Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC): Symptoms, Diagnosis
Learn about inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a rare and aggressive breast cancer. Know its symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis
Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer that grows rapidly. It accounts for approximately 1%–5% of all breast cancer cases.
The term “inflammatory” is used because the breast often appears inflamed, showing symptoms such as redness, swelling, skin thickening, and pitting resembling an orange peel (peau d’orange).
Unlike many other types of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer typically originates in the ducts or lobules and spreads quickly to the surrounding breast tissue and other parts of the body. Because of its presentation, it is often misdiagnosed as a breast infection, such as mastitis.
Inflammatory breast cancer happens when cancer cells start growing in the breast. These cells break away from where they started and move into the tiny lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. When the cancer cells block these vessels, fluid builds up and causes the breast to look swollen, red, and inflamed. The skin may appear red or purple and can feel warm or thick.
Inflammatory breast cancer usually does not form a typical breast lump. Instead, small groups of cancer cells grow and block the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. Because of this, it often looks like a common breast infection, and many people misunderstand it as an infection at first.
If inflammatory breast cancer is not diagnosed and treated quickly, it can spread to other organs very fast, sometimes within 3 to 6 months. The outlook for this cancer is often poor because it is usually found at a late stage (stage IIIB, IIIC, or IV), which means the survival rate is lower compared to other types of breast cancer.
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Inflammatory Breast Cancer Symptoms
Inflammatory breast cancer usually does not cause a lump in the breast. Instead, the early symptoms can look like minor problems, such as an insect bite, a skin rash, or a breast infection that is not related to cancer.
The breast may look swollen, feel warm to the touch, and have skin that looks pitted, like an orange peel.
One breast may appear larger, heavier, and warmer than the other because of unusual swelling.
The nipple may turn inward or look flattened.
The skin on the breast may look like a rash or a bruise and may appear red or purple.
Redness covering more than one-third of the breast is common.
There may be a fast change in the look of one breast, happening over just a few weeks.
Swelling of the lymph glands under the arm or above the collarbone.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer Risk Factors
Age and gender: Inflammatory breast cancer mainly affects women. It is more common in younger women, but it can occur at any age. A family history of breast cancer may increase risk.
Race: Inflammatory breast cancer is seen more often in African American and Arab American women compared to other types of breast cancer.
Body weight: Having a high body mass index (BMI) increases the risk. Inflammatory breast cancer is more common in women who are overweight or obese.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer Diagnosis
If it is a viral infection, antibiotics will not work. The symptoms may either get worse or clear up on their own within 10–14 days—both are normal for viral illness.
If there is no improvement after 7–14 days of antibiotics, see a breast specialist immediately and ask for further tests or a biopsy.
Antibiotics may be tried first, but no response should raise concern for inflammatory breast cancer (IBC).
IBC should be considered more strongly if symptoms occur in women who are not pregnant, not breastfeeding, or postmenopausal.
IBC grows and spreads quickly and may already involve lymph nodes under the arm or above the collarbone when symptoms appear.
Delayed diagnosis increases the chance of spread to distant organs.
IBC spreads faster than other breast cancers and is often found at an advanced stage, which lowers survival rates.
Diagnosis includes imaging (mammogram, MRI) and biopsies (skin punch or core).
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