
 
So, how’s IBC different from regular breast cancer?  
I mean, we all know about regular breast cancer, 
but how is IBC different?  Well, inflammatory breast 
cancer has early dissemination, a higher 
recurrence rate, and still has a 50 percent mortality 
rate.  So, even now, with improved treatments, 
patients still have about a 50 percent mortality rate 
with this disease. 
Le carcinome mammaire inflammatoire est un type 
de cancer rare et agressif qui représente 1 à 5 % de 
l'ensemble des cancers du sein nouvellement 
diagnostiqués. Il se caractérise par une progression 
rapide, un comportement agressif et une survie 
globale inférieure à cel
sein. 
Now, treatment planning in IBC is really a key to 
success.  And, so, in general, the protocol is pretty 
simple.  Almost all patients with inflammatory 
breast cancer need as their primary therapy, 
neoadjuvant chemotherapy.  
And, then, if the 
patient has a response, meaning if the tumor 
responds and shrinks either partially or completely, 
then it’s been shown that that patient would benefit 
from local therapy, such as surgery.  Now, breast-
conserving therapy as a surgery option for breast 
cancer is well accepted. But, in inflammatory 
breast cancer, it’s not optimal, simply due to the 
involvement of the skin and surrounding structures, 
and the dermal lymphatic invasion with the tumor.  
So, breast conservation is not an optimal treatment 
option for inflammatory breast cancer and should 
not be offered to patients with IBC.  As far as 
lymph nodes management, we know about sentinel 
node biopsies as another real great option for 
patients with operable stage I to III breast cancer.  
B
ut, not for inflammatory breast cancer because 
there are several studies that have shown a high 
false-
negative rate in patients with inflammatory 
breast cancer.  So, generally, these patients will 
need an axillary dissection.  And, then, following 
the surgical therapy, post-mastectomy radiation in 
the standard four fields is given, and that’s the 
optimal treatment modality currently for 
Il se caractérise par un érythème diffus, un œdème 
et/ou de la peau d'orange ainsi qu'une éventuelle 
sensation de chaleur, avec ou sans masse palpable 
au sein. Il est important de souligner que l'érythème 
doit couvrir au moins les deux tiers du sein. En 
outre, les symptômes cliniques ne doivent pas 
remonter à plus de six mois. Enfin, il doit exister une 
confirmation pathologique de la présence d'un 
carcinome mammaire invasif au niveau du sein 
affecté.