Inflammatory breast cancer: advances in molecular genetics and treatment

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rapidly progressive form of locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) that warrants special clinical1-3

and scientific consideration.4 Although relatively rare in incidence, accounting for 1-5% of breast cancers, it represents a much larger burden of morbidity and mortality.5 Advances in treatment have led to significant survival gains for patients with IBC. In this chapter, we will review the definition of IBC, its diagnosis and treatment, and major efforts underway to understand the genetic basis for this particularly aggressive phenotype of breast cancer.