Inflammatory breast cancer: Activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and its target CYP1B1 correlates closely with Wnt5a/b-β-catenin signalling, the stem cell phenotype and disease progression.

•AHR is over-expressed and hyperactivated in carcinoma tissues of IBC patients.•AHR knockdown inhibits expression of CYP1B1 and Wnt5a in IBC cells.•AHR and CYP1B1 expression correlates with Wnt5 a/b and b-catenin expression levels.•AHR and CYP1B1 expression correlates with percentage of CD44(+)/CD24(−/low) subset in IBC.•AHR and its surrogate molecules correlate with IBC poor prognosis.