The treatment for inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) varies greatly. Symptoms are similar to infections in the breast tissue, and it’s common to be misdiagnosed. Treatment for IBC generally involves chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, or targeted therapies. If your symptoms do not improve or your affected area becomes larger, see a doctor immediately. Regardless of the specific type of cancer, early detection is crucial for the best treatment outcome.
Inflammatory breast cancer is usually treated with chemotherapy. The goal of chemotherapy is to shrink the breast and control the cancer cells. It is also used to destroy cancer cells elsewhere in the body. Inflammatory breast cancer treatment options can include a variety of drugs that target the HER2 protein and inhibit the growth of cancer cells. However, there are a few important factors that can influence the outcome of treatment. A doctor will perform a biopsy in order to confirm the diagnosis and decide on the best treatment option.
The goal of chemotherapy for inflammatory breast cancer is to shrink the tumor before surgery. Patients with positive hormone receptor status or HER2-positive tumors may also receive chemotherapy. Treatment for IBC also includes radiation therapy. It may be combined with surgery, if a breast is affected. Ultimately, the goal of therapy is to stop the growth of the tumor. However, this treatment option is not a cure for the disease. It is important to note that treatment for inflammatory breast cancer is still very much experimental.
IBC is usually lymph node-positive when diagnosed. The lymph nodes under the arm hold cancer cells. The higher the number of lymph nodes that contain cancer cells, the worse the prognosis. Treatment for IBC is typically a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Additional treatments may include hormone therapy, HER2-targeted therapies, CDK4/6 inhibitors, immunotherapy, and PARP inhibitors.
Although inflammatory breast cancer can be treated successfully with surgery and chemotherapy, early detection is essential for better results. Its rapid spread is usually indicated by the presence of lymph nodes around the affected breast. Moreover, when it is diagnosed, it is generally at an advanced stage. This means that the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. During this time, only 41 percent of women who have inflammatory breast cancer survive beyond five years.
Inflammatory breast cancer can affect anyone. It affects more women than men, with a median age of 57. It’s more common in African-American women and obese women, and accounts for about 1-5 percent of breast cancer cases in the United States. Inflammatory breast cancer develops when cancer cells invade and block lymph vessels, which carry lymph fluid out of the breast. It’s important to seek out treatment for inflammatory breast cancer early, since the symptoms of this cancer can be quite serious.
Inflammatory breast cancer is characterized by a rapid increase in breast size. It may be accompanied by other symptoms like inverted nipple, breast pain, and swollen lymph nodes, located near the collarbone or under the arm. It may also spread to other parts of the body. If the diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer is delayed, it can spread to distant locations. As a result, the treatment of inflammatory breast cancer depends on the initial diagnosis.
