What Is The Name Of The Cancer That Makes Your Breast Red
Inflammatory breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer often appears as an enlarged breast with red, thickened skin. Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare type of breast cancer that develops rapidly, making the affected breast red, swollen and tender. Inflammatory breast cancer occurs when cancer cells block the lymphatic vessels in skin covering
Looking For More On How To Track Side Effects
Cancer.Net offers several resources to help you keep track of your symptoms and side effects. Please note that these links will take you to other sections of Cancer.Net:
- Cancer.Net Mobile: The free Cancer.Net mobile app allows you to securely record the time and severity of symptoms and side effects.
- ASCO Answers Managing Pain: Get this 32-page booklet about the importance of pain relief that includes a pain tracking sheet to help patients record how pain affects them. The free booklet is available as a PDF, so it is easy to print.
- ASCO Answers Fact Sheets: Read 1-page fact sheets on anxiety and depression, constipation, diarrhea, and rash that provide a tracking sheet to record details about the side effect. These free fact sheets are available as a PDF, so they are easy to print, fill out, and give to your health care team.
The next section in this guide is Follow-up Care and Monitoring. It explains the importance of checkups after you finish cancer treatment. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.
Learn more about the importance of follow-up care.
Stage 3 Inflammatory Breast Cancer Treatment
Treatment for stage 3 IBC typically includes a method called a multimodal approach, which involves a combination of three treatments:
- Systemic therapies. Systemic therapies impact organs and tissues throughout your body and can help to shrink the cancer before surgery. Some examples of systemic therapies include:
- chemotherapy, which uses strong drugs to kill cancer cells or slow their growth
- targeted therapy, which can specifically target cells that are HER2-positive
- hormone therapy, which can block the activity of hormone receptors on cancer cells
Recommended Reading: How To Help Breast Cancer
Scabies Eczema And Shingles
A rash under breast caused would also be as a result of scabies, eczema or shingles. This are skin disorders that produces sings similar to those of rash caused by allergies and insect bites on the breast area.
- Scabies is a severe itchy skin disorder. It is contagious and is caused by scabies mite. If you have a skin rash composed of small red bumps and blisters under breast and other parts of the body, you could be suffering from scabies.
- Eczema is also called atopic dermatitis. It is a possible cause of an itchyred rash on breast. It is characterized by an itchy red rash that is dry or scaly.
- Shingles is caused by a viral infection. It can cause a painful rash under the breast area. Shingles bumps, chickenpox or herpes zoster bumps appear as a single stripe of blisters on the affected area
How Is Inflammatory Breast Cancer Different From Other Types Of Breast Cancer
Compared to other types of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer has different signs, symptoms, and prognoses.
- Breast lump not likely. Developing a lump in your breast is not typical with IBC.
- Swelling and skin changes. IBC causes swelling, discoloration, and dimpling. The affected breast may feel warmer and heavier than the other. It may develop redness or appear bruised.
- Appears at a younger age. IBC affects people approximately
Recommended Reading: Radiation Machine For Breast Cancer
Knowledge Is Power: Share With Others
Knowledge is power. Sharing the ugly medical facts and the symptoms of IBC with your loved ones may be critical to saving lives. Please help to spread the correct knowledge.
This is important information not just for sharing woman to woman, but woman to man, and man to man. This is about all of us. If we can save one person by raising awareness, think of the joy of having that loved one remain in this world.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.
If Treatment Does Not Work
Recovery from breast cancer is not always possible. If the cancer cannot be cured or controlled, the goals of care may switch to focusing on helping a person live as well as possible with the cancer.
This diagnosis is stressful, and for some people, advanced cancer may be difficult to discuss. However, it is important to have open and honest conversations with your health care team to express your feelings, preferences, and concerns. The health care team has special skills, experience, and knowledge to support patients and their families and is there to help. Making sure a person is physically comfortable and emotionally supported is extremely important.
People who have advanced cancer and who are expected to live less than 6 months may want to consider hospice care. Hospice care is designed to provide the best possible quality of life for people who are near the end of life. You and your family are encouraged to talk with the health care team about hospice care options, which include hospice care at home, a special hospice center, or other health care locations. Nursing care and special equipment can make staying at home a workable option for many families. Learn more about advanced cancer care planning.
After the death of a loved one, many people need support to help them cope with the loss. Learn more about grief and loss.
