This profile is dedicated to the memory of Andrea Collins Smith. Without her, I would, too, still be ignorant and unaware of "The other breast cancer" This may seem trivial, but when you are one person with no contacts, you start where you can. www.PunkRockMommy.orgIBC is a form of cancer that is not detected in self breast exams, lumps or mammograms. It is a silent and may times, misdiagnosed killer.
IBC stands for Inflammatory Breast Cancer and is a rare and VERY aggressive form of cancer. Women with IBC make up between 5 and 10 percent of all the women diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States each year.
Symptoms usually start with the following.
The breast becomes red, swollen, and warm, and looks infected. In some instances, the skin around the breast will begin to pucker or to develop dimples—somewhat like the skin of an orange—and the nipple will retract and lay flat against the breast.
Inflammatory breast cancer occurs at a younger age than noninflammatory breast cancers.
It has been estimated that 20 percent of all deaths attributable to breast cancer are caused by IBC.
African American women have a higher incidence of IBC than do Caucasians and other ethnic groups.
That is not to say white women don't get it. CANCER NEVER DISCRIMINATES!
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