Inflammatory Breast Cancer Guide: What Is It ?

Just adding this link to the extensive Macmillan information section Understanding Inflammatory Breast Cancer.

Just joined the group ?  Please don't hesitate creating a New Discussion and asking any questions you may have, we're all here to help.

Take Care, G n' J

IBC or Mastoiditis.. since  October last year had breast flare up all symptoms of IBC goes back down. Last one flared in 2sec involves entire breast stops upper breast. I do get fevers at start then nil latter. Breast swells and red..cellulitis. Nipple changes which lattr return back normal after month dumpling skin  has .purplish color once red goes. Has  mixture sensation heavy fluid or sharp. I had breast stage 2, with no lymph nodes. They say it' due to radiation causes. and Mastoiditis. I treated intravenous antibiotics 3 days improved CRP from 120 to 50. I saw breast specialist 2 days prior before flare up. Mammogram normal and breast too. She not original surgeon. I wonder what should ask or go with status quo. I can' seem find much on IBC if it can present like this or highly unlikely and radiotherapy is often a cause as they suggest. Thiugh the inflammation never strts near wound this might be irrelavent. 

Whether I should ask for a biopsy privately with previous surgeon or not. Good to.some facts around progression of IBC.. Thanks million Marg.

Hi  

Welcome to the club no one wants to join - so sorry to read about your Inflammatory worries :(

May be wrong but I'm assuming you are outside the UK as with your continuing symptom flare up's you would have been placed on the 2 week cancer pathway and had a mammogrm, ultrasound and probable biopsies carried out by now :-/

Inflammatory can be a devil to diagnose without biopsies as in a lot of cases a mammogram and even ultrasound may show nothing as mostly there isn't an actual tumour to find.

If you are in the UK do be assertive and push for a breast clinic referral, if not going for a private biopsy although albeit an expensive option would give the answers you seek. If your fears are confirmed the time saved in getting treatment would make this a worthwhile option, but if they come back clear for IBC it is money lost to get you peace of mind.

It comes down to cash; if you can comfortably afford to have a private biopsy finding out for certain one way or the other is a bit of a no brainer - but if not, you may feel this is money wasted if you get the all clear ?

Is there something like a well woman walk in clinic you can get this checked out in somewhere local to get like a second opinion ? as long as it is somewhere that would have insight into IBC as it is more uncommon.

Because of the aggressive nature of Inflammatory perhaps this would have become considerably worse since October, so I'm afraid only you can decide the next steps to take - I'm not well up enough on IBC to say as my wife had bog standard BC.

Assume you looked at the links in the above messages regarding IBC and symptoms etc ? There is further IBC diagnostic info here.

Do get back to us (or start a New Discussion about this) maybe someone else here who actually had Inflammatory would get back to you with more experienced replies.

Hope this is of some help for now, take care, G n' J

Hi Dreamthief,

Thanks for reposting this.  Just to add re. the recent query, that another diagnostic criteria in addition to the ones you list is quick onset of symptoms ( no more than 6 months). This is to distinguish it from the symptoms of neglected locally advanced Breast cancer.

Cheers,

Susanneg

I was diagnosed with IBC 5 years ago, true it’s difficult to diagnose early, with scans etc, it doesn’t doesnt always show up, 

I’d just had my yearly Mamorgram, it was clear, the next month it felt as if I had Mastitis I’d had it with the kids, but at 60 it was unlikely to be that, my GP, although never seen IBC before

Was on the ball and referred me to a Breast Surgeon knowing I’d had the scan, I had Biopsi same day, when results came in confirming IBC my feet didn’t touch the ground, started Chemo the following week, then Surgery, then radiotheraoh,I think for once my age was for me having been through the menopause and not of child bearing age, xxxx

Help, my daughter 36 had a bright red rash on left boob. Then started to fade , she heard about IBC  so went to see her Gp, she wasn't happy so sending  her to the hospital, must be seen in 10days  of course we are worried to death,  but it's faded  Now nearly gone, just a hint there has been somethink going on. Would it do that. No other symptoms at all, but some sites say  there isn't any other symptoms  but then you read, it's hot to the touch  bigger than.the other boob, can itch, so we are confused. 

Hi, it must be an anxious time for you both but good that the GP was proactive in referring to hospital, as that's the only way to find out what's going on. Ideally your daughter should have ultrasound as well as mammogram, and a skin biopsy when she's seen at the hospital, as IBC doesn't always present with typical symptoms. IBC is rare so chances are that it's something else. Even if it is, there are excellent  and successful treatments available now so please come back for further advice if necessary - but I hope you won't need to.

Just giving this a 'Bump' for any newly diagnosed members.

G n' J