Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare type of breast cancer that develops rapidly, making the affected breast red, swollen and tender. Inflammatory breast cancer occurs when cancer cells block the lymphatic vessels in skin covering the breast, causing the characteristic red, swollen appearance of the breast. Inflammatory breast cancer is considered a locally advanced cancer — meaning it has spread from its point of origin to nearby tissue and possibly to nearby lymph nodes. Inflammatory breast cancer can easily be confused with a breast infection, which is a much more common cause of breast redness and swelling. Seek medical attention promptly if you notice skin changes on your breast. Inflammatory breast cancer care at Mayo Clinic.
Inflammatory breast cancer - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic
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The multidisciplinary management of inflammatory breast cancer IBC , which is the most aggressive form of breast cancer due to its rapid proliferation, has changed over the past three decades thanks to advances in medical treatments that represent the basis of treatment, without eliminating the use of locoregional treatments including surgery and radiotherapy in the localized stages. The molecular profile determination of IBC allows the orientation towards new targeted therapeutic strategies with an impact on survival. Inflammatory breast cancer IBC is a rare and aggressive clinicopathological entity of breast cancer. Secondary IBC was defined by secondary changes in the breast or recurrence of breast cancer [ 3 ]. The incidence of IBC varies considerably in different regions around the world.
Inflammatory breast carcinoma is an extremely rare, rapidly progressive breast carcinoma which is a great masquerader and often is mistaken as an inflammatory lesion. This leads to the delay in diagnosis. Here, we report such a case where the mistaken clinical diagnosis led to it being treated with antibiotics.