Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer new to you? Did you know that you didn't need to have a breast lump to have breast disease? Heard of Pagets disease? Women all over the world, including my family and friends, seem to know nothing, or very little, about these type of breast cancers, but we need to.

Inflammatory breast cancer does not necessarily present a breast lump and therefore can easily go undetected. With this disease, cancer cells invade the lymph vessels in your skin, making your breast looked inflamed. Women talk of having a warm, large, red, inflamed breast, often accompanied with breast tenderness and breast pain.

Some women have had their symptoms misdiagnosed as an insect bite or breast infection, and have been given antibiotics. By knowing more about the signs of cancer and doing regular breast examination, we can find changes earlier and increase options available to us.

This type of inflamatory breast cancer is a less common, but highly aggressive disease, needing prompt attention and treatment. If your medical practitioner considers your symptoms to be nothing to worry about, I would not hesitate to get a second opinion.

Symptoms Can Include

One breast larger than the other

Rapid increase in breast size

No breast lump

Breast pain

Redness like an infection

Warmth

Swelling

Itching

Discharge

Lesion or sore

Swollen lymph nodes

Nipple flattening

Change in nipple colour

Dimpling of the skin like orange peel

Do you have an inflamed breast cancer story?
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Please be aware of these signs of breast cancer and remember that a breast lump need not be present. Seek medical advice urgently and absolutely insist that this type disease be considered.

Next time you are at a coffee morning, out for a wine, standing on the sideline with other sports mothers, or chatting in the supermarket isle, why not tell other women about this disease, as well as Pagets disease of the nipple, and know that by doing so, you may save a life.

Woman to Woman interview with survivors.

ABC news item that was emailed around the world.

An Oahu womans battle.

Have an inflamed breast cancer story?
Please click to share your story with other women.

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