Home → Symptoms & Diagnosis → Types of Breast Cancer → Ask-the-Expert Conferences: Types of Breast Cancer → October 2006: Inflammatory Breast Cancer → Non-surgical treatments for IBC?

Non-surgical treatments for IBC?

Page last modified on: October 13, 2008

Question from Terry: I'm 70 and have been diagnosed with IBC. I do not wish at my age to have chemotherapy or radiation unless it is beam radiation. Are there any non-surgical treatments? I have been told I will die if I don't have either surgery, chemo, radiation or a combination of all. Quality of life is more important that quantity. Any suggestions appreciated.: Answers —Thomas Buchholz, M.D.: Terry, I'm sorry to hear about your condition, because I realize it is difficult no matter which way you go. For healthy women who are 70 we still recommend aggressive treatment because inflammatory breast cancer left untreated or just partially treated can have bad effects both on your quality and quantity of life. Radiation treatment alone was tried in the 1970s before chemotherapy was available and most patients had rapid disease progression. Seventy is now considered a young age, and if you're healthy I would still consider seeing a medical oncologist and carefully discussing the risks and benefits of chemotherapy. It may be that some of your fears of chemotherapy are due to misinformation and after getting a comprehensive discussion, you'll be well informed to make the best decision for you.; Gabriel Hortobagyi, M.D., F.A.C.P.: The life expectancy of a healthy 70-year-old woman in the U.S. is 16 years. The average survival of a person with untreated inflammatory breast cancer is less than 2 years.

On Wednesday, October 18, 2006, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Gabriel Hortobagyi, M.D., Thomas Buchholz, M.D., and moderator Jennifer Sabol, M.D. answered your questions about inflammatory breast cancer, a rare but aggressive form of breast cancer.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Gabriel N. Hortobagyi, M.D., F.A.C.P. chairs the department of breast medical oncology and directs the Breast Cancer Research Program at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where he also serves as professor of medicine and holds the Nellie B. Connally Chair in Breast Cancer.

Thomas A. Buchholz, M.D. is professor of radiation oncology at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Buchholz' research includes the role of radiation treatment in preventing breast cancer recurrence and whether certain genes may be able to predict how breast cancer responds to treatment.

Jennifer Sabol, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a breast surgeon who directs the newly developed Breast Care Center at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood, Pa. Among her many interests, Dr. Sabol spearheads several research initiatives to advance the care for women with breast cancer and improve methods of breast cancer detection and treatment.