How is IBC different from other types of breast cancer?
Unlike with other types of breast cancers, only 15 percent of people diagnosed with IBC lump. That is why it can be mistaken for breast infections or injuries because of the redness and swelling it causes. While it is possible to detect IBC on a mammogram, the imaging device may not recognize evidence of disease because the cancer forms in layers.
More women than IBC affects men, and it tends to be seen in younger women (under 40) than other breast cancers. Black women are also at a slightly higher risk of the disease than white women and being overweight or obese is also known risk factor for IBC.
These blockages may also cause the lymph nodes under the arm or around the collarbone to become swollen. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, some of these symptoms might be mistaken for a common breast infection called mastitis. This is caused by breast tissue inflammation that usually affects people who are lactating, and they may or may not have an infection. You may initially be diagnosed with this condition and sent home with antibiotics. It is important to talk to your doctor if your symptoms do not go away in seven to 10 days. Unlike an infection, inflammatory breast cancer symptoms do not tend to come and go.
How early can IBC be diagnosed?
Because of IBC’s quick-growing and aggressive nature, combined with its tendency to be misdiagnosed, it is commonly diagnosed at an advanced stage.
IBC tends to grow in layers, which is why it can be missed during exams.
Doctors determine a diagnosis based not just on the breast's appearance, but on the results of further testing, which may include:
A biopsy removes a small sample of affected tissue in your breast to be examined in a lab.
Biopsy results show whether you have the HER2 protein, which is present in about 20 percent of breast cancer cases.
The determination of hormone receptor status, or whether you have more hormone receptors than usual within the cancer cells.
Knowing whether your cancer has any of these characteristics will help you and your care team make informed treatment decisions.
If the biopsy results in an inflammatory breast cancer diagnosis, your doctor will order a breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect how much of the breast tissue and lymph nodes are affected, and whether the other breast has been affected (which is rare). You may have other tests performed, including positron emission tomography (PET) scan, computed tomography (CT) scan, and bone scan, to also see whether the cancer has spread to any other parts of the body.
What are the stages of IBC, and what do they mean?
IBC does not usually appear like typical breast cancer, and it may be hard to catch early. Because of this, by the time IBC is diagnosed, it has progressed to a more advanced stage. IBC is a type of cancer that grows into the skin, which means it is already at stage 3 when it develops. So, while it forms in the milk ducts, there is no way to know if a person has the disease until outward signs appear. Usually, you will see changes in your skin because the lymph vessels are blocked. Like other types of breast cancer, IBC tends to spread to nearby lymph nodes first.
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