FROM MASTITIS TO METASTASIS: INFLAMMATORY BREAST CARCINOMA MASQUERADING AS MASTITIS - A DIAGNOSTIC CHALLENGE

Inflammatory breast carcinoma (IBC) is a rare and highly aggressive variant of breast cancer that often mimics benign inflammatory breast conditions, resulting in delayed diagnosis and poor outcomes.We report the case of a 35-year-old woman who presented with clinical features suggestive of mastitis involving the left breast. Initial clinical assessment and imaging favoured a benign inflammatory etiology; however, persistence and progression of symptoms prompted further evaluation.Sequential imaging, cytological assessment, histopathological examination, and metastatic work up ultimately confirmed inflammatory carcinoma of the breast with extensive distant metastases. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges associated with inflammatory breast carcinoma and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion in patients presenting with non resolving inflammatory breast conditions.