What causes this type of cancer? How is it normally treated? What is the cure rate? Will I have to take medication for the rest of my life?

The treatment for inflammatory breast cancer really requires a closely coordinated effort from all disciplines involved in breast cancer care. Prior to treatment, it is important to investigate the extent of the disease and stage the disease to determine whether it appears to be confined to the breast and lymph nodes, or whether it has spread to other sites in the body. After the staging studies have been completed, the initial treatment approach is combination chemotherapy. Ultimately, inflammatory breast cancer is best treated with combinations of chemotherapy, surgery (including mastectomy), and radiation treatment. Some inflammatory breast cancer may also respond to trastuzumab (brand name: Herceptin) or hormonal therapy, depending on the molecular features of the disease.