The tumor microenvironment and inflammatory breast cancer

Abstract

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and very aggressive subtype of breast cancer withclinical manifestations similar to acute inflammation. The prognosis of IBC is still poor even thoughcombination therapy with surgery, chemotherapy, and target therapy, mainly due to a lack of fullyunderstanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of IBC pathogenesis and progression. Inthe present article, we have comprehensively reviewed the connection of the pathogenesis of IBCand inflammation, immune reaction and cancer, particularly focused on the role and mechanism oftumor microenvironment related to IBC formation, tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasionand metastasis as well as the clinical manifestations of IBC. As the diverse cells includinginflammatory cells, immune cells, and tumor cells and the soluble molecules produced by thesecells in the microenvironment play an essential role in IBC development and progression.Therefore, anti-inflammatory therapy and immunotherapy with available agents warrant furtherinvestigation in the treatment of IBC.