Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Part of the diagnostic process involves your care team determining the specific stage of breast cancer. These include:

• Stage 3B, which means cancer has spread to nearby areas of the breast, such as the ribs and muscles in the chest or the skin.

• Stage 3C, which means the tumor is larger or has spread to nearby tissues (The lymph nodes around your breast could be affected as well.)

• Stage 4, which means the cancer has spread to other areas of the body.

How is inflammatory breast cancer treated?

• Treatment for IBC usually starts with chemotherapy, followed by surgery and breast cancer radiation therapy.

• Recommendations for chemotherapy cycles average six cycles over four to six months.

• Radiation therapy is given five days a week for five to six weeks.

• The goal of chemotherapy for breast cancer is to shrink the tumor or tumors as much as possible before surgery so the oncologist can surgically remove as much cancer as possible. If your cancer is HER2-positive, you may also undergo targeted therapy. If your hormone receptor status is positive, your provider may suggest hormone therapy.

• A total mastectomy is usually indicated for people with IBC, and if your provider finds cancer in the lymph nodes, these organs may be surgically removed as well. Many people with IBC have radiation therapy following surgery. It is possible to have breast reconstruction, but because radiation therapy is so important in IBC, it is recommended to wait until after your radiation is finished.

What are the survival rates for IBC?

• IBC is a fast-growing and aggressive cancer. However, many factors may influence your outcome from IBC:

  • The location, stage, and whether the cancer has spread all can affect how you respond to treatment.

  • Age and overall health also play a role.

  • While it is true that this type of cancer has a lower survival rate than other forms of breast cancer, it is important to remember that your situation is unique, and statistics are generated from previous patients and past treatments.

  • With localized IBC, meaning it has not spread to other organs, the five-year survival rate is about 39 percent. However, statistics on survival depend on several factors, including the cancer’s stage and the type of treatment you have. For instance, if cancer has spread to other organs in the body, the survival rate is about 18 percent. But if the cancer has spread to only nearby lymph nodes, the survival rate averages about 52 percent.