes in your breast. It could save your life and allow you to become a member of the group that survives inflammatory breast cancer.
According to the Mayo Clinic, only 2 to 3 percent of all breast cancer cases are diagnosed as inflammatory breast cancer. It’s rare, but Dr. Loprinzi says all women should seek medical care if they develop what looks like an infection of the breast. It may well be just an infection, but it’s best to be sure.
Symptoms of Inflammatory Breast Cancer from Mayo Clinic
In some cases, inflammatory breast cancer may be mistaken for an infection of milk ducts in the breast (mastitis). However, it does not cause a fever as with mastitis, and antibiotics do not quickly ease the symptoms. Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include:
Warm, swollen breast that does not change during the menstrual cycle
Red or dimpled breast skin similar to the skin of an orange
Nipple area that may flatten and appear red and crusted
Lump in the breast
Swollen lymph nodes under the arm or by the collarbone
For more information from Mayo Clinic, go www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge and type “inflammatory breast cancer” in the search window.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this article on inflammatory breast cancer. In all my years of getting mammograms, I had never heard of this disease. Then, in 2002, my 48-year-old sister was diagnosed. She had NO symptoms until her breast suddenly became larger and red—almost overnight. Despite chemo and mastectomies, she died in July 2003 at age 49. Her entire chest was covered with open sores (called mets). EVERY woman needs to know the symptoms of this disease. Quick diagnosis is critical for a successful outcome.