Surgery
All patients with IBC will undergo a simple mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection. All other types of surgeries are contra-indicated in this circumstance. With this type of surgery the surgeon will remove all breast tissue including skin and nipple in order to ensure that all the cancer is removed. Any breast reconstruction will typically occur after all treatment for IBC is completed.
Typically, immediate reconstruction is not recommended because of the high risk for a local recurrence with IBC. Reconstructive surgery is an option at a later date, once the risk of recurrence has been fully assessed. Keep this in mind when discussing breast reconstruction options with your doctors.
Learn more about the breast reconstruction process following surgery.
Your doctor may want to perform a sentinel lymph node biopsy to determine whether your breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
Learn more about axillary lymph node dissections.
Learn more about treatments often used for Inflammatory Breast Cancer and different types of medications that may be used in adjuvant chemotherapy, including systemic chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy.
Learn about breast reconstruction using implants, skin expanders, dermal matrices and fat grafting.
Mastectomy Breast Reconstructions Options:
Learn more about the breast reconstruction process following surgery.
What is Breast Reconstruction | Overview
Learn more about the different options for breast reconstruction (both immediate and delayed).
Types of Mastectomies: What is nipple-sparing reconstruction? – Sonia Sugg, MD
Learn more about nipple-sparing mastectomies vs. conventional and skin-sparing.