Which treatment is standard for inflammatory breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy?

The standard treatment for inflammatory breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy involves surgical resection, particularly if there is a good response to the chemotherapy. Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer that typically presents with symptoms such as skin changes and swelling rather than a distinct lump. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is administered to shrink the tumor before surgical intervention, improving the likelihood of successful resection and potentially allowing for breast-conserving surgery in some cases.

After evaluating the response to the neoadjuvant chemotherapy, if the cancer shows significant reduction in size or improvement, surgical resection is performed to remove the remaining cancerous tissue. This approach follows the principle of maximizing the chance of cure while minimizing disease progression, which is particularly important in the aggressive context of inflammatory breast cancer.

Other options may not adequately address the need for surgical intervention after neoadjuvant therapy. Hormonal therapy is generally reserved for hormone receptor-positive breast cancers and is not the primary treatment modality in cases of inflammatory breast cancer. Immediate mastectomy might be considered but is typically performed only after assessing the response to chemotherapy rather than as the immediate next step. Monitoring without surgery is insufficient in this context, as inflammatory breast cancer demands aggressive management due to its aggressive nature