MAKE OCTOBER 3rd - IBC DAY

(A NATIONAL INFLAMMATORY BREAST CANCER DAY)

Fighting 4 the Tatas Breast Cancer Inc., a California501(c)3 Non-Profit, is joined by:

-Joshlyn Earls, Co-founder of Fighting 4 the Tatas Breast Cancer Inc
-Patti Bradfield, Co-founder of the EraseIBC Foundation                                            -Joshlyn Earls, Co-founder of 
-Dr. Massimo Cristofanilli M.D. Associate Director for Precision Medicine and Translational Research at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University and Director of Northwestern OncoSET
-Dr. Edith Mitchell M.D. past President of the National Medical Association,  Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine and Medical Oncology; Program Leader, Gastrointestinal Oncology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and Associate Director of Diversity Programs and Director of the Center to Eliminate Cancer Disparities for the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson. 
-Julie E. Lang, MD, Facs Associate Professor of Surgery Director, Business Cancer Program Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California, 
-Dr. Paul H. Levine Researcher Research Professor Department of Epidemiology College of Public Health Nebraska Medical Center 
-George Somlo, M.D. Director, Pharmaceutical Initiatives Professor, Departments of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research and Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Medical Oncologist, City of Hope
-Dr. John Culhane, MD General Surgery / Critical Care Surgery Arrowhead Community Surgical Medical Group

As a collective, we request that the President of the United States, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and all Members of the United States Congress, consider our petition for a National Day for Inflammatory Breast Cancer.

What is Inflammatory Breast Cancer? 

Inflammatory Breast Cancer is a rare form of breast cancer that progresses quickly. Its symptoms differ from those of more common breast cancers and can, therefore, be harder to diagnose and have shown to be more difficult to treat. IBC is diagnosed as at least stage III and in some cases, approximately 30-35 percent of it has already spread to distant lymph nodes or organs and it is diagnosed as stage IV. “IBC is entirely different from other types of breast cancer – as a result, the symptoms, prognosis, and outcomes all require specific, customized attention,” said Dr. Cristofanilli. “There are an estimated 15,000-20,000 new cases of IBC diagnosed annually.  For more info, visit - http://hospitals.jefferson.edu/diseases-and-conditions/inflammatory-breast-cancer/

Why do we need an IBC Day? 

Several years ago, Patti Bradfield, Founder of IBC Foundation, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (WA) and U.S. Rep Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) teamed up and presented a resolution for Inflammatory Breast Cancer to the United States Congress. The resolution was not passed, but its introduction set the stage for what Fighting 4 the Tatas Inflammatory Breast Cancer Inc. is continuing today. For more info, visit - https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-resolution/796

During the month of October, millions of people will be told about the dangers of Breast Cancer and the need for more awareness and prevention, but little to nothing will be mentioned about Inflammatory Breast Cancer even though it kills faster and is difficult to treat successfully.      

You have been told: Mammography is the best method for early detection of Breast Cancer! Not true for IBC. Inflammatory Breast Cancer does not present with a lump in most cases and therefore is usually missed during a mammogram.

You have been told: Early detection gives the best chance for Breast Cancer patients to beat the disease! Not true for IBC. Inflammatory Breast Cancer does not allow for early detection because it is found in the skin and often is misdiagnosed as an infection. By the time the symptoms worsen to the point of a biopsy being ordered, the cancer has advanced to stage 3B or worse and death is usually only a matter of time. For more info, visit - http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/guide/inflammatory-breast-cancer-cancer/guide/inflammatory-breast-cancer

You have been told: Breast Cancer is a disease that older women are diagnosed with and you need not be concerned until after the age of 40! Not true for IBC. There are multitudes of scientific data and physician written papers showing that the ages of women being diagnosed with IBC are getting younger and younger! Many women have been diagnosed during their childbearing years, and a few in their teenage years, the youngest at age 12. For more info, visit - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3706046/

You have been told: Your diagnosis (Pathology) of Breast Cancer is called Locally Advanced, Invasive Ductal Carcinoma or High Grade Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (Stage 3b or higher)!  You have NOT been told: that the clinical name of these cancers is Inflammatory Breast Cancer.  The clinical name of IBC makes the aforementioned diagnosis extremely time sensitive.   Without knowing the Clinical name you cannot get disability but there is government assistance immediately available to those who are diagnosed with IBC.  It’s sad to think that many people have missed out on disability assistance because they were not aware of this fact. For more info, visit - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3706046/

Another reason for a National IBC day!

Inflammatory Breast Cancer continues to struggle to get attention from the medical community. This lack of attention and education about IBC manifests itself in the worst way when it comes to the diagnosis and treatment of this deadly disease.

A typical example follows: A patient (male or female) complains of symptoms (swollen, itchy and painful breast) to their family doctor. Most often, the doctor does not recognize this as cancer. Typically a mammogram is ordered and comes back negative. The doctor does not feel a lump and therefore diagnoses the problem as an infection (although a fever is required to accompany the symptoms for it to be an infection) and prescribes antibiotics. The patient is relieved that cancer is not detected, and then spends the next few weeks allowing IBC to spread further and guarantee a much worse outcome for the patient. There are even cases when the symptoms worsened but because the doctor was ignorant of IBC and had not been trained to look for it, more antibiotics are prescribed and the patient´s fate is all but sealed. For more info, visit - http://nursing.onclive.com/publications/oncology-nurse/2014/May-2014/Raising-Awareness-of-Inflammatory-Breast-Cancer

This type of experience is completely unacceptable and could be reduced, if not eliminated if the Breast Cancer community would require Continuing Medical Education (CME) for medical professionals who come in contact with these symptoms first (general practitioners, family doctors, gynecologists, nurses, etc.). Mandatory CME´s that include this information would educate the medical community and begin the process of making early detection possible for Inflammatory Breast Cancer. 

In October, many young women and men are asked to put on the color pink and march/run for their loved ones, or friends who are dealing with or have dealt with breast cancer. Ironically, far too many of these same participants have never heard of Inflammatory Breast Cancer. It is criminal to allow the unsuspecting public to remain uninformed about this deadly disease.

What YOU can do!

In response to this, Fighting 4 the Tatas Breast Cancer Inc. is reaching out to those who are fighting Breast Cancer of any kind, to the loved ones and friends of Breast Cancer patients, to activists/organizations and to the pink wearing public at large in an effort to garner support for making October 3rd a National Inflammatory Breast Cancer Day (IBC Day)! It is time to hold those responsible for keeping IBC a secret accountable.  Medical education must be introduced and required for all licensed medical professionals and the public must be made aware of Inflammatory Breast Cancer. 

October has been set aside for Breast Cancer Awareness! At least one day (October 3rd) should be dedicated to the deadliest breast cancer of all, Inflammatory Breast Cancer! YOU can help make this a reality by joining us and signing this petition to make October 3rd – a NATIONWIDE IBC DAY!

Please JOIN US!

www.fighting4thetatas.org