You May Like: Breast Cancer Misdiagnosed As Cyst
Clinical And Pathological Characteristics
Clinically, inflammatory breast cancer is characterized by the rapid onset of breast warmth, erythema, and edema often without a well-defined mass. Along with extensive breast involvement, women with inflammatory carcinoma often have early involvement of the axillary lymph nodes. Taylor and Meltzer provided a classic description of inflammatory breast cancer in their 1938 paper: “The redness, which may vary from a faint blush to a flaming red, spreads diffusely over the breast, which becomes hot, pitted, and edematous, presenting an ‘orange-skin’ appearance. Meanwhile the cancer spreads rapidly throughout the entire breast in the form of a diffuse ill-defined induration. The breast may swell to two or three times its original volume within a few weeks” . The rapidity of growth can be used to distinguish true ‘primary’ inflammatory carcinoma from neglected locally advanced breast tumors that have developed inflammatory features . The mammographic appearance of inflammatory breast cancer differs from other breast tumors because less than half will show a discrete mass . However, other abnormal findings such as skin thickening, trabecular thickening, and axillary adenopathy are present in the majority of patients . Figure shows the typical clinical and radiographic appearance of inflammatory breast carcinoma.
Figure 1
What Causes Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Most inflammatory breast cancer is considered invasive ductal carcinoma. Ductal carcinoma is cancer that forms from cells lining your milk ducts. An invasive ductal carcinoma is cancer that spreads beyond your milk ducts, invading healthy tissue. Researchers dont know what causes these cells to become malignant .
Inflammatory breast cancer develops when cancer cells block lymph vessels. Lymph vessels are hollow tubes in your lymphatic system that allow lymph fluid to drain out of your breast. The blockage causes your breast to become red, swollen and inflamed. In most cases of IBC, cancer cells spread outward from your lymph vessels. Cancer that has metastasized affects your other organs and is harder to treat.
Recommended Reading: Tyrer Cuzick Breast Cancer Risk
Deterrence And Patient Education
Breast cancer is the most common female cancer in the United States and the second most common cause of cancer death in women. Early detection and treatment of breast cancer will improve survival. Self-breast examination and screening mammograms play a crucial role in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Patient-centered assessment and intervention with specific regard to cultural beliefs and practices should be considered. The participation of individuals, along with the involvement of the community, health care professionals, and organizations, is strongly recommended in increasing the awareness of breast cancer and its treatments.
How Is Inflammatory Breast Cancer Diagnosed
A diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer is confirmed by breast imaging, breast core biopsy and a skin punch biopsy. Breast biopsy and skin punch biopsy involves the doctor taking a small sample of breast tissue and breast skin, respectively. The samples go to a laboratory, where a pathologist will examine the cells under a microscope.
If a patient has inflammatory breast cancer, the pathology report will typically indicate that breast cancer cells are present in the breast tissue and the lymph vessels of the skin.
ODonnell acknowledges that waiting for test results, such as a biopsy, can be stressful.
We know how quickly patients want results from a biopsy if there is a suspicion of breast cancer, so pathologic analysis proceeds very quickly. Most of our patients will receive the pathology report within 24 hours, she says.
Other steps to work up an inflammatory breast cancer include:
- Breast cancer staging: A diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer is classified as stage 3 breast cancer.
Recommended Reading: One Lymph Node Positive Breast Cancer
Metastatic Inflammatory Breast Cancer
If cancer has spread to another part in the body from where it started, it is called metastatic cancer. If this happens, it is a good idea to talk with doctors who have experience in treating it. Doctors can have different opinions about the best standard treatment plan. Clinical trials might also be an option. Learn more about getting a second opinion before starting treatment, so you are comfortable with your chosen treatment plan.
Your treatment plan may include a combination of the treatments discussed above. However, surgery and radiation therapy may be used more often to manage symptoms in other parts of the body than to treat the cancer. Palliative care will also be important to help relieve symptoms and side effects.
For most people, a diagnosis of metastatic cancer is very stressful and difficult. You and your family are encouraged to talk about how you feel with doctors, nurses, social workers, or other members of the health care team. It may also be helpful to talk with other patients, such as through a support group or other peer support program.
Physical Emotional And Social Effects Of Cancer
Cancer and its treatment cause physical symptoms and side effects, as well as emotional, social, and financial effects. Managing all of these effects is called palliative care or supportive care. It is an important part of your care that is included along with treatments intended to slow, stop, or eliminate the cancer.
Palliative care focuses on improving how you feel during treatment by managing symptoms and supporting patients and their families with other, non-medical needs. Any person, regardless of age or type and stage of cancer, may receive this type of care. And it often works best when it is started right after a cancer diagnosis. People who receive palliative care along with treatment for the cancer often have less severe symptoms, better quality of life, and report that they are more satisfied with treatment.
Palliative treatments vary widely and often include medication, nutritional changes, relaxation techniques, emotional and spiritual support, and other therapies. You may also receive palliative treatments similar to those meant to get rid of the cancer, such as chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy.
