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 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 treatment is usually the first step in treating IBC. Chemotherapy is usually given intravenously to kill all cancer cells in the body. Because chemotherapy can not target just the bad, cancer cells, all of the cells in the body are destroyed. This can lead to one of the side effects of hair loss.
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.
Inflammatory Breast cancer is considered more aggressive than other types of breast cancer because it can spread throughout the body faster and it is harder to detect through screening tools. The National Cancer Institute states the survival rates for IBC patients is from 25 to 50 percent. Although these numbers are low, the institute's the statistics is based on a large number of patients. They urge people to seek their physician in regards to their condition.
It is recommended that women should perform monthly breast exams to be familiar with their breasts. Any changes or pain that develops, a woman should contact her physician. The survival rate is higher if breast cancer is caught early.
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 treatment is usually the first step in treating IBC. Chemotherapy is usually given intravenously to kill all cancer cells in the body. Because chemotherapy can not target just the bad, cancer cells, all of the cells in the body are destroyed. This can lead to one of the side effects of hair loss.
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.
Inflammatory Breast cancer is considered more aggressive than other types of breast cancer because it can spread throughout the body faster and it is harder to detect through screening tools. The National Cancer Institute states the survival rates for IBC patients is from 25 to 50 percent. Although these numbers are low, the institute's the statistics is based on a large number of patients. They urge people to seek their physician in regards to their condition.
It is recommended that women should perform monthly breast exams to be familiar with their breasts. Any changes or pain that develops, a woman should contact her physician. The survival rate is higher if breast cancer is caught early.
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