A rare but very aggressive type of cancer is Inflammatory breast cancer. The mortality rate for it is higher than that for most other cancers.
Contrary to its name, it doesn't occur because of some inflammation; rather, inflammation is just a symptom in IBC. It is not confined to older women and can develop
in very young women, too. Men are not totally protected from IBC, even though their risk is too low.
There are lymph vessels in the breasts. When a person
develops IBC, the malignant cancerous cells block these vessels. IBC develops in women at a younger age, compared to other forms of breast cancer. Some studies
also suggest that White people are less likely to develop this cancer than the African Americans, who are also said to be vulnerable at a younger age.
The
progression of IBC is its most alarming feature. The time lapse between the first symptom appearing and the cancer reaching a very advanced stage may be leek
than two weeks. This however, may be one of the reasons for early diagnosis of IBC, since the symptoms are very apparent early on due to the cancer's fast
advancement.
The unique characteristic of Inflammatory breast cancer is that no lump formation is associated with it. This characteristic makes it all the more
dangerous, because mammography and ultrasound can not detect it, and it often goes undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed. Biopsy is the best method for diagnosing
IBC.
Typical symptoms for it are extreme reddish to purple-ish, bruised appearance of the breasts, tenderness and immense swelling, which accounts for its
inflamed appearance. The skin around the breasts may be rough and uneven, the nipples may get inverted, there might be persistent itching and heaviness
accompanied with burning aching sensations. Usual symptoms like change in color and texture of areola and breasts are present, too. You might also have swellings
under your arm and above and below your collarbone, which you should never ignore.
The most common misdiagnosis of this is mastitis. Mastitis is just a
breast infection that shows the same symptoms like redness and swelling, as IBC. After a week or two of treatment for mastitis, your symptoms should start
disappearing; otherwise, it's not mastitis. Lymph vessels can get blocked because of other reasons than cancer, too, such as operations on the chest. This is not any
type of cancer. The best way of making sure is getting a biopsy done.
Due to tremendous number of researches going into the field, Inflammatory breast
cancer can be cured in almost fifty five out of every hundred IBC cases. What used to be a certain death two decades back is curable today! Today, the treatment
for IBC is very extensive, although it gives a lot to hope for. Systemic therapies like chemotherapy and hormone treatments are backed up by surgeries like
mastectomy and then by radiation therapy, to eliminate chances of a recurrence, and the treatment is done!
Yes, there is still a high mortality rate for
Inflammatory breast cancer, but do not let that bring you down. You should keep in mind technology has bettered, and is still improving, and that there are people
who love you. You will live as normally as you want to.
