Immediate Family Member (First-Degree Relative)
A person’s mother, father, sister, brother or child.
Immunotherapy
Treatments that use the body’s immune system to fight cancer by boosting or changing how the immune system works so it can find and attack cancer cells. See Biological Therapy.
Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
A laboratory test done on tumor tissue to detect the amount of HER2/neu protein on the surface of the cancer cells.
Implant (Breast Implant)
An "envelope" containing silicone, saline or both, that is used to restore the breast form after a mastectomy (or for other cosmetic reasons).
In Situ Carcinoma (see Carcinoma in Situ in C)
Incisional Biopsy
A cut through the skin to remove a part of a tumor so that it can be looked at in the lab to see if there is cancer in the tumor.
Induction Chemotherapy (see Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in N)
Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) A rare and aggressive form of invasive (malignant) breast cancer. Its main symptoms are swelling (inflammation) and redness of the breast. The skin on the breast may look dimpled, like the skin of an orange, and may be warm to the touch.
Informed Consent
The process through which a person learns about the possible benefits and side effects of a treatment plan, asks all questions they may have, and then accepts or declines the treatment. The person is usually asked to sign a consent form, but may stop the treatment at any time and get other medical care.
Infraclavicular Lymph Nodes
The lymph nodes below the clavicle (collarbone). See Lymph Nodes.
Integrative Therapies (see Complementary Therapies in C)
Intraductal
Within the milk duct. Intraductal can describe a benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) process.
Intraductal Hyperplasia or Atypcal Ductal Hyperplasia
A benign (not cancer) condition in which there are more cells than normal in the lining of breast ducts and the cells look abnormal under a microscope. Having atypical ductal hyperplasia increases the risk of breast cancer. Also called ADH and atypical ductal breast hyperplasia.
Intraductal Papilloma (Ductal Papilloma)
A benign (not cancer), wart-like growth in a milk duct of the breast. It is usually found close to the nipple and may cause a discharge from the nipple.
Intravenous or IV
Being within or entering the body through the veins. Fluids and medicines are sometimes given to a patient through an IV.
Invasive Breast Cancer
Cancer that has spread from the original location (milk ducts or lobules) into the surrounding breast tissue and possibly into the lymph nodes and other parts of the body. Invasive ductal cancer begins in the milk ducts. Invasive lobular cancer begins in the lobules (milk glands) of the breast.
Investigational New Drug (New Experimental Treatment)
A drug that has been approved for use by researchers in studies, but is not yet available outside of a clinical trial.