Is IBC diagnosis possible with minimal symptoms?

Dreamcatcherr

Is IBC possible with lesser symptoms? I am aware that swelling, orange peel like skin with redness & heat are classic symptoms but is it still possible to have IBC without these symptoms?

I know I need to wait for my tests and results, which is later this week but have ladies presented without the above, been taken seriously?

At present I have an acquired inverted nipple, that appears to be inverting more but it's only 70/80% of the time, though always when arm raised. I have tenderness and shooting pains in a certain part of the breast with burning around my lymph nodes. I also have a red spot, similar to a pimple. My breast appears pink on the top but I think my other breast is quite pink too so not sure if thats just my normal rather than a rash.

I'm sure I'm over thinking things but I don't want to walk away from the clinic because I'm not presenting with typical symptoms when there is still a possibility.

Can you tell anxiety has reared its head and now I'm full of questions and worries!

LoriCA

Hi Dreamcatcher, IBC is a clinical diagnosis that can only be confirmed with a punch biopsy. If you have IBC, your skin WILL show it because with IBC the cancer blocks the lymph vessels in the skin, which is what causes the skin to look inflamed. You may not have all of the symptoms, but you would have some of them, and the symptoms do progress very quickly. Absent any skin symptoms, your doctor would have little reason to do a punch biopsy - if your skin doesn't appear to be affected, there is no reason to biopsy your skin, not to mention if there is no specific area showing signs of it they wouldn't even begin to know where to biopsy. An inverted nipple shouldn't be ignored, but I believe you are doing the right thing by starting with the standard tests and imaging and taking things from there. If you do suddenly develop IBC symptoms - specifically redness and heat (not just warmth), by all means push for a punch biopsy.

I wish you the best of luck with your tests and hopefully you'll find that the inverted nipple is due to some benign reason.

trace621

hi! how did you make out? I am experiencing similar symptoms...