Inflammatory Breast Cancer Outcomes in a Contemporary Series

Abstract

Background: Evidence on the management of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is limited. This study investigated factors influencing IBC treatment outcomes such as event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS).

Materials and methods: Data were collected from 173 patients with stage III non-IBC and 17 patients with IBC diagnosed at the Keck Medical Center and Los Angeles County and University of Southern California (LAC+USC) Medical Center. Cox proportional hazard regression evaluated associations between variables significant for EFS and OS.

Results: On multivariate analysis, negative estrogen receptor (ER)status [hazard ratio (HR)=1.88, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.11-3.18, p<0.06) and lack of postoperative radiation treatment (HR=2.07, 95% CI=1.03-4.15, p<0.04) were significant for poorer EFS. High Scarff-Bloom-Richardson (SBR) score (HR=2.24, 95% CI=0.79-6.36, p<0.13) and lack of postoperative radiation treatment to the breast (HR=4.39, 95% CI=0.39-49.55, p<0.23) were associated with lower rates of OS.

Conclusion: The diagnosis of IBC has a significantly worse prognosis. Receipt of post-mastectomy radiation therapy was a significant predictor of better EFS and OS.

Keywords: DFS; IBC; Inflammatory breast cancer; disease-free survival; overall survival.