Inflammatory Breast Cancer: A Panoramic Overview

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a unique breast cancer with a highly virulent course and low 5-and 10-year survival rates. Although IBC only accounts for 1-5% of breast cancers it is estimated to account for 10% of breast cancer deaths annually in the United States. The accuracy of diagnosis and classification of this unique cancer is a major concern within the medical community. Multimodality treatment includes preoperative chemotherapy, mastectomy, and radiation therapy is the therapeutic mainstay and has been shown to improve prognosis. The potential for inaccurate diagnosis and misclassification in cases of IBC is increased by many factors. This includes the misleading initial symptoms of IBC. The early signs of IBC will present in women who have inflammation of the skin of the affected breast, as well as red or purple coloration of the inflamed area. Molecular studies have shown unique signature genes that are hallmarks of IBC. The current article reviews multiple aspects of primary inflammatory breast cancer.