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Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) is another type of breast cancer. It is distinguished from regular breast cancer from its look, which has an “inflamed” or swollen and red appearance instead of the normal lump. This means you will not be able to feel a lump to have IBC. IBC is a rare but very aggressive type of breast cancer, which is caused by cancer cells that block the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast creating its unique form.

Some of the symptoms are: pain in the breast, reddened area, bruise that does not go away, texture and thickness of an orange, nipple retraction or discharge, burning, and aching. If you see or feel any of these symptoms, immediately contact your physician.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer is primarily diagnosed by a doctor’s examination, with biopsies, mammograms, breast ultrasounds, and positron emission tomography (PET) scans to confirm the doctor’s diagnoses. The treatment of IBC is done through many different therapies. There are chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, and 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.

The first step in early detection is performing monthly breast self exams. By performing the self exams, a woman will be familiar with her body in case any changes occur. If a woman sees any signs of concerns, she should immediately contact her physician.

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