Inflammatory Breast Cancer
A rare type of breast cancer is called Inflammatory Breast Cancer . It is a type of breast cancer that is inflamed or swollen and has a red appearance instead of a lump form. It is harder to detect because you can not feel it like a lump. It is an aggressive cancer although it is a rare form of breast cancer.
Some signs to look for are: bruising around the breasts, pain, difference in texture and thickness of the breast, nipple discharge, burning sensation, and aching. If any of these symptoms occur, you must go seek a physician right away.
Once the doctor determines the possibility of breast cancer, the next step in diagnosis is a mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy, and/or positron emission tomography (PET) scan. Once the diagnosis for breast cancer is confirmed, the treatments to kill the cancer cells could include: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, and/or surgery.
Chemotherapy is usually the first step of treatment and affects the cells throughout the entire body. The goal of chemotherapy is to destroy the cancer cells that may have spread throughout the body. Because chemotherapy treatment can not determine the bad from the good cells, chemotherapy will destroy all cells. One of the effects of chemotherapy is hair loss throughout the body.
After chemotherapy treatment is completed, the next step in treatment is surgery and then possible radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is used to target the specific area of the cancer. If needed, additional treatments may be recommended to reduce the risk of recurrence of the cancer.
The problem with IBC is that it can spread to other areas of the body faster than other breast cancers. According to the National Cancer Institute, the survival rate for patients with IBC is between 25 to 50 percent. They also note that although the survival rate is low, the statistics they give are based on a large number of patients and should not be applied to a person’s specific situation and urge people to consult with their doctor for their particular condition.
To emphasis on early detection, it is recommended that women at all ages should perform a monthly breast self exam. This monthly exam will allow women to detect any changes in their breasts. If a woman find anything unusual or feel any discomfort, she should see her physician as soon as possible.
SaveRBoobies offers free resources and information to women before and after breast cancer treatments. View video interviews with surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, nutritionists, yoga instructors, survivors, and more. SaveRBoobies strives to support breast cancer charities that provide direct services to women by donating portions of its breast cancer apparel sales.
