The present invention provides human transplantable inflammatory breast carcinoma xenografts. Such xenografts exhibit a number of unique characteristics which allows their use in experimental models of inflammatory carcinoma in order to dissect out the molecular basis of this phenotype. This experimental model of inflammatory carcinoma can be used to identify molecular targets for therapeutic intervention and to assess the efficacy of a broad spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Specific animal models of inflammatory breast cancer are described as well as methods for evaluating diagnostic and therapeutic agents for treating inflammatory breast cancer. Methods for identifying molecules whose expression is modulated in inflammatory breast cancer are provided. In addition, methods for diagnosing and inhibiting the growth of inflammatory breast cancer metastases in vivo are provided.