Learn more about the importance of tracking side effects in another part of this guide. Learn more about palliative care in a separate section of this website.
You May Like: Will I Need Chemo For Breast Cancer
Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
Ductal carcinoma in situ refers to an area of abnormal cells on one milk duct.
When a person receives this diagnosis, the cells have not invaded the surrounding breast tissue. However, having ductal carcinoma in situ can increase the risk of developing invasive breast cancer later.
This condition generally does not cause symptoms. Doctors find through mammography. Rarely, a person may notice a lump in the breast or some discharge from the nipple.
Treatment Should Begin Without Delay
Inflammatory breast cancer needs treatment as soon as possible. However, because of the unique properties it is recommended that an oncologist with experience in inflammatory breast cancer heads the treatment and management team.
Management of inflammatory breast cancer requires a combined-modality approach to therapy.
Also Check: What Happens When Breast Cancer Spreads To The Lymph Nodes
You May Like: How Is Breast Cancer Found
What Is Breast Cancer
Overview. Breast cancer is the uncontrollable growth of malignant cells in the breasts. Its the most common cancer in women, although it can also develop in men. The exact cause of breast cancer is unknown, but some women have a higher risk than others. This includes women with a personal or family history of breast cancer
What Is The Best Treatment For Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Hormone therapy: If the cells of a womans inflammatory breast cancer contain hormone receptors, hormone therapy is another treatment option. Drugs such as tamoxifen, which prevent estrogen from binding to its receptor, and aromatase inhibitors such as letrozole, which block the bodys ability to make estrogen, can cause estrogen-dependent cancer cells to stop growing and die.
Recommended Reading: What Do I Do If I Have Breast Cancer
Survivorship Care After Inflammatory Breast Cancer Treatment
Treatments for inflammatory breast cancer can increase many peoples risk of developing certain diseases and conditions as they get older, including high blood pressure, heart disease, or osteoporosis.
As a result, medical experts recommend survivorship care plans to help make sure people get regular screenings for these and other diseases and conditions.
Survivorship care plans are written documents made up of two parts. The first part is a treatment summary of all the breast cancer treatments youve received. The second part is a roadmap of what you can expect in the years after treatment, including any late or long-term side effects that you may have, and a schedule of how your healthcare team plans to make sure you get the screenings you need. This part of the survivorship care plan usually includes:
Don’t Bet Against Me Beating The Odds Against Breast Cancer And In Life
I just finished reading a great book that surprised me. Deanna Favre’s book, “Don’t Bet Against Me! Beating the Odds Against Breast Cancer and in Life.” This book is a little bit about her journey, but it really is a guide on what to expect. The back of the book has references, including terminology. Deanna’s purpose in this book is clearly to help a loved one through the darkness of this trauma. If you have a friend who is hurting, this would make a great companion to help them through this trauma.
http://www.deannafavre4hope.com/
Recommended Reading: Is There Any Cure For Breast Cancer
Change In Nipple Appearance
A change in the shape of the nipple is another possible early sign of IBC. Your nipple may become flat or retract inside the breast.
A pinch test can help determine if your nipples are flat or inverted. Place your thumb and index finger around your areola and gently squeeze. A normal nipple moves forward after pinching. A flat nipple doesnt move forward or backward. A pinch causes an inverted nipple to retract into the breast.
Having flat or inverted nipples does not necessarily mean you have IBC. These types of nipples are normal for some women and are no cause for concern. On the other hand, if your nipples change, speak with a doctor immediately.
What Is The Treatment For Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Because inflammatory breast cancer is an aggressive cancer, aggressive treatment provides the best chance of a good outcome.
We treat inflammatory breast cancer with a multidisciplinary approach. says ODonnell. Multimodality treatment includes all members of the breast team, including the medical oncologist, breast surgeon and radiation oncologist. The entire breast team is mobilized to care for you.Here are some therapies your doctor may include in your treatment plan:
- Neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Treating you with chemotherapy as a first step can reduce the amount of disease in the breast and skin.
- Surgery can remove more of the cancer from your body.
- Radiation treatments can address lingering cancer cells in the chest wall.
- Hormonal therapy can treat some forms of inflammatory breast cancer.
- Biologic targeted therapy such as trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody, is useful in treating HER2-positive disease.
Don’t Miss: What Are The Chances Of Breast Cancer Returning
A Note About Sex And Gender
Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article will use the terms, male, female, or both to refer to sex assigned at birth. .
There are many different types of breast cancer.
Each form of breast cancer develops in a different part of the breast and can affect different tissue types.
Since many breast cancers cause no symptoms, people should attend regular screenings. This can help identify the disease in its early stages.
Below, we outline the types of breast cancer and their symptoms.