Inflammatory breast cancer patients have increased chances of cancer spread to brain

New research indicates that among individuals with breast cancer, those with a rare subtype called inflammatory breast cancer face a higher risk that their cancer will spread, or metastasize, to the brain.

To provide insights into the incidence and risk factors for brain metastases in this patient population, Laura E.G. Warren and her colleagues analyzed data on 372 patients with stage III inflammatory breast cancer and 159 with stage IV inflammatory breast cancer.

Over a median follow-up of 5 years, the incidence of brain metastases at 1, 2, and 5 years was 5%, 9%, and 18% among patients who presented with stage III disease, and 17%, 30%, and 42% among those with stage IV disease. Patients with triple-negative breast cancer faced a particularly high risk, and when they did experience brain metastases, their survival time was shorter than those with hormone receptor–positive or HER2-positive breast cancer who experienced brain metastases. Higher risks of brain metastases were also seen in patients whose cancer had metastasized to other parts of the body besides the brain, especially when this occurred at a young age.

Most patients in this study who were diagnosed with brain metastases had neurologic symptoms, but because some patients may have undetected, asymptomatic brain metastases, is likely even higher than what the researchers observed.

Reference:

"Incidence, characteristics, and management of central nervous system metastases in patients with inflammatory breast cancer." Laura E.G. Warren, Samuel M. Niman, Marie C. Remolano, Jean M. Landry, Faina Nakhlis, Jennifer R. Bellon, Ayal A. Aizer, Nancy U. Lin, Sara M. Tolaney, Meredith M. Regan, Beth A. Overmoyer, and Filipa Lynce. CANCER; Published Online: October 10, 2022 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.34441).