“Pyoderma gangrenosum of the breast: A challenging diagnosis”

Abstract

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare, rapidly spreading, ulcerative cutaneous disease, which is caused by genetic predisposition and a modified immune response to injury or surgery. PG is considered a neutrophilic dermatosis, associated in 50%-80% of cases with underlying systemic diseases. 1-9 It affects mainly middle-aged adults, with no gender preference, and a low (3-10 cases per million) reported annual incidence. 2,8,9

Get It Off Your Chest: A Narrative Review of Breast Ulcers

“…15,16 Although PG may affect any anatomic location, it most commonly presents on the limbs, especially the lower extremity, around an abdominal stoma, or adjacent to wounds including postsurgical sites. 17,18 Although the breast is not a common location for PG lesions, it is a common surgical site, and postsurgical PG is a common complication of breast and chest surgeries. The diagnosis of PG relies mainly on clinical background, usually with an underlying etiology suggestive of the disease.…”

“…It belongs to the neutrophilic dermatoses group and is frequently associated other systemic diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and hematologic malignancy 15,16 . Although PG may affect any anatomic location, it most commonly presents on the limbs, especially the lower extremity, around an abdominal stoma, or adjacent to wounds including postsurgical sites 17,18 . Although the breast is not a common location for PG lesions, it is a common surgical site, and postsurgical PG is a common complication of breast and chest surgeries.…”