What to expect from chemotherapy before surgery for inflammatory breast cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer can cause rapid breast swelling, redness, warmth or skin thickening. Chemotherapy before surgery treats cancer throughout the body and aims to reduce disease in the breast and nearby tissues before an operation. The team may also use other medicines according to tumour features. The breast appearance can change during treatment, and examination or imaging helps assess response.

Keep a record of temperature, breast changes, pain, medicines and any new symptoms. Attend blood tests and treatment reviews even when you feel well. Arrange help with transport and daily tasks, eat what you can tolerate, drink enough for your care plan and protect irritated skin as advised. Tell the team promptly about infection exposure, pregnancy possibility or a treatment delay.

Call your oncology unit urgently for fever or chills, sudden worsening redness or swelling, severe pain, persistent vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to drink, or a painful red line around a port or cannula. Emergency symptoms include severe breathlessness, chest pain, fainting or confusion. A new breast change should be reported rather than waiting for the next appointment.

Ask which medicines are planned, how breast response will be measured, when surgery is expected to be considered, which symptoms require immediate contact, and whether reconstruction discussions should happen before treatment begins.