[Inflammatory breast cancer]

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare disease characterized by a frequently fatal outcome despite combined modality approach used. Its precise definition is mainly clinical. A positive skin biopsy does not seem to be mandatory to establish the diagnosis. Induction chemotherapy applied before loco regional treatment has improved the 5 year overall survival. This chemotherapy is followed by a loco regional treatment consisting of either surgery or radiotherapy. The use of adjuvant chemotherapy is classical but its real value has never been assessed by appropriate randomized trials. Therapeutic improvements will perhaps come from more intensive induction chemotherapy regimen or from intensification of adjuvant treatment. Adequate randomized trials are needed to progress with this disease.