Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare form of breast cancer, accounting for 1 to 3 percent of all cases, according to the American Cancer Society. In contrast with most other types of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer causes the breast to become red and swollen, which is due to a buildup of fluid in the breast. When inflammatory breast cancer is diagnosed, it is already considered at an advanced stage. Staging is critical to determine the extent of cancer growth and to help develop the best treatment strategy.
Stage IIIB
Stage III breast cancer is described by the National Cancer Institute as a locally advanced form of cancer. This means that it has grown beyond the original tissue in which it began and into the surrounding tissue. Stage IIIB is a subtype of Stage III breast cancer in which the cancer has either grown into the chest wall or into the breast skin. The invasion of the skin or the chest wall is what makes this subtype more advanced than Stage IIIA. The cancer may also have spread to lymph nodes that are either under the arm or behind the breastbone. Once inflammatory breast cancer is diagnosed, the cancer is advanced to at least stage IIIB. This is because the inflamed appearance of the breast is due to cancerous cells that are blocking the lymph vessels, which indicates it is already present in the lymph nodes.
Stage IIIC
Stage IIIC is the most advanced subtype of Stage III breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Stage IIIC differs from stage IIIB by the number of lymph nodes to which the cancer has spread. The cancer has either spread to both the lymph nodes under the arm and behind the breastbone or to the lymph nodes adjacent to the collarbone. Because it has spread to more lymph nodes, this stage is the most advanced of stage III inflammatory breast cancers.
Stage IV
In stage IV inflammatory breast cancer, the American Cancer Society reports that the cancerous cells may or may not have spread to nearby lymph nodes. However, it can be detected in distant lymph nodes or in other organs, such as the lung, liver, bone or brain. The spread of the cancer cells to other sites in the body is called metastasis and is indicative of a cancer that is difficult to treat. Because it is difficult to eradicate cancer cells that have spread throughout the body, stage IV cancer usually has a poor prognosis.
