Inflammatory breast cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer, abbreviated IBC, is one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer. It can occur in women of any age and, extremely rarely, in men. It is called inflammatory because it often presents with symptoms resembling a skin inflammation such as erysipelas. Signs vary and frequently include no detectable lump or tumor, so it is often missed by mammography or ultrasound. Typical presentation is rapid breast swelling, sometimes with skin changes such as peau d'orange and nipple retraction, along with redness, persistent itching and unusually warm skin. It can initially resemble mastitis. IBC makes up a small share of breast cancer cases (1 to 6 percent in the USA), and recent advances in therapy have improved the prognosis considerably.