Review of inflammatory breast cancer: A meta-analysis

Abstract

1131 Background: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare but aggressive manifestation of primary breast cancer with rising incidence, which demands further advances to improve the prognoses of the disease. Methods: All published English literature on IBC was searched. Total of 26 literatures were found exclusively on IBC. SEER data on IBC was also included. Total no of IBC patients included on 26 literatures and SEER were 3,006. 1,430 IBC cases were from SEER. Total 4,176 breast cancer patients which include IBC and non IBC were studied to determine the disease status of IBC, since it was first described in 1,924. Results: According to SEER data, 1,430 IBC cases were found, among which only 8 were male. So female to male ratio is 183:1. African Americans have a higher incidence. Among all the epidemiologic factors IBC group had a lower educational level, a higher BMI, and a longer duration of breast feeding. Classic criteria described by Haagenson, has widely been accepted for the disease diagnosis. A new human inflammatory breast (IBC) xenograft (WIBC-9) showed hyper vascular structure of solid nests and marked lymphatic permeation in the overlying dermis. Aneuploidy, Erb-2 gene amplification and an absence of estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor was also consistent with IBC. Couple of unique presentation of IBC has been reported, as well as diseases mimicking IBC. IBC is included in stage T4d, stage 3B. Presently the management requires a multidisciplinary approach. Preoperative or neo adjuvant chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment. IBC is associated with a worse prognosis and distinctive patterns of early recurrence compared with LABC. Conclusions: After extensive search of all the literature, we conclude that, no standard trial or studies have yet been done to link IBC directly to any germ line mutations. Over expression of HER2/neu and the p53 protein were not significant prognostic factors in IBC. To improve the overall prognoses of the disease, clinical trials are still warranted on every aspect of the disease, starting from the disease definition to the factors that can prevent recurrence of the disease. No significant financial relationships to disclose.