Ghosts!

Inflammatory breast cancer takes lives of most of the people who develop it. It is a very “hostile” type of cancer, which thankfully, is also rare. It gets its name from the inflammation the breasts of the victim develop. Contrary to other forms of cancer, inflammatory breast cancer can develop in relatively younger females, too. Rarely do men develop IBC.

There are lymph vessels in the breasts. When a person develops IBC, the malignant cancerous cells block these vessels. IBC develops in women at a younger age, compared to other forms of breast cancer. Some studies also suggest that White people are less likely to develop this cancer than the African Americans, who are also said to be vulnerable at a younger age.

The progression of IBC is its most alarming feature. The time lapse between the first symptom appearing and the cancer reaching a very advanced stage may be leek than two weeks. This however, may be one of the reasons for early diagnosis of IBC, since the symptoms are very apparent early on due to the cancer’s fast advancement.

It is not necessary that a lump be formed if you have IBC. This makes the cancer very undetectable, as many women do not seek proper medical help if they have no lumps in their breasts. Also, without a lump, diagnostic techniques like mammography and ultrasounds can not be relied upon, and the cancer can go undiagnosed. If you show symptoms of Inflammatory breast cancer, insist on a biopsy.

Typical symptoms for Inflammatory breast cancer are extreme reddish to purple-ish, bruised appearance of the breasts, tenderness and immense swelling, which accounts for its inflamed appearance. The skin around the breasts may be rough and uneven, the nipples may get inverted, there might be persistent itching and heaviness accompanied with burning aching sensations. Usual symptoms like change in color and texture of areola and breasts are present, too. You might also have swellings under your arm and above and below your collarbone, which you should never ignore.

IBC is often misdiagnosed as mastitis, a breast cancer infection accompanied with redness and swelling of the breast. The most important thing to remember here is that symptoms persist even after two weeks of treatment for IBC, which is not the case with mastitis. It is also good to know that previous chest operations may partially block your breast lymph vessels, and this is not a breast cancer condition.

The treatment for Inflammatory breast cancer has greatly improved over the last few years. When the mortality rate used to be 100% few years back, today, around 60% women diagnosed with IBC live through their natural life-span. For treating IBC, a combination of therapies is required. Doctors usually start with chemotherapy and hormonal treatment, and follow it up with neoadjuvant therapy and mastectomy, after which, radiation therapy is highly recommended to prevent a recurrence of cancer.

Yes, there is still a high mortality rate for Inflammatory breast cancer, but do not let that bring you down. You should keep in mind technology has bettered, and is still improving, and that there are people who love you. You will live as normally as you want to.