What is inflammatory breast cancer?

Inflammatory breast cancer is an invasive breast cancer that develops in the cells that line the milk ducts. 

Unlike many other types of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer can spread rapidly, even progressing within days.

Differences between inflammatory breast cancer and other types of breast cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer has several different characteristics that make it different from other breast cancers.

  • Inflammatory breast cancer is more likely to present with skin changes on the breast skin rather than a lump.
  • Inflammatory breast cancer cells develop more quickly than the cancer cells in other types of breast cancer.
  • It can be more challenging to treat inflammatory breast cancer, as cancer cells have often spread to nearby lymph nodes and other parts of the body by the time it is diagnosed.
  • Patients with inflammatory breast cancer are usually diagnosed at a younger age than patients with other breast cancers.

Risk factors for inflammatory breast cancer

It is not possible to pinpoint the exact cause of breast cancer, but research suggests that the following may be risk factors in the development of inflammatory breast cancer.

  • Ethnicity: There is a higher incidence of inflammatory breast cancer in black women
  • Body weight: Being obese or overweight seems to increase the risk of all breast cancers
  • Family history: If your close relatives have had breast cancer, then you may be at a higher risk
  • Pregnancy age: Women who have had their first baby at an early age may be more susceptible to this type of cancer

Being affected by the above factors does not mean that you will develop inflammatory breast cancer or indeed any type of breast cancer. 

However, diagnosing inflammatory breast cancer early is crucial for the best outcomes, and many women find that knowing that their risk may be heightened makes them more vigilant.

Factors that may protect against inflammatory breast cancer

Again, it is difficult to pinpoint any protective factors with absolute certainty, but doctors believe that the following may reduce risk:

  • Breastfeeding
  • Maintaining a healthy body weight

Inflammatory breast cancer symptoms

This type of breast cancer can be difficult to diagnose at an early stage, as it does not always cause a lump and may not show on a mammogram.

Symptoms to watch out for include:

  • A swelling of one breast
  • An unusual warmth or heavy feeling in the affected breast
  • A change in skin colour with redness or discolouration on or around the breast
  • A change in skin texture on the breast, with pitting or ridging of the skin that creates an orange peel appearance
  • Tenderness or itching of the breast skin
  • An area of hard breast tissue
  • Swollen lymph glands under the arm or near the collarbone
  • Your nipple swelling suddenly, or an inverted nipple, which is not usual for you

If you find any of these symptoms, consult your doctor immediately.

When you consult your GP, they may first suspect a breast infection and prescribe antibiotics. If a short course of antibiotics does not resolve the situation, your GP will refer you to a breast cancer specialist.

Inflammatory breast cancer cells can spread rapidly, so it is important to act quickly and to inform your GP if your symptoms persist.

How is inflammatory breast cancer diagnosed?

Your breast specialist may use a range of diagnostic tools to gather information about whether breast cancer is present and to determine its type.

These may include

  • a biopsy of your breast
  • imaging scans, such as a mammogram or ultrasound of your breast tissue or lymph nodes
  • CT scans

Inflammatory breast cancer treatment

Doctors usually start the treatment of inflammatory breast cancer with chemotherapy to destroy cancer cells, followed by surgery and then radiation therapy.

The treatment plan depends upon a range of factors, including how advanced the cancer is, whether it is hormone-receptor positive and whether there is a BRCA gene mutation. Hormone therapy, immunotherapy and other targeted drugs will be used to address the characteristics of every cancer.

How we can help

Birmingham Breast Group provides advice on breast health and offers diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

You can read more about our services here.