Inflammatory Breast Cancer: What is it?
It is difficult for anyone to comprehend a diagnosis of breast cancer, but when the diagnosis is inflammatory breast cancer, it can feel even more overwhelming. According to the Mayo Clinic, one of the United State's leading nonprofit medical facilities dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of complex illnesses, inflammatory breast cancer is a rare but very aggressive form of breast cancer that develops quickly. This type of breast cancer makes the affected breast red, swollen and tender. Less than 6 percent of breast cancers are inflammatory, meaning it has spread from its point of origin to nearby tissue and possibly to nearby lymph nodes, according to statistics provided on MayoClinic.com.
Early Detection
The American Cancer Society explains that "inflammatory" refers to changes in a person's body tissues and presents itself as redness, warmth and swelling in the affected body parts. Such symptoms are the result of increased blood flow and the buildup of white blood cells. Likewise, the Mayo Clinic warns that the early signs of common forms of breast cancer---such as a breast lump or suspicious area on a mammogram---are usually not apparent in inflammatory breast cancer. Rather, "the breast may appear normal until tumor cells invade and block lymphatic vessels in the overlying skin," according to MayoClinic.com. As a result, fluid in the breast backs up, causing swelling and discoloration. There is also a great deal of tightness of the breast and pain associated with inflammatory breast cancer as it advances.
How It Spreads
Inflammatory breast cancer, also referred to as IBC, tends to spread more quickly and aggressively than more common types of breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. When diagnosed, it is already considered to be at least stage IIIB (locally advanced), and might be diagnosed stage IV (metastastic) if it has spread to distant parts of the body. In fact, the American Cancer Society reports that IBC is more likely to have spread to nearby lymph nodes at the time it is discovered than any other type of breast cancer. "Nearly all women have lymph node involvement at the time of diagnosis, and approximately 36 percent have gross distant metastases," according to the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The body's lymphatic system consists of a network of organs, vessels and nearly 600 lymph nodes situated throughout your body. Once a person's lymph nodes are affected by cancer, it can spread quickly to other parts of the body.
Treatment
If you experience any of the following symptoms, consult a doctor immediately. Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include swelling, redness, discoloration, itching, pain, dimpling or change in appearance of the skin surrounding the nipple. Treatment of IBC is different from most breast cancers and must be developed specifically based on your body's hormonal reaction to the illness. Like the disease itself, most treatments are aggressive and can involve a combination of radiation, chemotherapy and surgery, according to the American Cancer Society.
Tags: breast cancer, American Cancer, American Cancer Society, Cancer Society, inflammatory breast, lymph nodes
