What is the initial treatment approach for patients diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer?

The initial treatment approach for patients diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer is neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Inflammatory breast cancer is a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer that presents with inflammatory changes and may involve the skin and lymphatic system. The decision to administer neoadjuvant chemotherapy is primarily based on the goal of shrinking the tumor and controlling the disease before any definitive surgery can take place.

This approach allows for a reduction in tumor size, which can facilitate a more effective surgical resection later on. Additionally, it helps to address micrometastatic disease, as inflammatory breast cancer often has a higher likelihood of metastasis at the time of diagnosis. This systematic treatment also provides insights into the cancer’s responsiveness to chemotherapy, which can guide subsequent treatment decisions after surgery.

Immediate surgical resection is not typically the first approach due to the aggressive nature of the disease and the extensive involvement often seen at diagnosis. Radiation therapy and hormonal therapy are not suitable as initial treatments for inflammatory breast cancer. Radiation is generally used after surgery, and hormonal therapy is only applicable to hormone receptor-positive cases, which is not the standard initial treatment for this specific and aggressive subtype.