Breast Cancer: Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Introduction
Inflammatory breast cancer is an accelerated form of breast cancer that is usually not detected by mammogram or ultrasound.
It is a rare cancer, accounting for approximately 1% - 3% of all breast
cancers. Inflammatory breast cancer causes the breast to appear swollen and
inflamed. The inflammation occurs because the cancer cells block the lymphatic
vessels in the skin of the breast. This causes a blockage in lymph flow leading
to the reddened, inflamed appearance to the breast.
What Are the Symptoms of Inflammatory Breast Cancer?
Unlike the more common form of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer
does not generally present as a lump. The disease grows as nests or sheets that
clog the lymph system under the skin. Often the symptoms are attributed to other
diseases and thus the diagnosis may take a long time to occur.
Symptoms include:
- Pain in the breast. Often inflammatory breast cancer is mistaken as a breast infection and treated with antibiotics. If response to antibiotics doesn't occur after a week, request a breast biopsy or referral to a breast specialist.
- Skin changes in the breast area. You may find pink or reddened areas often with the texture and thickness of an orange. (peau d'orange)
- A bruise on the breast that doesn't go away
- Sudden swelling of the breast
- Itching of the breast
- Nipple retraction or discharge
- Swelling of the lymph nodes under the arm or in the neck.
How is Inflammatory Breast Cancer Diagnosed?
Inflammatory breast cancer is often misdiagnosed as another medical
condition. It's important to pursue a breast or skin biopsy if treatments for
another breast condition like an infection don't work.
How is Inflammatory Breast Cancer Treated?
Inflammatory breast cancer is an aggressive cancer that can spread quickly. Treatment options include:
- Surgery. If the inflammatory breast cancer has not spread beyond
the breast, a mastectomy can be performed to remove the tumor. However,
mastectomy has been known to increase the chance of recurrence because
inflammatory breast cancer involves the lymph nodes of the skin - and the
skin is stitched together after mastectomy.
However, mastectomy has been known to increase the chance of recurrence because inflammatory breast cancer involves the lymph nodes of the skin - and the skin is stitched together after mastectomy.
- Chemotherapy. This is often given before surgery (neoadjuvant
therapy) to reduce the amount of tumor present and decrease the recurrence
risk.
- High Dose Chemotherapy/Bone Marrow Transplant. Researchers are
studying whether giving high doses of chemotherapy, followed by bone marrow or
stem cell transplantation is effective for treating inflammatory breast cancer.
- Radiation. Often radiation is given after chemotherapy and/or
surgery.
Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center.
Edited by
Tracy Shuman, MD, WebMD, August 2005.
Portions of this page © The Cleveland Clinic 2000-2005
Last Editorial Review: 1/31/2005 6:50:59 AM
- Breast Biopsy - Learn about the different types of breast biopsy procedures, which are used to remove suspicious breast growth and examined for the presence of cancer.
- Breast Cancer - Get the facts on breast cancer symptoms, signs, stages, types, research, risk factors, diagnosis, prevention information and treatment options: mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy.
- Breast Self Exam - Breast self-exam can detect breast cancer early.
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