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Health Holding the line Smoke Expected in ABQ Tomorrow NM Gets Nearly $11M for Health Center Improvements |
Monday, June 15, 2009
Rare breast cancer more aggressive
By Lindsay Minnema
The Washington Post
Most women know the importance of breast self-exams and regular medical check-ups in detecting potentially cancerous lumps. But how many know how to spot the symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer, which usually occurs without any palpable mass?
Though rare — affecting 1 percent to 6 percent of breast cancer patients, according to the Mayo Clinic — inflammatory breast cancer is more aggressive and progresses faster than other types of breast cancer. It usually grows in nests or sheets, rather than as a confined tumor, according to the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and often goes undetected by mammograms and ultrasounds. In many cases, it is initially misdiagnosed as a breast infection, but its symptoms won't respond to antibiotics.
Here is what to watch for:
Swelling, usually sudden, sometimes as much as a cup size within a few days.
Itching and/or pain.
Pink, red or dark-colored areas, sometimes with an unusual texture to the skin that is similar to that of an orange (called peau d'orange).
Nipple retraction and/or nipple discharge, which may be bloody.
Change in color and texture of the areola.
For resources and information on treatments and research, visit ibcresearch.org.
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