It appears red or purple and dimpled, like an orange. The breast size may increase, the nipple becomes flattened or retracted or may discharge fluid. Often the breast area is itchy, and there may be pain. The lymph nodes may be swollen under the arm or above the collar bone. These symptoms are what causes alarm.
Physicians often misdiagnose and give the patient an antibiotic for infection.
If diagnosis is delayed, this disease can spread rapidly to other organs and to the bones. It is essential for the patient to insist on a biopsy and to know what the treatment is. The protocol for IBC differs from other breast cancers. With IBC, chemo and radiation are administered before surgery to prevent the spread of the cancer. Surgery is usually performed first with other types of breast cancer.