Inflammatory Breast Cancer Information

I was thinking that if I put some information on my blog about Inflammatory Breast Cancer and it helped even one woman that would be awesome. I'm asking you to spread the word about this type of breast cancer because the general public does not know about IBC. 1 out of 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. 2-5 % will be Inflammatory Breast Cancer. That seems like a small number until it happens to your mom, daughter, sister or wife. So spread the information. It could be a life that you save.

Not only does the general public NOT know about Inflammatory Breast Cancer but a lot of doctors have no clue either. This is where getting the information to you is so vital. Many women have died because their doctor delayed treatment because they thought it was just an infection.

What is IBC or Inflammatory Breast Cancer?

• Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) is THE MOST aggressive type of breast cancer in which the cancer cells block the 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”, sometimes overnight.


• IBC accounts for 1 to 5 percent (these numbers vary depending on their source) of all breast cancer cases in the United States. It tends to be diagnosed in younger women compared to non-IBC breast cancer.


• IBC lies in sheets (or nests), not the usual lump women are told to look for, thus rarely seen on routine mammograms.


• Inflammatory Breast Cancer occurs more frequently and at a younger age in African Americans than in Whites. The median age range of IBC patients is between 45 and 55 years old, but may be either younger or older.


• Like other types of breast cancer, IBC can occur in men.


• The 5-year median survival rate is approximately 40%, mainly due to delays in diagnosis, a physician's lack of expertise in treating IBC and its resistance to treatment with standard chemotherapy drugs.


• IBC is treated differently, because it is different.

One important thing I think you need to know is that with IBC there is not usually a lump (mine was more of an hard area in the breast that felt like mastitis). Also, mammograms do not usually pick up IBC because there is no lump. (I had several mammograms and ultrasounds that showed nothing.)

Signs of IBC

• a swollen breast


• a painful breast


• a incessant itchy breast


• a rash on one breast


• a bug bite that won't go away


• nipple changes (hardening, lumpy or flattened out)


• a hardened area in the breast but not a lump

I think most of us know our bodies pretty well. Pay attention, if something seems strange don't ignore it. Be your own advocate. Do research. Don't let your doctor placate you and say things are OK. I might still be fighting an "infection" if I hadn't been persistent.

One last thing, men can get breast cancer and Inflammatory Breast Cancer also!

There are some great websites out there addressing Inflammatory Breast Cancer and you can google them for more details. I pulled some information from this website. You can also shoot me questions anytime and I'd be happy to answer or direct you to someone who can answer your questions.

Click here to watch a short piece done on IBC by Komo TV in Seattle Washington.

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Thanks again for your love and support!