Inflammatory breast
cancer
This section discusses the main aspects of inflammatory
breast cancer. We recommend that you read it with Action Breast
Cancer’s
Understanding Cancer of the Breast . We hope that it helps you to
discuss any questions you may have with your cancer specialist or breast care nurse and to be involved in your treatment plan.
Sections
What is inflammatory breast cancer?
What are the signs and symptoms?
How is diagnosis made?
What treatment can I expect?
Coping with Inflammatory breast cancer
Further Support
Help from Action Breast Cancer
What is inflammatory breast cancer?
Inflammatory breast cancer is so called because the overlying skin
of the breast has a reddened appearance – similar to that
seen with some infections of the breast. In patients with inflammatory
breast cancer, the reddened appearance is caused by breast cancer
cells blocking tiny channels in the breast tissue called lymph
channels. The lymph channels are part of the lymphatic system involved
in the body’s defence against infections.
Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare type of breast cancer. Only
1-2% of all breast cancers are inflammatory breast cancer.
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What are the signs and symptoms?
The symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer can appear over a short
space of time. The most common symptoms are a warmth, redness or
swelling of the breast that may feel sore. Ridges may appear on
the skin, or the breast may appear pitted like the skin of an orange.
(This is often described using the French term, peau d’orange.)
As with other forms of breast cancer, some women may find a lump,
while others experience pain in the breast or nipple. Some may
have a nipple discharge or the nipple may be inverted (pulled in).
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How is a diagnosis made?
Inflammatory breast cancer can be difficult to diagnose. This is
because it is a rare form of cancer and the symptoms can be similar
to non-cancerous conditions such as mastitis. Once you have been
referred to a specialist, certain tests may be done to help with
the diagnosis. These include:
- Mammogram (x-ray of the breast)
- Ultrasound (creating a picture of the breast using sound waves)
- A biopsy is usually done to confirm the diagnosis. This involves
removing a piece of tissue from the breast and looking at the cells
under the microscope. It is usually done under local anaesthetic.
Further may be recommended to check whether the cancer has spread outside the breast.
For further information about the different tests call Action Breast
Cancer’s Freefone Helpline and ask for our booklet Understanding Cancer of the Breast .
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What treatment can I expect?
Inflammatory breast cancer can grow more quickly than other types
of breast cancer so there is a stronger possibility that cancer
cells may spread to other parts of the body. For this reason treatment
is usually started straight away. The type of treatment you are
offered will depend on the results of your biopsy and other tests
that may have been done. Treatment usually means having
and .
Clinical trials are going on all the time looking at new and different
ways of treating inflammatory breast cancer. Although it is a serious
form of breast cancer, treatment continues to improve, which means
that the outcome may be more positive now than in the past.
A combination of the following treatments may be used: chemotherapy,
surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapy.
Chemotherapy
You will usually be offered chemotherapy in the first instance.
The aim is to control the disease in the breast and also to destroy
any cancer cells that may have spread outside the breast.
For further information about this treatment see Action Breast
Cancer’s Booklet Understanding Cancer of the Breast
Surgery
After chemotherapy surgery is usually the next step. Ideally the
chemotherapy will have reduced the size of the tumour and the inflammation
will have gone down, making surgery easier. Surgery usually means
having the whole . In some cases it
may be possible to remove part of the breast only, depending on
the extent of the cancer and how well you have responded to chemotherapy.
This is something your specialist will discuss with you.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy may be given before surgery to the tumour and nearby
lymph nodes in the axilla (glands in the armpit) or it may be given
to the chest area after chemotherapy and surgery.
For further information about this treatment call National
Cancer’s Freefone Helpline on 1800 200 700 and ask for the
factsheet on Radiotherapy.
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Hormone therapy
You may be offered hormone therapy if the tumour is oestrogen receptor
positive (depends on the hormone oestrogen for growth).
For further information call the National Cancer Freefone
Helpline on 1800 200 700.
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Targeted Therapies
This is a group of drugs that block the way in which cancer cells grow and spread. The
most well known one is Herceptin. For more information see our Herceptin
(Trastuzumab) factsheet.
Coping with inflammatory breast cancer
Being diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer can be a very anxious
and frightening time, as everything seems to happen so quickly.
Some women describe feeling as if they are on an emotional roller
coaster and that life seems out of control. Everybody responds
differently to their diagnosis and has their own way of coping.
Many people find they can regain some sense of control by finding
out as much as possible about their condition and treatment. It
is important that you feel able to talk to your specialist or breast
care nurse about any questions or concerns you may have.
You may feel alone, particularly as inflammatory breast cancer
is a rare form of breast cancer and there seem to be few people
with the same condition to whom you can look for support. Remember
that there are people who can support you so don’t be afraid
to ask for help. You can let other people know how you are feeling,
particularly your family and friends, so that they can be more
supportive. It can also help to discuss your feelings or worries
with your breast care nurse or your specialist. Alternatively a
counsellor or psychotherapist might be more appropriate if you
want to talk through your feelings in more depth over a period
of time. Your breast care nurse, specialist or GP can usually arrange
this.
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Further Support
You might find it easier to share your feelings with someone who
has had a similar experience to you. Reach to Recovery is a programme
set up to help and support women who have recently had a breast
cancer diagnosis.
The programme works on the principle of personal
contact between the patient and a Reach to Recovery volunteer – a
woman who has had treatment for breast cancer. Carefully selected
and fully trained volunteers are available to provide advice and
reassurance at a time when a woman is most in need of both. For
more information on individual support or support groups in your
area, call the National Cancer Freefone Helpline on 1800 200 700.
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Help from Action Breast Cancer
Action Breast Cancer is a national project established by the Irish
Cancer Society to provide breast cancer information and support
and to fund breast cancer research. Its services are free, confidential
and accessible.
For more information call the National Cancer Freefone Helpline
on 1800 200 700 or visit www.irishcancer.ie
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ABC would like to thank Breast Cancer Care in the UK for their
permission to adapt the text in this factsheet from their series
of factsheets
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