Friday, November 20, 2009

Diagnosis and Staging of Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer forms in layers, your doctor may not feel a distinct lump during a breast exam and a mammogram may not detect one either. However, it is possible to see and feel the skin thickening that often happens with IBC. This skin thickening can also be detected on a mammogram.

In most cases, inflammatory breast cancer is diagnosed after you or your doctor can see or feel breast changes such as redness, swelling, warmth, or an orange-peel look to the skin. Because IBC grows quickly, it is usually found at a locally advanced stage, meaning that cancer cells have spread into nearby breast tissue or lymph nodes. Just about all people with IBC have evidence of cancer in the lymph nodes. In approximately 1 out of 3 people with IBC, the cancer has spread from the breast to other areas of the body.

If you’ve been diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, it’s completely understandable if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Keep in mind, though, that there are a variety of treatment options available for IBC.

No comments:

Post a Comment