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Inflammatory breast cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer

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Inflammatory breast cancer describes a particularly rare and aggresive form of breast cancer most commonly arising from the cells which line the milk ducts in the breasts. Quickly dividing cancer cells block the normal flow of blood and lymph fluid out of the breast causing trapped white blood cells to release inflammatory chemicals which cause the earliest symptoms of tender, warm, red and swollen breasts with skin changes (peau d'orange).

Dr. Keegan Duchicela reviewed this

16 year experience in family medicine

How long it usually lasts:

Chronic (lasts years to lifelong)

How common it is:

Teenager
14-18
Rare
Young adult
19-40
Middle-aged adult
41-60
Very common

How it can usually be treated?

Can be cured with medical treatment

How is it usually diagnosed?

Requires diagnosis by a medical professional

Symptoms

Chills
Chest pain
Breast swelling
Breast pain
Breasts enlarged
Load more

Medications

Ratings show how effective doctors think these medications are at treating Inflammatory breast cancer
Hormone therapy

Procedures

Ratings show how effective doctors think these procedures are at treating Inflammatory breast cancer

Surgery

Mastectomy
3.1
8 reviews

Related questions

A 41-year old asked:

I have inflammatory breast cancer please help?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 39-year old female asked:

I suspect inflammatory breast cancer. what is my next step?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 49-year old asked:

Where can I get help to rule out inflammatory breast cancer?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 27-year old female asked:

I read inflammatory breast cancer can look like a bug bite on the breast? How quickly does it spread externally from there?

3 doctor answers • 15 doctors weighed in

A 48-year old asked:

My mum has been diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, what can I do/say to help?

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 33-year old female asked:

I've had breast pain for 2 months and tissue seems denser than other breast. If it were inflammatory breast cancer would symptoms be worse by now?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 40-year old female asked:

What is inflammatory breast cancer?

7 doctor answers • 20 doctors weighed in

A 18-year old female asked:

Odds of inflammatory breast cancer at 18?

2 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in

A 35-year old asked:

What exactly is inflammatory breast cancer?

4 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in

A 49-year old female asked:

What are signs of inflammatory breast cancer?

4 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

A 43-year old asked:

Can inflammatory breast cancer get worse and better?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 34-year old asked:

Can there be any breast cancer worse than inflammatory breast cancer?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 40-year old asked:

What distinguishes inflammatory breast cancer from invasive breast cancer?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 24-year old asked:

Is there a difference between inflammatory breast cancer and invasive breast cancer?

2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

A female asked:

What is inflammatory breast cancer? Is inflammatory breast cancer different from other types of breast cancer? What is the difference?

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 33-year old asked:

I have symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer but there is a 3 week waiting time for a gp appointment. What should I do?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 24-year old female asked:

I have a small round bump underneath the skin on my breast since 1 month. The skin atop the bump is slightly brown. When I press on it, it feels like it's made of skin. Is this characteristic of inflammatory breast cancer? Should I be concerned?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 21-year old asked:

What is inflammatory breast cancer (ibc)?

4 doctor answers • 16 doctors weighed in

A 32-year old asked:

Ibc inflammatory breast cancer, what is this?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 31-year old asked:

What are inflammatory breast cancer symptoms?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 39-year old asked:

Please post pictures of inflammatory breast cancer in early stages?

3 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in

A 21-year old female asked:

Inflammatory breast cancer symptoms? Could it go undetected for years?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 34-year old asked:

How do I know I have invasive ductal carcinoma versus inflammatory breast cancer?

4 doctor answers • 11 doctors weighed in

A 47-year old female asked:

What is the difference between bug bites on my breast vs inflammatory breast cancer? I flicked out an ant out of bra so pretty sure it's bites.about 7

3 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 24-year old female asked:

I just developed three small, pinprick & pinhead sized spots on my right breast. The spots are covered with a reddish brown scab or crust looking surface. What could it be, and is it concerning? Does inflammatory breast cancer cause such spots?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 27-year old female asked:

Can you see inflammatory breast cancer on ultrasound?

3 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

A 34-year old female asked about a 63-year old female:

Could a pheochromocytoma cause inflammatory breast cancer or vice versa?

1 doctor answer • 7 doctors weighed in

A 43-year old asked:

What are the differences between inflammatory breast cancer and mastitis?

3 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in

A 22-year old female asked:

What are the symptom differences between inflammatory breast cancer and mastitis?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 51-year old female asked:

How do you know the difference between a breast abscess and inflammatory breast cancer?

2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

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