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The current understanding of the molecular determinants of inflammatory breast cancer metastasis

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Abstract

Inflammatory breast cancer is a highly aggressive and metastatic form of locally advanced breast cancer that carries a significantly worse prognosis than non-inflammatory breast cancers. Unfortunately, the molecular basis of this deadly form of breast cancer has been understudied. Over the past 10 years new studies have begun to reveal a unique molecular profile of IBC shedding light on its unique ability to rapidly invade and metastasize via the dermal lymphatic system of the skin overlying the breast. The goal of this review is to introduce IBC to the reader and provide a brief overview of what is known about the metastatic mechanisms of the disease.

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Abbreviations

IBC:

inflammatory breast cancer

LABC:

locally advanced breast cancer

ER:

estrogen receptor

PgR:

progesterone receptor

EGFR:

epidermal growth factor receptor

RhoC:

Ras homology C

cav:

caveolin

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Cynthia van Golen for careful review and Ms. Robyn Blanzy-Hodges for help in preparing this manuscript. This review was completed as part of Ms. Radunsky’s undergraduate honors thesis. Our work is supported by the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program, DAMD-17-03-1-0728 and by the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center support grant (5 P30 CA46592).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Galina S. Radunsky & Kenneth L. van Golen

  2. The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Kenneth L. van Golen

  3. R4048 Kresge II, 200 Zina Pitcher Place, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-0548, USA

    Kenneth L. van Golen

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  1. Galina S. Radunsky
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  2. Kenneth L. van Golen
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Correspondence to Kenneth L. van Golen.

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Radunsky, G.S., van Golen, K.L. The current understanding of the molecular determinants of inflammatory breast cancer metastasis. Clin Exp Metastasis 22, 615–620 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10585-006-9000-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10585-006-9000-7

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