We have all been told, time and again, of the importance of carrying out our monthly self breast exams and having regular mammograms with our doctors. However, those of us who are most diligent about taking care of our breast health still have one form of breast cancer to watch for that is difficult to detect with these methods. Inflammatory breast cancer is one of the least known and hardest to detect forms of breast cancer.
What Is Inflammatory Breast Cancer?
Inflammatory breast cancer is an extremely aggressive and deadly form of breast cancer, though it is very rare. Of all cases of breast cancer that are diagnosed, only somewhere between two to five percent are IBC, according to Cancerwise.org. Of these cases however, only 40 percent of those diagnosed have a survival rate of five years or greater. Many of those who have IBC are unaware that there is a problem until their cancer is so far gone that it is virtually untreatable. Rather than the standard lumps that are found through breast exams, IBC has completely different characteristics, making it very hard to detect.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer Symptoms and Diagnosis
Inflammatory Breast Cancer has very unusual symptoms, in comparison to other forms of breast cancer. With most forms of breast cancer, the ducts and tissue are attacked; however in cases of Inflammatory Breast Cancer, the lymph vessels in the skin are where the cancerous cells grow in sheets, rather than lumps, causing this major physical difference in symptoms. Some of the more common symptoms of this rare disease include:
- Redness and swelling of the breast
- A feeling of warmth or tenderness to the touch
- Unusual texture to the skin on the breast
- Inversion of the nipples
- Discharge from the nipples
There may be other symptoms, including lumps in the breast, in some cases. It is important to note that usually these symptoms develop very suddenly. If you have one or more of these symptoms, it is important to consult with a doctor immediately. More than likely, some other problem is causing these symptoms, but with the aggressiveness of this disease, it is important not to take chances.
Doctors use a variety of different methods to attempt to diagnose this particular form of breast cancer. Clinical breast exams and mammography are used often, when attempting to make a diagnosis. Also, many doctors will take an ultrasound of the breast tissue to look for cancerous growths or swellings. Finally, biopsies of the breast tissue can detect cancer cells within the body and confirm any suspicions of IBC.
As with many forms of cancer, there are no real risk factors or preventative measures that can be taken to ward off this disease. However, if there is a family history of this particular form of cancer, close attention should be paid to any physical changes to the breast.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer Treatments
In many cases, by the time that inflammatory breast cancer is detected, the disease is at a very advanced stage. Doctors must treat this form of cancer aggressively, as it progresses very rapidly and time is of the essence. There may be a combination of techniques used to slow and stop the cancer.
Chemotherapy is usually a first step in treatment, in an attempt to keep the cancerous cells from spreading throughout the body. Researchers have found that in some cases, the growth of this cancer is fed by the hormone oestrogen, so as a follow up to standard chemotherapy, hormone treatments are often used to reduce the levels of oestrogen in the body and slow the spread of the disease.
Once the growth has been stalled, surgery is often the next step in the treatment process. As the cancer is aggressive, mastectomy, followed by radiation therapy to attempt to kill any further cancerous cells is usually recommended. IBC patients are given a full mastectomy of the affect breast, as the extreme nature of this form of cancer causes it to spread throughout the breast tissue rapidly.
These standard treatments have raised the life expectancy of those suffering from this disease. In the past, only two percent of women diagnosed with IBC lived past five years. Developments in the treatment have increased that number to 40 percent. There are also many medical establishments attempting to develop new treatment programs for this type of cancer, so looking for clinical trials may also be a treatment alternative for women who have developed this life-threatening disease.
Groups That Are Raising Awareness of Inflammatory Breast Cancer
There are a number of different organization that are attempting to raise awareness of the disease, in hope of increasing early diagnosis and to raise funds to further treatment and find a possible cure. The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation is one of the main groups that is raising money and awareness of this particular form of cancer. The MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas has a clinical program searching for new treatments of the disease. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research Society also has programs that are searching for a cure for IBC, as well as other types of breast cancer. These groups, and many others, are dedicated to improving the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancers, in turn improving the lives and life spans of women all over the world.
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