Unusual symptoms

[beeker]

Can symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer change during the course of the day?  For about four months I have constant symptoms that tend to worsen during the day.  My breast is always pink(completely different from other breast) but many times during the day it seems to be much more red.  My breast is always swollen(about twice the size of other breast).  My breast always has small dimple-like areas but at some points they are larger.  There is always a flattened area under breast which becomes more pronounced at times during the day.  And last, but hopefully the least, my underarm area seems to be a bit more swollen(I can always feel it with arms down) and at some points during the day there is a huge difference between the two.  I understand that inflammatory breast cancer is very serious and I hope I am not trivializing the symptoms of others, but there seems to be a lot going on with my breast all at once and I am scared.

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear beeker:  Usually symptoms do not come and go.  Having said that, you are describing so many symptoms that you need to be evaluated.  This may or may not be anything serious but with this many problems, the only way to know is to be examined.

[surgeon]

There's enough going on that you absolutely need to be examined very soon. It could be many things, including infection, inflammatory breast cancer, or even something not very serious. But since the possibilities include things which could need immediate attention, you should not wait to get an appointment.