Last month was Breast Cancer Awareness Month and while I concentrated on making you aware of the various retailers helping to combat the disease, I neglected to provide much information on the most aggressive form of breast cancer–many women have never heard of it.
My mother is a breast cancer survivor. Two years ago she was diagnosed with Stage 2 cancer and underwent a series of treatments. Today she is still not 100%, but is on the road to recovery. Prior to her diagnosis I was aware of the disease (moderately), but knew nothing of the most aggressive form of the disease, which is not only deadly, but in most cases victims never recognize the symptoms. It’s called inflammatory breast cancer and it’s a very rare and very aggressive disease. But, what makes it so insidious is that its symptoms are so elusive.
This is a true story: a woman being treated with my mom (we’ll call her Anna) noticed an unusual rash around one of her breasts during her morning shower. The last things she thought of was cancer. It was a rash, not a lump or a bump, just a red rash. As a busy mom and wife she simply ignored it thinking it would go away. Two weeks later the rash was still there. Finally, Anna went to see a doctor thinking he would prescribe her some cream and she would be on her way. Unfortunately, Anna’s rash turned out to be much more than just a skin irritation—it was inflammatory breast cancer.
If there is a bright side to Anna’s story it’s that doctors were able to properly diagnose her. Studies show one in three cases of inflammatory breast cancer are misdiagnosed. The main issue is that it can look just like an infection. What’s more, when most women do monthly breast exams, they are looking for a lump or abnormal mass. But the symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer are different.
Here are some of the symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer:
· Red, warm, swollen, or “inflamed” breasts.
· The skin around the breast may have ridges or dimples like an orange.
· Breasts can appear pink, reddish purple, or appear bruised.
Certainly not the usual symptoms of breast cancer. And, what’s worse is the fact that inflammatory breast cancer doesn’t turn up on ultrasounds or mammograms. So what doctors miss can turn deadly.
Doctors describe the disease as fast growing, and studies show this form of breast cancer typically spreads to other parts of the body (lungs, liver, bone, lymph nodes) faster than other forms of cancer.
Your greatest line of defense is education and early diagnosis. If you even suspect you may have inflammatory breast cancer–see a doctor right away. If your doctor thinks you have a breast infection, antibiotics should help within 72 hours. But if a week goes by and you still have symptoms– go back.
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