Silvana Martino, M.D.
Director of Breast Cancer Research and Education
The Angeles Clinic Foundation
This is a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. Its name is derived from the fact that inflammatory breast cancer looks similar to a breast that is infected. It is often confused with conditions such as cellulitis, mastitis or infected cysts.
A common set of events are often described by a woman with this entity. Their breast became swollen, red and hot. They saw a physician who diagnosed an infection and started the patient on antibiotics. The antibiotics did not resolve the condition and a second antibiotic was tried. The breast may have improved somewhat but not completely. At this point, the doctor became concerned and a mammogram was done. At this point, the diagnosis was made. It was inflammatory breast cancer.
There are two aspects to making the diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer; (1) the appearance of the breast and (2) the pathological features described from a skin biopsy. The classical appearance of the breast includes a red rash on the skin of the breast. The rash may extend beyond the breast. The breast may look and feel swollen. At times, the patient feels that the breast has grown in size. There is not always a palpable mass within the breast. Often, but not always, the breast feels hot to the touch.
To make the diagnosis, a breast biopsy is needed, along with a biopsy of the skin overlying the breast. Tumor cells within the lymphatic vessels of the skin confirm that it is inflammatory breast cancer. At times, the demonstration of this finding on skin biopsy by itself is confused and considered sufficient to make a diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer. This is not correct. This type of skin involvement on skin biopsy can be seen in other forms of breast cancer. It is the clinical picture including the appearance of the breast which is most important in making the diagnosis.
Unlike most other versions of breast cancer, which can occur in both men and women, I have never seen inflammatory breast cancer in a man. Also, I have never seen it occur bilaterally.
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This cancer can be both hormone positive or negative as well as HER2 positive or negative.
Because inflammatory breast cancer generally involves all or most of the breast, surgical treatment is generally a mastectomy. There are occasions when typical breast cancer (noninflammatory) recurs on the skin or chest wall and also looks like an inflammatory process. Some physicians will use the term “inflammatory” to describe this process, but this should not be confused with true inflammatory breast cancer.
Director of Breast Cancer Research and Education
The Angeles Clinic Foundation
This is a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. Its name is derived from the fact that inflammatory breast cancer looks similar to a breast that is infected. It is often confused with conditions such as cellulitis, mastitis or infected cysts.
A common set of events are often described by a woman with this entity. Their breast became swollen, red and hot. They saw a physician who diagnosed an infection and started the patient on antibiotics. The antibiotics did not resolve the condition and a second antibiotic was tried. The breast may have improved somewhat but not completely. At this point, the doctor became concerned and a mammogram was done. At this point, the diagnosis was made. It was inflammatory breast cancer.
There are two aspects to making the diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer; (1) the appearance of the breast and (2) the pathological features described from a skin biopsy. The classical appearance of the breast includes a red rash on the skin of the breast. The rash may extend beyond the breast. The breast may look and feel swollen. At times, the patient feels that the breast has grown in size. There is not always a palpable mass within the breast. Often, but not always, the breast feels hot to the touch.
To make the diagnosis, a breast biopsy is needed, along with a biopsy of the skin overlying the breast. Tumor cells within the lymphatic vessels of the skin confirm that it is inflammatory breast cancer. At times, the demonstration of this finding on skin biopsy by itself is confused and considered sufficient to make a diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer. This is not correct. This type of skin involvement on skin biopsy can be seen in other forms of breast cancer. It is the clinical picture including the appearance of the breast which is most important in making the diagnosis.
Unlike most other versions of breast cancer, which can occur in both men and women, I have never seen inflammatory breast cancer in a man. Also, I have never seen it occur bilaterally.
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
This cancer can be both hormone positive or negative as well as HER2 positive or negative.
Because inflammatory breast cancer generally involves all or most of the breast, surgical treatment is generally a mastectomy. There are occasions when typical breast cancer (noninflammatory) recurs on the skin or chest wall and also looks like an inflammatory process. Some physicians will use the term “inflammatory” to describe this process, but this should not be confused with true inflammatory breast cancer.
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