You Don't Have to Have a Lump to Have Breast Cancer

What? What are you talking about? What about those self-breast exams I do regularly every month? And my yearly mammogram, what about that?! I feel fine, except for my breast is itchy and hot. I must have an infection. Or a bug bite. I do a lot of stuff outside. Cancer? Of course it's not cancer. There's no lump.

What do you mean, there's more than one kind of breast cancer? I can have breast cancer without any lump? Nobody ever told me that! Why not?

Why not? That's a question women all over the world are asking when their doctors tell them they have Inflammatory Breast Cancer, or IBC.

IBC is not a newly discovered type of cancer. it's been there all along. It's just that the push has been to get women checking for lumps, which is good and needs to be done, but that's tended to sideline the other forms of breast cancer that don't have lumps involved, like IBC.

Out of all breast cancer cases, about 6% of people have IBC. But, out of all the deaths from breast cancer, about 25% of people who die have IBC. So, it's rare in terms of total number of cases, but not so rare in terms of total number of deaths.

IBC is extremely aggressive and fast moving. All cases of IBC are stage IIIb (locally advanced) or stage IV (advanced, spread to other organs) when diagnosed. IBC strikes younger women, rather than older women. Sometimes it's noticed in pregnancy or when nursing a baby. A lot of times it's "written off" as mastitis or something relatively mundane. African American women tend to get IBC more than Caucasian women.

If you notice anything out of the ordinary with your breast, get it checked out. Don't wait. Some things to watch out for are redness, swelling, itchiness or warmth of the breast. Skin may be dimpled like an orange peel, the nipple may be inverted. The breast may be sore, ache, burn or feel heavy. Don't take a chance with your health. Get anything you are suspicious of checked out by your doctor. If you are not better within a week, ask to see a specialist.

For more information on IBC visit the IBC Research Foundation at

Standard Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with a medical professional.

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