5.2.0 Inflammatory Breast Cancer

​Author: Dr. Nathalie Levasseur & Dr. Christine Simmons
Date of completion: April 2026
Date of next review: May 2027​
See Breast Clinical Care Pathway 

Inflammatory breast cance​​r is a clinical diagnosis. According to international expert panel, at a minimum, the following clinical criteria are required:
 
  1. Rapid onset of breast erythema, edema and/or peau d'orange, and/or warm breast, with or without an underlying palpable mass
  2. Duration of history no more than 6 months
  3. Erythema occupying at least one-third of the breast
  4. Pathologic confirmation of invasive carcinoma.
The distinctive pathological finding is the involvement of the dermal lymphatic vessels by tumour cells, which results in the skin erythema and edema. A biopsy (either core or open) to confirm the diagnosis should include skin to allow for the examination of dermal ly​mphatics.
 
References
  1. van Golen KL. Inflammatory breast cancer biomarkers and biology. Int Rev Cell Mol Biol. 2024;384:63-76. Doi:10.1016/bs.ircmb.2023.11.002. Epub 2024 Feb 5. PMID: 38637100.
  2. Anderson WF, Schairer C, Chen BE, Hance KW, Levine PH. Epidemiology of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Breast Dis. 2005;22:9-23. Doi:10.3233/bd-2006-22103. PMID: 16735783; PMCID: PMC2852616.
  3. Hance KW, Anderson WF, Devesa SS, Young HA, Levine PH. Trends in inflammatory breast carcinoma incidence and survival: the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results program at the National Cancer Institute. J Natl Cancer Inst. Jul 6 2005;97(13):966-75. doi:10.1093/jnci/dji172. PMID: 15998949; PMCID: PMC2844937.​