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Inflammatory breast carcinoma (carcinoma erysipeloides): an easily overlooked diagnosis
Author(s) -
FINKEL L.J.,
GRIFFITHS C.E.M.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1993.tb11855.x
Subject(s) - medicine , carcinoma , cellulitis , erythema , breast carcinoma , differential diagnosis , adenocarcinoma , pathology , venous thrombosis , biopsy , skin biopsy , thrombosis , lymphedema , lymphatic system , dermatology , breast cancer , surgery , cancer
Summary 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 for 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.