Inflammatory breast carcinoma (carcinoma erysipeloides): an easily overlooked diagnosis.

Finkel, L J; Griffiths, C E · Br J Dermatol · 1993

case_report · Level V

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Abstract

A 70-year-old woman developed erythema and induration of the right chest wall, and swelling of her right arm. The provisional diagnosis was deep venous thrombosis and/or cellulitis of the right arm. Skin biopsy showed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma within lymphatic vessels, and immunohistochemical staining revealed this to be of breast origin. Inflammatory carcinoma or carcinoma erysipeloides represents < 1% of all cases of breast carcinoma. Our case illustrates the importance of considering this entity in the differential diagnosis of unilateral chest wall erythema and induration.

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