Inflammatory cancer, also known as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), is a very aggressive and rare form of breast cancer which generally occurs when cancerous cells divide uncontrollably and thus lead to the blockage of the lymph vessels in the skin. This blockage often leads to a condition wherein the breasts get swollen and become reddish in color. According to the staff of Mayo Clinic, the survival rate of this form of breast cancer is very low compared to other forms. Early diagnosis and detection are critical.
Causes of IBC
As with other forms of breast cancer, most of the cases of inflammatory breast cancer are idiopathic (having no specific cause). However, according to the Mayo Clinic, age, gender and skin color are thought to be risk factors. It has been found that inflammatory cancer generally occurs in women around the age of about 60 to 65 years, and that black women are at an increased risk as compared to the white women.
Men can also develop this condition, but it is very rare and usually only found in men around 70 years of age.
Symptoms of IBC
Some of the most common symptoms and signs that are associated with inflammatory breast cancer include pain near the breasts, enlargement of one or both the breasts, reddish or purple coloration of the breasts, itching near the breasts, and nipple retraction or inward turning of the nipples among others.
Other common symptoms of IBC include swelling or inflammation of the arms, formation of a lump near the breasts and high fever.
Diagnosis of IBC
As the standard tests that are used to diagnose other forms of breast cancer do not provide accurate results for inflammatory breast cancer, newer forms of diagnostic tests are being used.
Surgical biopsy is one of the most common tests used to diagnose and detect IBC. In this method, large samples of the breast skin and the underlying tissues are surgically removed from the patient's body, and these samples are then examined by doctors. This form of diagnosis offers a better chance of detecting and identifying the cancerous cells in the breasts.
After this identification and examination of the cancerous cells, techniques such as mammogram and ultrasound are used to confirm the results of the surgical biopsy.
Surgery
Surgery is the most common form of treatment recommended to individuals suffering from IBC. In this treatment form, a portion of the breasts and underlying infected tissue is surgically removed from the patient's body so as to prevent further spreading of cancer to the various other body parts.
Other Treatment Methods
Other treatment techniques such as radiation therapy, hormone balance therapy and certain anti cancer drugs such as tamoxifen, raloxifene among others are often used by doctors to treat patients suffering from inflammatory breast cancer.
In radiation therapy, high energy beams are projected onto the cancerous cells. These beams help in killing and damaging the infected cells. Hormone balance therapy as well as the anti-cancer drugs help in maintaining the hormone balance in the body, as increased levels of estrogen are often associated with the development of breast tumors.
Tags: breast cancer, inflammatory breast, inflammatory breast cancer, cancerous cells, most common, near breasts, other forms
