Swollen, Discolored Breasts

While swollen breasts are a common sign that a woman is about to get her period, red and swollen breasts, particularly if they are warm to the touch, may be a sign of a very aggressive form of breast cancer, INFLAMMATORY  BREAST  CANCER (IBC). Pink, reddish purple, or bruised-looking breasts can also signal IBC.

Another classic sign of this deadly, fast-growing form of breast cancer is what doctors call Peau D'orange, breast skin that has the kind of slightly dimpled surfacce and tiny indentations of an orange peel. Other IBC signs may include a feeling of breast heaviness or tenderness; burning, itching, or aching; change in the size or shape of the breast; and an inverted nipple. While many of these signs are also common during menstruation, IBC signs do not come and go. Rather, they tend to occur suddenly and increase steadily over weeks or months.

IBC is often missed or misdiagnosed as an infection or even an insect bite because its signs are commonly seen on the surface of the breast. To confuse diagnostic matters further, the major sign of most breast cancers, a lump in the breast, is uncommon in women with IBC.

Unlike more common forms of breast cancer, IBC tends to occur in younger women, particularly young African-American women. Inflammatory breast cancer rarely occurs in men, but when it does, it is usually found in older men.

It is estimated that Inflammatory breast Cancer (IBC) accounts for 5 to 10% of breast cancer cases in the united States. In the 1990s, the incidence of IBC rose, as did survival rates. Both of these increases may be due to greater awareness and the use of mammograms.