Cancer staging describes the extent of cancer in the body. It helps the healthcare team plan treatment, estimate the prognosis and determine whether clinical trials may be appropriate. Inflammatory breast cancer grows and spreads quickly. Symptoms often develop over several weeks, and the defining breast changes must have begun within the past six months to be considered inflammatory breast cancer.. Unlike many other breast cancers, inflammatory breast cancer is always stage 3 or stage 4 when diagnosed.
Staging terms
Breast cancer staging uses information about the tumor, nearby lymph nodes and whether the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body. This is called the TNM system: T describes the primary tumor, N describes nearby lymph nodes, and M describes distant metastasis.
Breast cancer staging uses information about the tumor, nearby lymph nodes and whether the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body. This is called the TNM system: T describes the primary tumor, N describes nearby lymph nodes and M describes whether the cancer has spread to a distant part of the body. Biomarker tests look for features of the cancer cells, including estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2 status. These results help guide treatment. Inflammatory breast cancer is classified as T4d because it involves the breast skin. It cannot be stage 1 or stage 2. Stage 3 means the cancer has not spread to a distant part of the body. Stage 4 means the cancer has spread to a distant part of the body.
Staging tests
Staging tests help your healthcare team confirm the diagnosis, find out how far the cancer has spread and plan treatment.
- Staging begins with a physical exam and a breast biopsy to confirm invasive breast cancer, meaning cancer that has grown into the surrounding breast tissue.
- Biomarker tests check hormone receptor and HER2 status.
- Imaging tests may include a CT scan, a breast MRI, a bone scan or a positron emission tomography (PET) scan to look for cancer in nearby lymph nodes and distant parts of the body.
The healthcare team combines the exam, biopsy, biomarker and imaging results to assign stage 3 or stage 4.
Stage 3 inflammatory breast cancer
Stage 3 inflammatory breast cancer has spread into the skin of the breast and may involve nearby lymph nodes or nearby structures. The cancer has not spread to distant parts of the body. It is considered locally advanced cancer.
Because inflammatory breast cancer can progress rapidly, treatment usually begins soon after diagnosis. The typical approach is chemotherapy for breast cancer or other systemic treatment before surgery. This is followed by a modified radical mastectomy, which removes the affected breast and nearby lymph nodes, and radiation therapy for breast cancer. Targeted therapy, hormone therapy for breast cancer or biological therapy for cancer may be added based on the cancer's biomarkers.
Stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer
Stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer, also called metastatic inflammatory breast cancer, has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to a distant part of the body. This includes areas such as the bones, lungs, liver or brain. The speed and pattern of spread vary from person to person. Inflammatory breast cancer is more likely than many other breast cancers to have already spread when it is diagnosed.
Treatment usually focuses on medicines that work throughout the body, such as chemotherapy, breast cancer hormone therapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Radiation therapy or surgery may be used in selected situations to relieve symptoms or control cancer in a specific area. Treatment choices depend on biomarkers, previous treatment, symptoms and the parts of the body affected.
Jan. 10, 2025