Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program
Our Care Advisors are ready to help get the answers you need.
Program details of the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program
What you can expect with our Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program
At your first MSK appointment, you'll meet with members of your care team. We’ll talk with you about the best options to care for you. Your IBC treatment plan may include surgery, systemic therapies, and radiation therapy.
We’ll clearly explain each step in the process. We’ll make sure you get the treatments that work best together if you need more than one treatment.
Our Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program will help you manage side effects during and after treatment. We’re here to help you get back to what matters most. We have many supportive care services, including:
- Nutrition counseling
- Physical therapy
- Integrative medicine
- Lymphedema treatment
- Support groups for people with breast cancer
- Pain management
Jacqueline F. Bromberg
Breast Medical Oncologist
Amy Xu
Breast Radiologist
Get a second opinion at MSK. Call our Care Advisors at 646-918-1847 to learn how to do it. They’re ready to help you and available anytime, 7 days a week.
What are risk factors for inflammatory breast cancer?
A risk factor is anything that raises your chances of getting a disease. Research shows that having healthy habits can lower your risk for many different types of cancer, including breast cancer.
Your race may also raise your risk. For example, people of color assigned female at birth are more likely to have IBC.
A few risk factors that may raise your risk for getting inflammatory breast cancer are:
- You’re younger than age 50.
- You’re overweight or obese.
- You have a family history of breast cancer.
How is MSK finding new ways to treat IBC?
MSK experts from the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program are leading research studies, also known as clinical trials. We’re learning how we can improve treatment for IBC. Our clinical trials also look for ways to better control side effects.
When you meet with your care team, we’ll let you know about open clinical trials. We’ll answer your questions and guide you on next steps.
Learn if joining an MSK breast cancer clinical trial is right for you.
MSK has one of the country’s largest cancer clinical trials programs. We have more than 50 open clinical trials for new breast cancer treatments. At each MSK site, our research team screens and matches you to open clinical trials that best fit your treatment needs.
How does this program support people with inflammatory breast cancer?
IBC is more common in people younger than 40. You may be trying to have a child now or think you may want to start a family someday.
You may be thinking how cancer treatment will affect your fertility. If you have IBC, you have options to have children and grow your family.
MSK’s fertility nurse specialists can help you. They’ll explain your options for preserving your fertility and building your family before and after cancer treatment.
You can learn more by reading Common Questions About Fertility After Cancer Treatment.
Pain management is an important part of cancer care. MSK was the first cancer center in the country to have a service just for treating pain in people with cancer.
Our pain experts will help relieve or manage pain after surgery. They can help while you’re still in the hospital, and after you’re home.
MSK has experts who manage the symptoms and side effects of cancer treatment, such as nausea during chemotherapy.
MSK has a program for treating lymphedema, a type of swelling after breast cancer treatment.
We understand you may feel very worried or scared. It is also normal to feel lonely during and after breast cancer treatment. You may think no one understands what you’re going through.
We have cancer mental health experts available to help you whenever you’re ready. They can help you process all the changes in your life. They can help you find meaning during and after cancer treatment.
You have convenient access to MSK’s cancer mental health team. We offer individual and group counseling sessions, both in person and through telemedicine visits.
Cancer affects your sex life in physical and emotional ways. Our Female Sexual Medicine & Women’s Health Program can help with physical symptoms and emotional challenges.
We can talk with you about physical changes that affect intimacy. We also offer support for you and your partners.
You can listen to MSK’s podcast episode, A Woman’s Guide to Sex and Cancer. It includes honest information about how cancer treatment affects your physical and emotional sexual health.
Common questions
MSK offers financial help in a few ways, depending on your needs. Our financial assistance program can help people pay for cancer care.
Our insurance counselors can answer questions about what health insurance pays for if you come to MSK for care. If you have questions about your insurance coverage, please call our Patient Billing Services team at 646-497-9176.
We can also guide you about the cost of prescription drugs. We can help you apply for assistance programs offered by drug companies and foundations.
Yes. Our Integrative Medicine Service offers acupuncture, meditation, massage therapy, yoga, and exercise. We offer online classes and workshops you can join from home.
Cancer therapies can cause side effects. You may want support to cope with chronic pain, fatigue (feeling very tired), nerve problems, nausea, insomnia, and stress.
Without the use of prescription drugs, integrative therapies (also called complementary therapies) can help improve and control these lasting side effects of cancer treatments.
Yes. Telemedicine visits let you meet with your healthcare provider from home or wherever is most convenient for you.
Telemedicine uses video technology to connect you to your MSK care team on your desktop computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet.
Telemedicine visits are safe and secure. They can help you get the care you need while saving travel time and money.
Cancer treatment can change how well your body moves. Training with MSK’s physical, occupational, and exercise therapists can help you bring your strength back.
We offer rehabilitation services at MSK locations in New York City and multiple locations in New Jersey, on Long Island, and Westchester County, NY.
Our therapists can help you keep or improve how much you move after breast reconstruction surgery. They will make a personal plan just for you, based on your goals.
Providing excellent cancer care is what we do every day. Our experts can help you choose the best path forward.