Hi everyone,
I am having a bit of a confused time at the moment and hope that someone can help me out.
I was diagnosed with BC on 13th Feb, and was given the impression that I had Invasive Ductal Cancer, and just about got my head around the fact that it was a large tumor (13cm), grade 3 and that I would need chemo prior to surgery.
At a bone scan last week, my request card listed diagnosis as Inflamatory Breast Cancer which threw me to say the least.
I spoke to my BC nurse this morning who said not to worry, just get treated, but I am worrying as IBC is a very different beast to IDC.
I didn’t have typical signs of IBC, except that I am young (40), was breast feeding, and the tumor grew very rapidly.
I’ve had a core biopsy, can I get a difinitive diagnosis from that or is it only when the tumor is removed at surgery?
Sorry for all the questions, but I just need to know what I’m flighting
Thanks, Rebecca
Hi Rebecca,
I was having my chemo at the same time as a lady with IBC, she had not had any surgery at that time so I presume her diagnosis came as a result of a core biopsy.
I must add that she has now had a mastectomy, followed by radiotherapy and is doing well. She was given a course of Taxotere - as was I, but my cancer is IDC - and she re-acted very well to it.
Good luck with your treatment, there are lots of wonderful ladies on this site that will be able to give you much more info than I have and are very supportive.
Tracy xx
hi Rebecca
i was diagnosed with IBC from a core biopsy. I presented with a lump under my arm and was diagnosed with breast cancer after it was removed. MRI showed a tumour in my breast and then the biopsy showed IBC.
I have just finished six treatments of TAC chemo without too many problems and am having a mastectomy and axillary lymph gland clearance in a few days time. I will probably have a further four lots of chemo followed by radiotherapy.
Hope this helps a bit. Good luck. Be strong.
Hi Rebecca
as far as I know Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is diagnosed from biopsy. I can understand why you feel confused and worried if you though you had IDC (invasive ductal carcinoma).
I don’t think your BC nurse is helping you in telling you not to worry…its reasonable that you know what kind of cancer you have so insist that your BCN or consultant explains your diagnosis.
Hope the results of your bone scan are OK.
very best wishes
Jane
Hi Rebecca
I was diagnosed with IBC last September. I’m 31. I had a slightly swollen breast and some changes in the texture of the skin but it was all very subtle. IBC is actually a clinical diagnosis (i.e. only the doctors who examine you can give you that diagnosis as the cells examined at biopsy stage look the same as other aggressive breast cancer cells). Mine is a grade 2 but stage 3 (large tumour in the breast and lymph node involvement). I have just finished 4 AC and 4 Taxotere and am going in for mast and ax clearance in a month. I’ve responded very well to the treatment so far, with significant shrinkage of my tumour and now I just want the bloody thing out!
Good luck.
xx
Cat
I was dx with IBC in Nov 05 following several core biopsies.
I did present with typical signs but mammo and U/S were clear.
Good Luck with your treatment,
Jackie x
Rebecca
I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in November - they did not even wait for the biopsy results as they said they could tell by the swelling of the breast, the heat and the rash and the under arm pain. The mammogram was clear. I am having 8 treatments of chemo then double mastectomy and then radiotherapy. I understood that IBC was quite rare and was visual rather than ‘lumpy’! They started treatment immediately and the biopsy result confirmed breast cancer. Maybe it was just a typo! Good luck anyway
Penn1
Hi Rebecca
i had tests done by core biopsy and got the results yesterday to say i have got the c at only 38. i was told yesterday that depend on the size of the lump when they remove it on the 1st april will state if chemo is to follow have you not been put on any tablets as well.
lovae
liz xx
Hi there,
I have IBC - my tumour was also dx as invasive ductal meaning it is in the breast milk ducts and is growing through them invasively. The IBC bit I think means it has the ability to spread into the skin more readily which is why some people get a rash like appearance and not everyone with IBC gets a lump(I didn’t). The IBC diagnosis probably won’t affect the chemo you get but it may affect the surgery in that you are more likely to have a mastectomy than a lumpectomy I think. . Good luck with your treatment
Hornet
Hornet
Thank you for that - I did not know that that was what invasive ductal meant - I will ask if I have that! Could I ask if you had a rash and swelling and whether the chemo changed that. I have had 4 FEC and 1 taxol so far but still have the redness and swelling - I was hoping the chemo would have had an affect on that. Any info much appreciateed!
Penn1
penn1 I did have a red rash and my breast was sore and swollen but no lump. The FEC did not work that well for me but after the second tax I could see a significant improvement and with each tax I improved a lot. Hope you see an improvement soon.
Regards
Hornet
Thanks for your lovely comments ladies
My picture was not one typical of IBC, as I didn’t have any redness or swelling (although my skin did look like orange peel). I had a vary rapidly growing mass (1cm to 13cm in 4 weeks), but my core biopsy confirmed IBC.
I’ve had one FEC which seems to have stopped the mass getting any bigger, but shrinking yet from where I can see.
Hornet, thanks for your message sweetie, I’ll be seeing you over there soon I hope
Rebecca
Hi Ladies,
While I was having my Herceptin yesterday, I managed to have a good look at my notes as the nurse had left them by my chair. I got to the section that had my pathology results and was a little surprised to find it headed ‘Inflammatory breast cancer’, I was diagnosed with Invasive ductal carcenoma grade 3 - it was a very large tumour at 10 - 11cm, and escaped detection on 2 visits to the hospital, but I never had any rash, orange peel skin or warmth from the breast (although it did start as a hardening of the tissue rather that a lump, that came later).
My Oncologist has never mentioned IBC, and I’m now a bit concerned - or maybe that is a standard heading for a pathology report, I don’t know. Has anyone else had similar in their path report?
Thanks, as ever, for your help and advice
Tracy xxx
I think Tracy this is something you have to confront your oncologist with. I remember finding a very important error in my notes - saying that further dx were recurrences when I knew they were considered new primaries and this was quite important if I had wanted to use my private health insurance. They can and do make errors so do ask. If it is correct then you need to know.
Dawn
Thanks Dawn, I will call my BCN and see if I can get an appointment. There were a couple of other points on the notes I want clarified, one was to do with my CT scan and it said that an MRI to my pelvic region was recommended - and I only ever had these to the breast area as my tumour was not responding to the AC chemo which I had before being switched to Taxotere.
Thanks again for your help and advice,
Very best wishes,
Tracy
Hi Tracy,
Just wondering if you managed to get an appt with your onc?
Jackie x
Hi Jackie,
I haven’t yet but am going to call tomorrow, I want to talk to my BCN first and see what she says - I know she obviously isn’t as qualified as my Onc, but I want to know whether the IBC heading on the path report is standard, though I don’t see why they would put that.
Thanks for your message and very best wishes to you,
Tracy x