Inflammatory breast cancer

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Inflammatory breast cancer<ref name="ibcfaq">Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Questions and Answers. National Cancer Institute. Retrieved on 2006-12-02.</ref> is an especially aggressive<ref name="mayo">Inflammatory breast cancer. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved on 2006-12-02.</ref> type of breast cancer that can occur in women of any age (and, although extremely rarely, in men). It is unique because it often does not present with a lump and therefore often is not detected by mammography or ultrasound<ref name="komen">Facts for Life - Inflammatory Breast Cancer (PDF). Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Retrieved on 2006-12-02.</ref>. It presents with the signs and symptoms of a breast infection such as mastitis.

IBC or Inflammatory Breast Cancer causes breast changes in the nipple and surrounding areas. It affects teenagers, and most of them are too embarrassed to show the disfiguration to their parents or doctors, by the time they do it usually too late for treatment. IBC starts out looking like a bug bite or some sort of a sore. There is a very short open window to catch IBC and the importance of open communication with a mother daughter or father daughter is important to be able to discuss openly about body change or disfiguration.

See also the Wikipedia page for the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Association.