Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a unique clinical and pathologic entity characterized by rapid disease progression and poor prognosis. Over the years, the attitude toward treatment of this disease has ranged from therapeutic nihilism to cautious optimism.<sup>14 Camp E.I. Inflammatory carcinoma of the breast: The case for conservatism Am J Surg 1976 ;  131 : 583

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 38 Hortobagyi G.N., Buzdar A.V. Progress in inflammatory breast cancer: Cause for cautious optimism J Clin Oncol 1986 ;  4 : 1727

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> There has been significant progress in the treatment of IBC during the last two decades, resulting in substantial improvements in local disease control and survival rates.<sup>10 Brun B., Otmezguine Y., Feuilhade F. , e al. Treatment of inflammatory breast cancer with combination chemotherapy and mastectomy versus breast conservation Cancer 1988 ;  61 : 1096  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 12 Burton G.V., Cox E.B., Leight G.S.J. , e al. Inflammatory breast carcinoma: Effective multimodal approach Arch Surg 1987 ;  122 : 1329

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 13 Buzdar A.U., Singletary S.E., Booser D.J. , e al. Combined modality treatment of stage III and inflammatory breast cancer: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Experience Surg Clin North Am 1995 ;  4 : 715

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 15 Chevallier B., Bastit P., Graic Y. , e al. The Centre H. Becquerel studies in inflammatory non metastatic breast cancer. Combined modality approach in 178 patients Br J Cancer 1993 ;  67 : 594

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 21 DeLena M., Zucali R., Viganotti G. , e al. Combined chemotherapy radiotherapy approach in locally advanced (T3b-T4) breast cancer Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 1978 ;  1 : 53

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 26 Elias E.G., Vachon D.A., Didolkar M.S. , e al. Long-term results of a combined modality approach in treating inflammatory carcinoma of the breast Am J Surg 1991 ;  162 : 231  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 39 Israel L., Breau J.L., Morere J.F. Two years of high-dose cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil followed by surgery after 3 months for acute inflammatory breast carcinomas: A phase II study of 25 cases with a median follow-up of 35 months Cancer 1986 ;  57 : 24  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 54 Maloisel F., Dufour P., Bergerat J.P. , e al. Results of initial doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, and cyclophosphamide combination chemotherapy for inflammatory carcinoma of the breast Cancer 1990 ;  65 : 851  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 64 Perez C.A., Fields J.N., Fracasso P.M. , e al. Management of locally advanced carcinoma of the breast: II. Inflammatory carcinoma Cancer 1994 ;  74 : 466  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 71 Rouesse J., Friedman S., Sarrazin D. , e al. Primary chemotherapy in the treatment of inflammatory breast carcinoma: A study of 230 cases from the Institut Gustave-Roussy J Clin Oncol 1986 ;  4 : 1765

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 88 Zylberberg B., Salat-Baroux J., Ravina J.H. , e al. Initial chemotherapy in inflammatory carcinoma of the breast Cancer 1982 ;  49 : 1537  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> Until the 1970s, IBC was considered to be uniformly and rapidly fatal.<sup>5 Baclesse F. Roentgen therapy as the sole method of treatment of cancer of the breast American Journal of Roentgology and Radium Therapy 1949 ;  62 : 311

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 8 Bozzetti F., Saccozzi R., DeLena M. , e al. Inflammatory cancer of the breast: Analysis of 114 cases J Surg Oncol 1981 ;  18 : 355

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 24 Donnelly B.A. Primary “inflammatory” carcinoma of the breast: A report of five cases and a review of the literature Ann Surg 1948 ;  128 : 918

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 34 Haagensen C.D., Stout A.P. Carcinoma of the breast: II. Criteria of operability Ann Surg 1945 ;  118 : 859

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> Its fulminating course was recognized nearly 200 years ago, and local therapies such as surgery and radiation have had no effect on the systemic nature of this aggressive neoplastic process.<sup>5 Baclesse F. Roentgen therapy as the sole method of treatment of cancer of the breast American Journal of Roentgology and Radium Therapy 1949 ;  62 : 311

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 6 Barker J.L., Nelson A.J., Montague E.D. Inflammatory carcinoma of the breast Radiology 1976 ;  121 : 173

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 7 Bell C.   A System of Operative Surgery 2:136 Hartford: Hale and Hosmer (1814). 

