Signs and Symptoms of
Inflammatory Breast Cancer

The majority of women with Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) never detect a lump. Inflammatory breast cancer aggressively attacks the breast in sheets causing a thickening of the skin, but no detectable lump. Inflammatory breast cancer can present in various ways, therefore making each patient's symptoms unique. What makes inflammatory breast cancer different from other breast cancers is that the symptoms progress very rapidly, often within a matter of weeks.

The symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer:

• Breast swelling, which appears suddenly with one breast much larger than the other
• Persistent Itching of the breast (not relieved with cream or salve)
• Shooting or stabbing pain
• Pink, red, or dark colored area, sometimes with a dimpling of the breast skin that looks like an orange peel
• Ridges and thickened areas of the skin
• Breast that feels warm to the touch
• Flattened or retracted nipple
• Breast pain

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare but aggressive form of breast cancer. While it accounts for 2-6% of all breast cancers, the five-year overall survival rate is 40%, as compared to near 90% for all other types of breast cancer combined. The key to survival is an early and accurate diagnosis and healthcare providers that specialize in IBC.

Diagnostic tests for inflammatory breast cancer include:

• Mammogram
• Ultrasound of the breast and lymph nodes
• Biopsy of any mass, enlarged lymph node, and/or breast skin

In most cases of inflammatory breast cancer, a mammogram will not reveal a distinct lump but may show skin thickening or enlarged lymph nodes. Again, in most cases, no distinct mass is seen. Ultrasound is used to further evaluate an abnormal area and to look at the lymph nodes. Ultrasound can also be used as a guide for a biopsy. We have a long way to go, but we are determined to "teach it, treat it and beat it." (MD Anderson Hospital)