Lessons Learned from an Unusual Case of Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Harrison, Andrew M.; Zendejas, Benjamin; Ali, Shahzad; Scow, Jeffrey S.; Farley, David R.

doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2011.10.016

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A nonlactating woman with inflammatory symptoms in the breast and an abscess that fails to respond to antibiotic treatment and drainage should undergo a punch biopsy of the skin (27) and aspiration of subdermal lymphatic vessels to exclude inflammatory breast cancer (28).…”

Section: Abscessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Echogenic Breast Masses at US: To Biopsy or Not to Biopsy?

Gao

Slanetz²,

Eisenberg³

2013

RadioGraphics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

At ultrasonography (US), purely or predominantly echogenic breast masses are rare. These lesions were once assumed to be benign, but recent data suggest that approximately 0.5% of malignant breast lesions appear echogenic. However, correlation with the mammographic appearance, lesion location, and clinical history allows the need for biopsy to be determined. An echogenic mass that is radiolucent at mammography is benign. An echogenic mass that is not radiolucent at mammography may represent a hematoma, complex seroma, silicone granuloma, abscess, galactocele, or fat necrosis when the appropriate clinical history is present. In these cases, biopsy can usually be avoided. If there is a clinical history of cancer or radiation therapy, biopsy is often indicated to assess for metastasis or angiosarcoma. An echogenic mass in an ectatic duct warrants biopsy to exclude carcinoma. An echogenic skin lesion is most likely benign and can occasionally have peripheral vascularity due to surrounding inflammation. However, a skin lesion with internal vascularity is concerning for metastasis or lymphoma. If there is no suspicious clinical history, suspicious sonographic features or mammographic findings would lead to a recommendation for biopsy. Lesions with nonspecific imaging or clinical features (eg, angiolipoma or pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia) may require biopsy to exclude malignancy.

show abstract

Section: Abscessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Echogenic Breast Masses at US: To Biopsy or Not to Biopsy?

Gao

Slanetz²,

Eisenberg³

2013

RadioGraphics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A systematic review of the literature revealed no previously published report of an equivalent systematic inflammatory response to IBC. Several case reports have described: fever [ 8 ]; elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ 9 ]; elevated CRP, and; raised white blood cell count and in the presence of a negative septic screen as well as pure red cell aplasia [ 10 ] in patients diagnosed with IBC. Molecular profiling has sought to provide further insight into the pathogenesis of IBC [ 5 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome in a patient diagnosed with high grade inflammatory triple negative breast cancer: a case report of a potentially rare paraneoplastic syndrome

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundInflammatory breast cancer is a complex pathological entity associated with poor outcomes. This loco-regional disease is characterised by a rapid clinical course in the presence breast erythema and infiltration of dermal lymphatics by tumours cells. Herein we describe a case of inflammatory breast cancer with a rare presentation and disease course defined by a profound systemic inflammatory response in the absence of an infective cause.Case presentationThe patient presented with pyrexia and malaise following a recent tissue diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer. At the time of admission the patient demonstrated clinical features of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in the presence of a negative septic screen. Her condition deteriorated despite systemic broad spectrum intravenous antibiotics and she underwent surgical debulking of a 180 × 135 × 100 mm (821 g) primary tumour composed of oedematous, friable and haemorrhagic tissue (pT4,N1a,M0; oestrogen/progesterone/HER-2 receptor negative). Following surgery, the clinical picture dramatically improved with cessation of SIRS and normalisation of inflammatory markers. After 4 weeks the patient required readmission to hospital due to recurrent SIRS and negative septic screen. The patient received treatment with systemic chemotherapy showing transient clinical improvement and suppression of SIRS. Despite on going chemotherapy, systemic antibiotics and a trial of steroid therapy the patient died 5 months after her initial presentation to hospital. At the time of death she demonstrated persistent SIRS with elevated inflammatory markers.ConclusionThis is the first case report of inflammatory breath cancer associated with SIRS in the absence of clinically confirmed infection. Important learning points highlighted by this case are: (a) recognition of the diagnostic and therapeutic uncertainties that still exist in the context of inflammatory breast cancer; (b) appreciation of the potential paraneoplastic systemic inflammatory manifestations of this disease, and finally; (c) the importance a multidisciplinary and multimodal approach to treatment.

show abstract

“…Similarly to our case, Harrison et al reported the case of a 56 year old patient diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer with skin metastases to her back and contralateral breast. She was submitted to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by bilateral modified radical mastectomy and radiation therapy; postoperatively she remained disease free based on PET imaging one year after the initial diagnosis (21).…”

Section: Discussion Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Palliative treatment for breast cancer with cutaneous metastases - a case report

Bacalbaşa¹,

Bălescu²,

Brasoveanu³

et al. 2015

JTMR

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Skin metastases from breast cancer account for up to 20% of all cutaneous malignancies and are usually a sign of poor prognosis due to the fact that their presence is the sign that the underlying tumor has already infiltrated the lymphatics or the adjacent blood vessels. However, in all these cases the most efficient therapeutic approach remains neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical surgery. We present the case of a 43 year old patient diagnosed with ductal invasive breast cancer with cutaneous metastases in which this therapeutic protocol was successfully applied.

show abstract

Lessons Learned from an Unusual Case of Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Cited by 5 publications

References 27 publications

Echogenic Breast Masses at US: To Biopsy or Not to Biopsy?

Echogenic Breast Masses at US: To Biopsy or Not to Biopsy?

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome in a patient diagnosed with high grade inflammatory triple negative breast cancer: a case report of a potentially rare paraneoplastic syndrome

Palliative treatment for breast cancer with cutaneous metastases - a case report

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About