What are the signs of inflammatory breast cancer?
Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) is a relatively rare form of breast cancer (about 1-4%), and symptoms can include the following: • A warm swollen breast that does not change through the menstrual cycle • Skin that is red or appears dimpled like an orange (peau d’orange) • The sudden appearance of a lump in the breast or thickening of breast tissue • Rapid, unusual increase in breast size • Itching or pain in the breast • A nipple that is flattened or inverted, possibly with discharge • Swollen lymph nodes under the arm or above the collarbone These symptoms often appear with IBC because the cancer is fast-growing and blocks the lymph vessels in the breast and skin. All of the listed symptoms may also be present with benign breast disorders. Different women have different symptoms and in some cases there may be no visible skin changes. We know that if we find a lump in our breast, we should have it checked out by a doctor, but many women don’t know that you don’t have to have a lump to
