Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy whose early symptoms may be misdiagnosed, but specialists in the IBC program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) are trained to ensure rapid diagnosis and treatment of this invasive disease. Housed at the OSUCCC – James’ Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center, the IBC program is one of only a few programs in the nation – and the only one of its kind in the Midwest – that are focused solely on the special needs of patients with IBC in a collaborative, multidisciplinary setting. The IBC team, which on average sees 40-50 patients per year, includes medical, surgical and radiation oncologists, along with radiologists, genetic counselors and other experts in the study and treatment of IBC. IBC is a clinical diagnosis that occurs when cancer cells grow quickly and block lymph vessels in the breast. Because the breast may be swollen, red and sore, the early symptoms are often misdiagnosed as an infection, rash or mastitis. Moreover, IBC doesn’t often include a lump. Other symptoms that may occur are nipple changes, itching or pain in the breast, and skin on the breast that may resemble an orange peel, with large pores and dimpling. “IBC presents like mastitis, and if after mastitis treatment the symptoms do not completely resolve, then IBC should be on the radar,” says Amy Kerger, DO, clinical associate professor in the Department of Radiology, Division of Women and Breast Imaging, at Ohio State. “We offer a specialized IBC program staffed by fellowship-trained multidisciplinary breast physicians to whom doctors can place an urgent referral if one of their patients presents with symptoms that are concerning for IBC and that have either failed mastitis treatment or do not fit the clinical picture of mastitis. “If the clinical presentation fits IBC,” Dr. Kerger adds, “we will expedite imaging, biopsy and treatment. Time is of the essence when treating IBC, as it is an aggressive malignancy that presents and progresses rapidly compared with other types of breast cancer.” She notes that IBC starts at a stage IIIB-C or stage IV, making it a particularly troublesome cancer that must be quickly addressed. “Many patients have delay in diagnosis and treatment, which can cause an increase in mortality.” Dr. Kerger says another advantage of the IBC program at the OSUCCC – James is that it offers clinical trials not available to patients being treated at other institutions. Research underway at the IBC program includes: a clinical study to evaluate IBC outcomes and subsets in large clinical databases; a retrospective study of patient outcomes at the IBC Clinic alone; and a phase II randomized clinical trial (SWOG 1706) of olaparib (NSC-747856) administered concurrently with radiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone for IBC. The trial is led by Sachin Jhawar, MD, of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James. “The IBC program also is the focus of our next expansion of the Columbus Breast Bank, where we will consent patients for serial blood collections, residual tissue and detailed clinical data/outcomes,” Dr. Kerger says. “And we are working to link with a national network that will provide our patients with access to even more nationwide IBC clinical trials.” Click here to learn more about breast cancer, including risks, symptoms and treatment options at Ohio State.