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Victoria Wolodzko Smart: A WIN for people facing Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)

Victoria Wolodzko Smart/LinkedIn

Aug 23, 2025, 16:08

Victoria Wolodzko Smart: A WIN for people facing Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)

Victoria Wolodzko Smart, Senior Vice President of Mission for Susan G. Komen Center for Public Policy, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“I’m so proud to announce a WIN for people facing Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) — one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of breast cancer. The power of collaboration among Susan G. Komen, the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation, The Milburn Foundation and leading scientists and clinicians across the country has delivered lifesaving tools, aiding in diagnosis and supporting continued research.

After strong advocacy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have approved specific diagnosis codes for this aggressive and often misdiagnosed form of breast cancer, which will go into effect starting Oct. 1, 2025.

These new codes will enable better disease documentation, helping patients begin treatment sooner without unnecessary delays. They will also allow researchers to collect better data on how many people are affected by IBC, how the disease progresses and which treatments are most effective. Ultimately, our goal is to improve outcomes and save the lives of thousands of patients who are facing this disease.

I also appreciate the incredible scientific leadership of Reshma Jagsi, MD, DPhil of Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Kathy D. Miller, M.D., of Indiana University School of Medicine and my Komen colleague Lindsey Anstine, Ph.D. who have been exceptional stewards of this critical work.

Read more about the work of the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Collaborative at our blog here.”

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