Blue Lymphangitis of the Breast after Breast Cancer: Case Report

• Published in: The breast journal Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 348 - 351
• Main Authors: Arfi, Alexandra, Clavier, Alice, Honart, Jean F., Ammari, Samy, Merabet, Zahira, Mateus, Christine, Arfi‐Rouche, Julia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.05.2017
• Subjects: Abnormalities; Biopsy; Breast cancer; Breast Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Breast Diseases - etiology; breast metastasis; Breast Neoplasms - therapy; Cancer; Case reports; cutaneous lymphangitis carcinomatosa; Female; Histology; Humans; Infiltration; Lymphangitis; Lymphangitis - diagnostic imaging; Lymphangitis - etiology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Melanoma; Metastases; Middle Aged; Remission; Skin; Skin - pathology; skin metastasis; Ultrasonography, Doppler; skin metastasis; breast cancer; melanoma; breast metastasis; cutaneous lymphangitis carcinomatosa
• ISSN: 1075-122X; 1524-4741
• DOI: 10.1111/tbj.12738

Carcinomatous lymphangitis accounts for 5% of all skin metastases, but blue lymphangitis of the breast has never been described. We report a case of blue lymphangitis of the breast in a patient 11 years after treatment for ipsilateral breast cancer that was in full remission. Breast examination and imaging showed no other abnormalities. Skin biopsy revealed a carcinomatous‐pigmented infiltration corresponding to melanoma metastasis, which helped highlight a primitive right flank injury. This case report emphasizes that a full body exam should always be performed with unusual presentation of breast cancer and reiterates the indispensable place of histology before any diagnosis.