My Cancer is "Inflammatory" is it IBC?

Ask your Drs for clarification.  'inflammation' in the area does not necessarily translate to Inflammatory Breast Cancer as it is a different type than IDC.  While  it is possible to be both IDC and IBC, it is rarer than just IBC which is only between 1% - 5% of all DXd BCs.

What is the medical oncologist (chemo Dr) saying for TX?   Surgeon and rads Dr are not the ones who are responsible for chemo - chemo Dr is.

Nodes can be involved no matter what type.  Node involvement do not automatically mean IBC.  

I would think that inflammatory does mean IBC. As far as it's not operable, that means it's not operable right now. But after chemo, it could be operable. I had a mastectomy after 3 cycles of Abraxane and after the cancer was out of the skin. That was 3 years ago and no local recurrence in the skin or breast, so I know it can be done.

@kicks--my IBC was classified as IDC, so I'm not so sure that IBC does not mean IDC, by definition.

Rosiegirl, IDC is the type if cancer but inflammatory just means it's in the skin. My paper says IDC with inflammation and I have IBC stage 3, so yes they are related.

I agree with winningsofar, my paper work said the same. If your Doc ask you do you know what IBC is and not to be scared sounds like she was telling you that's your diagnosis.

Hi Rosie,

I was diagnosed with IBC in August of 2013.  Yes, the vocabulary is confusing (especially at first).  I was equally confused in the beginning.  The good news is that while IBC is very aggressive, there have been some great advances in treatment in recent years. 

To offer some hope, I was diagnosed as Stage IIIb.  That means that the cancer reached the lymph nodes under my arm but did not infiltrate to lymph nodes above the collar bone or elsewhere in my body.   Treatment was chemo (carboplatin and taxotere) and Herceptin for 6 rounds (every 3 weeks), then bilateral mastectomy, then radiation for 30 rounds, and Herceptin continued after chemo for a full year..  Sounds daunting... but if I can do it then anyone can.  And, I am "NED" (no evidence of disease) now. 

There is a great facebook page for IBC patients.  If you are interested, just PM me and I'll send you the link.  You have to be diagnosed with IBC to be in the group.

Best wishes on a successful detour. 

Joy,

Sounds like your Dr. is on top of this. Protocal for IBC is chemo first, radiation & hormonal therapy. I had BMX a year after chemo. I also had IBC & IDC with bone mets from the start in 6/09.

Terri

I watched a video last night of a doctor at University of Michigan. Dr. Max Wicha. He really does seem to be on top of things. The video is about stem cell research but it would give you an idea of how committed they are there to breast cancer. You can find information about him on google or youtube. All the best to you.

My IDC quickly turned to IBC after the FNA biopsy. I started chemo immediately and the tumor started shrinking straight away. The mastectomy followed and while the tumor had shrunk to its original size, it was removed with clear margins along with all the nodes under my left arm (2/23). Radiation for five weeks at a high dose finished the treatment, and now I've been on Tamoxifen for a month. I have to say that none of the treatments have really produced side effects of any consequence to date. Looking forward, at a minimum, to the success enjoyed by Kicks!

Hello wishing you well. My mom had the same diagnosis and same treatment plan. At first it was very scary!!! We were offered hope by saying Stage 3 was curable but was later diagnosed with Stage 4 another shocker, but thanks to support here this is something that can be lived with the right treatment. With her2++ there is so many new drugs to combat this type of cancer. Wish you the best.