Inflammatory Breast Cancer Can Be A Silent Killer

It’s a form of breast cancer you might not be familiar with – but it’s sometimes referred to as a “silent killer” because of the way it spreads and is detected.

Inflammatory breast cancer represents about five per cent of all breast cancer cases, and unfortunately for those who are diagnosed with it, by the time they realize they have it, it could be too late.

Because it often appears as a sheet of redness instead of a lump, it’s also not detected as easily by mammograms or breast self-examinations. Despite its name, it’s not caused by an inflammation or infection. Inflammatory breast cancer occurs when cancer cells clog the lymphatic vessels in the skin overlying the breast. The blockage is what leads to the red, and often dimpled skin.

Marilyn Buxton was on vacation when she detected the problem.

“With inflammatory breast cancer the general procedure is to do the chemotherapy first, and then do the surgery,” said Buxton, who needed to have both breasts removed.

“But with some research, maybe we can get rid of this disease…find a cure.”

Typically women who are diagnosed with this form of breast cancer have grim chances of survival compared to those with the noninflammatory form, but new treatment options being developed are offering more hope for survival.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer Signs And Symptoms

This form of breast cancer grows quickly, and changes can be noticed in a matter of days or weeks. Unlike the most common form of breast cancer, you likely won’t notice a lump. Instead there might be an area of thickness or a feeling of heaviness in one of your breasts. It tends to develop as a sheet rather than a lump or tumour.

Look for:

• A breast that appears red, purple, pink or bruised
• A tender, firm and enlarged breast
• A warm feeling in the breast
• Itching of the breast
• Pain
• Ridged or dimpled skin texture, similar to an orange peel
• Thickened areas of skin
• Enlarged lymph nodes under the arm, above the collarbone or below the collarbone
• Flattening or retraction of the nipple
• Swollen or crusted skin on the nipple
• Change in color of the skin around the nipple

Note: Inflammatory breast cancer is easily confused with breast infection, or mastitis. Mastitis occurs most often in younger women who are breast-feeding. They cause a fever and are treated with antibiotics. Inflammatory breast cancer typically doesn’t cause a fever, nor does it respond to antibiotics.

Breast redness, sensitivity or swelling can also be caused by a previous operation or radiation therapy that involved the outer breast or underarm. This is also not inflammatory breast cancer.

When to seek medical advice

The progression of inflammatory breast cancer is rapid – if you notice any of the signs and symptoms you should contact your doctor right away.

Courtesy Mayo Clinic

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Breast Cancer Screening

Mammograms:

• A mammogram can find breast cancer when it is very small – 2 to 3 years before you can feel it.
• No screening tool is 100% effective. Good quality mammograms can find 85-90% of cancers.
• Studies show that regular mammograms help lower the chance of dying from breast cancer.
• When breast cancer is found and treated early, the 5-year survival rate is more than 95%.
• The best screening for your breasts includes regular mammograms and a yearly physical breast exam by your doctor or specially trained health care provider.

Breast Self-Examination:

Breast self-examination (BSE) is a way of checking your own breasts. BSE does NOT replace a mammogram or a physical breast exam by a trained health care provider as a way of screening for cancer. Cancer found through BSE is usually larger or at a more advanced stage than cancer found by a mammogram.

Regular breast screening can find cancer when it is small. Finding a cancer when it is small means:

• There is a better chance of treating the cancer successfully
• It is less likely to spread
• There may be more treatment options

If you are age 50 to 69:

The Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) encourages all women aged 50-69 to go for a screening mammogram and clinical breast exam every 1 to 2 years.

Scientific studies show that breast screening in this age group can reduce the chance of death from breast cancer.

Courtesy Cancer Care Ontario

For information on how to perform a breast self-examination, click here.

And for information on the Weekend To End Breast Cancer, click here.