A rare case of inflammatory breast cancer with delayed auto-amputation in modern times

Abstract

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare but aggressive form of breast cancer, accounting for 0.5-2% of all diagnoses of invasive breast cancers. Yet, it is associated with very poor prognosis and outcomes, with documented 2- and 5-year survival rates around 84% and 40%, respectively, as compared to 90.6% of all breast cancers. Breast auto-amputation is also a rare complication of locally advanced breast cancer, associated with distressing symptoms for these patients. In this study, we report a 67-year-old female with a delayed diagnosis of IBC with a rare sequela of auto-amputation of the affected breast. The delay in diagnosis of >6 months led to a delay in the necessary treatment. She received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and underwent a palliative right salvage mastectomy with level 2 axillary dissection.