Most women know the importance of breast self-exams and regular medical checkups in detecting potentially cancerous lumps. But how many know how to spot the symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer, which usually occurs without any palpable mass?
Though rare — affecting 1 percent to 6 percent of breast cancer patients, according to the Mayo Clinic — inflammatory breast cancer is more aggressive than other types. It usually grows in nests or sheets, rather than as a confined tumor, according to the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and often goes undetected by mammograms and ultrasounds.
Here is what to watch for:
*Swelling, usually sudden, sometimes as much as a cup size within a few days
*Itching and/or pain
*Pink, red or dark areas, sometimes with an unusual texture to the skin that is similar to that of an orange (called peau d’orange)
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*Nipple retraction and/or nipple discharge, which may be bloody
*Change in color and texture of the areola
For more resources and information on treatments and research, visit ibcresearch.org.