Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Hi Tutu:

My doctor did mention I had IBC along with infiltrating ductal carcinoma. I was a stage II when the biopsy was done. At the biopsy the doctor performing it said "it doesn't look like BC to me, did you bump your breast? It looks likes it was injured." I have always had fibrocystic breasts and a lot of breast pain associated with it, so I knew what was "normal" pain and what was not. This was not. It took 10 days to get the results of the biopsy back and for my dr. to call me with the results. By then my surgeon was on vacation for another week. By the time I saw the surgeon it was 3 weeks from biopsy and I went from a stage II to a stage III. 3cm to 9cm with nipple retraction, orange peel skin - all that.

I had no choices about my treatment options. 4 rounds of chemo (AT - Adriamycin (sp?) and Taxotere) before surgery. Then a mastectomy with no reconstruction for at least a year so nothing blocks radiation. 4 more rounds of chemo with the last 2 pure Taxotere (a larger dosage, I had already met my lifetime toxicity level with the Adriamycin (sp?). Then 33 doses of radiation.

I was diagnosed in Oct., had my last chemo in Apr. and am now 9 rad treatments from being done with rad. The last 5 "boost" is to treat my scar to avoid skin mets.

Maybe this is more info than you wanted, but just know there are more of us out there. IBC is just not diagnosed as often as it should be sometimes, I think.

Good luck and let me know how you're doing.

Ryley