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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Cancer warning signs
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
Cancer warning signs
by Zoe5639, Aug 25, 2001 12:00AM
I thought I had Eczema on my brest as well as the rest of most of my body and I can't get it to go away. But recently I read an artical in a Magazine that said "Don't just assume that that red , swollen area on your breast is bra burn or a bug bite. It could be the first sign of breast cancer.(IBC) The red area may become warm to the touch, rough- skinned, itchy, and painful. If you have these and they don't disappear quick a biopsy should be done right away." Well to say the least that really scared me, I have all of that on both breast. I am over weight by about 100 pounds so I'm not so sure about lumps. But my nipples get very dry,the skin peels off so much they bleed, they itch SO BAD on the outside and on the inside. They are very warm to the touch and when my boyfriend touches them it is really painful sometimes. Today I decided to reread the artical I tried to pretend not to have read and today on my right breast I have a really bad red swollen area (painful) but we fooled around kinda hard last night I thought that was the reason.Now i'm not so sure.I see them often I think of them a cyst. I get cyst under my arms and on my inner thighs. I thought all of that was because I'm overweight. Now I don't know and very scared. I don't have any money now, or in the future,no insurance, and no doctor.I know you can only give friendly, professional advice, so please advise.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-JS, Aug 27, 2001 12:00AM
Dear Zoe, From the description you give of the rash, and that you also have it on other parts of your body would be more likely something like eczema, or perhaps an allergic type reaction.
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a serious type of breast cancer however it is rare and accounts for only 1 to 4 percent of all breast cancers. It is called inflammatory because the first symptoms are usually a redness and warmth in the skin of the breast, often without a distinct lump. It will often be mistaken for a simple infection and be treated with antibiotics. IBC would not get better on the antibiotics, however it also wouldn’t get worse. That’s what leads to the suspicion of the possibility of cancer. An infection will either get better or worse within a week or two, it rarely stays the same. If there was no change the doctor should perform a biopsy of the underlying tissue.
In many local communities there is access to health services free of charge or a small fee for persons without income or insurance. Check with your local department of health to see if there are services available to you, at least to have this rash looked at.
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a serious type of breast cancer however it is rare and accounts for only 1 to 4 percent of all breast cancers. It is called inflammatory because the first symptoms are usually a redness and warmth in the skin of the breast, often without a distinct lump. It will often be mistaken for a simple infection and be treated with antibiotics. IBC would not get better on the antibiotics, however it also wouldn’t get worse. That’s what leads to the suspicion of the possibility of cancer. An infection will either get better or worse within a week or two, it rarely stays the same. If there was no change the doctor should perform a biopsy of the underlying tissue.
In many local communities there is access to health services free of charge or a small fee for persons without income or insurance. Check with your local department of health to see if there are services available to you, at least to have this rash looked at.
