Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and very aggressive disease in which cancer cells block lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. This type of breast cancer is called “inflammatory” because the breast often looks swollen and red, or inflamed. Most inflammatory breast cancers are invasive ductal carcinomas, which means they developed from cells that line the milk ducts of the breast and then spread beyond the ducts. Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is rare. It differs from other types of breast cancer in its symptoms, outlook, and treatment. Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) has some symptoms of inflammation like swelling and redness. But infection or injury do not cause IBC or the symptoms. IBC symptoms are caused by cancer cells blocking lymph vessels in the skin. Symptoms include breast swelling, purple or red color of the skin, and pitting or thickening of the skin of the breast so that it may look and feel like an orange peel. Often, you might not feel a lump. Inflammatory breast cancer occurs when cancer cells block the lymphatic vessels in skin covering the breast, causing the characteristic red, swollen appearance of the breast. Inflammatory breast cancer is considered a locally advanced cancer – meaning it has spread from its point of origin to nearby tissue and possibly to nearby lymph nodes. Inflammatory breast cancer can easily be confused with a breast infection, which is a much more common cause of breast redness and swelling. Seek medical attention promptly if you notice skin changes on your breast.