It strikes younger women and it’s a form of breast cancer that you probably never heard of. It’s called inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). It’s hard to detect by self-examination because there’s no sign of “lump” or swelling until it’s too late. It looks like a rash or an infection at first.

It grows very rapidly and is more deadly than any other forms. It’s called the “silent” breast cancer killer because it quietly masquerades as something else. Self-examination is useless and sometimes, even mammogram missed to detect it.

These are the symptoms to watch out for: swelling that comes on suddenly, ridges, and pink or dark colored areas of skin. And a breast that is painful and warm to the touch. Wheezing or shortness of breath, chronic cough or chest pain, frequent fevers or infections, difficulty swallowing,

swollen lymp nodes or lumps on the neck, underarm, or groin, excessive bruising or bleeding that doesn’t stop, weakness and fatigue, bloating, unable to eat, abdominal pain, weght loss, stomachache, nipple changes, and pain in the back or lower right side are also some of the symptoms you should not take for granted.

Inflammatory breast cancer only accounts for about 5% of all breast cancers but doctors say they are seeing more of it. They say it’s more common in younger women, and it’s especially aggressive, and fast growing.

When it comes to the chances of survival, only 30% of women with IBC are ever cured of it.