Open AccessCongestive Heart Failure Mimicking Inflammatory Breast Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Author(s) -
Oraedu Christian O.,
Pinnapureddy Parashuram,
Alrawi Sadir,
Acinapura Anthony J.,
Raju Ramanathan
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the breast journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.533
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1524-4741
pISSN - 1075-122X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1524-4741.2001.007002117.x
Subject(s) - medicine , heart failure , malignancy , inflammatory breast cancer , breast cancer , edema , breast carcinoma , biopsy , mammography , carcinoma , thickening , radiology , pathology , cancer , chemistry , polymer science
Abstract: Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare but highly malignant form of breast cancer. Biopsy and histologic examination usually confirm the diagnosis. There are rare reports of difficulties in differentiating this particular type of breast malignancy from congestive heart failure (CHF). This difficulty arises when CHF is associated with unilateral breast edema and skin thickening. However, inflammatory breast carcinoma has distinctive histologic and microscopic characteristics allowing the establishment of a proper diagnosis. We report the case of a 65‐year‐old woman with CHF associated with unilateral breast edema and skin thickening simulating inflammatory breast carcinoma on mammography.