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 8 Bozzetti F., Saccozzi R., DeLena M. , e al. Inflammatory cancer of the breast: Analysis of 114 cases J Surg Oncol 1981 ;  18 : 355

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 16 Chu A.M., Wood W.C., Doucette J.A. Inflammatory breast carcinoma treated by radical radiotherapy Cancer 1980 ;  45 : 2730  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 23 Donegan W.L., Padrta B. Combined therapy for inflammatory breast cancer Arch Surg 1990 ;  125 : 578

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 33 Haagensen C.D., Bodian C. A personal experience with Halsted's radical mastectomy Ann Surg 1984 ;  199 : 143

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 47 Lee B.J., Tannenbaum N.E. Inflammatory carcinoma of the breast: A report of twenty-eight cases from the breast clinic of the Memorial Hospital Surg Gynecol Obstet 1924 ;  39 : 580

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> With the advent of effective combined systemic chemotherapy and multidisciplinary treatment strategies, the prognosis for these unfortunate patients has improved.

At present, standard treatment of IBC is multimodal. Future therapeutic progress will be based upon newer and more effective combination therapy.<sup>4 Antman K., Gale R.P. Advanced breast cancer: High dose chemotherapy and bone marrow autotransplants Ann Intern Med 1988 ;  108 : 570

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> In this review, we trace the early experiences with this disease, discuss the rise and fall of local therapy used alone or in combination, and analyze the current treatment strategies based on the experience accumulated during the last two decades. During this period, progress in the treatment of IBC stimulated the publication of reviews and institutional progress reports.<sup>1 Ackland S.P., Bitran J.D., Dowlatshahi K. Management of locally advanced and inflammatory carcinoma of the breast Surg Gynecol Obstet 1985 ;  161 : 399

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 13 Buzdar A.U., Singletary S.E., Booser D.J. , e al. Combined modality treatment of stage III and inflammatory breast cancer: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Experience Surg Clin North Am 1995 ;  4 : 715

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 15 Chevallier B., Bastit P., Graic Y. , e al. The Centre H. Becquerel studies in inflammatory non metastatic breast cancer. Combined modality approach in 178 patients Br J Cancer 1993 ;  67 : 594

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 41 Jaiyesimi I.A., Buzdar A.U., Hortobagyi G. Inflammatory breast cancer: A review J Clin Oncol 1992 ;  10 : 1014

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 50 Lopez M.J., Andriole D.P., Kraybill W.G. , e al. Multimodal therapy in locally advanced breast carcinoma Am J Surg 1990 ;  160 : 669

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 51 Lopez M.J., Kraybill W.G., Reynolds R.D. , e al. Changing patterns in the management of locally advanced breast cancer: A preliminary report Can J Surg 1985 ;  28 : 319

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 58 Moore M.P., Ihde J.K., Crowe J.P. , e al. Inflammatory breast cancer Arch Surg 1991 ;  126 : 304

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 64 Perez C.A., Fields J.N., Fracasso P.M. , e al. Management of locally advanced carcinoma of the breast: II. Inflammatory carcinoma Cancer 1994 ;  74 : 466  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 71 Rouesse J., Friedman S., Sarrazin D. , e al. Primary chemotherapy in the treatment of inflammatory breast carcinoma: A study of 230 cases from the Institut Gustave-Roussy J Clin Oncol 1986 ;  4 : 1765

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 76 Sherry M.M., Johnson D.H., Page D.L. , e al. Inflammatory carcinoma of the breast: Clinical review and summary of the Vanderbilt experience Am J Med 1985 ;  79 : 355

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup>