Primary epidermoid carcinoma of the breast presenting as a breast abscess and sepsis

Authors

  • Andrea Pires Damin Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • Fernanda Costa Nascimento Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • João Batista Andreola Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • Talita Haubert Cerutti Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • Adriana Roehe Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • Daniel Carvalho Damin Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

Keywords:

Breast neoplasms, Carcinoma, squamous cell, Abscess, Sepsis, Mastectomy

Abstract

CONTEXT: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the breast is an extremely rare form of cancer, accounting for approximately 0.04% of all malignant breast tumors. To date, only a limited number of cases of SCC of the breast have been reported, and most of them presented like the usual breast carcinomas. CASE REPORT: A 39-year-old woman presented with a large breast abscess and signs of sepsis. After surgical debridement of the lesion, histopathological examination of the abscess capsule revealed the presence of SCC of the breast. The definitive treatment for the tumor consisted of modified radical mastectomy with resection of the residual lesion in the right breast. CONCLUSIONS: This unusual case illustrates how an apparently benign disorder such as a breast abscess might be related to a clinically occult malignancy. A review of the literature on SCC of the breast is presented.

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Author Biographies

Andrea Pires Damin, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

MD, PhD. Attending Physician, Division of Breast Surgery, Hospital Fêmina, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Fernanda Costa Nascimento, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

MD. Attending Physician, Division of Breast Surgery, Hospital Fêmina, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

João Batista Andreola, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

MD. Attending Physician, Division of Breast Surgery, Hospital Fêmina, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Talita Haubert Cerutti, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

MD. Attending Physician, Division of Breast Surgery, Hospital Fêmina, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Adriana Roehe, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

MD, PhD. Adjunct Professor, Department of Pathology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Daniel Carvalho Damin, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

MD, PhD. Adjunct Professor, Department of Surgery, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

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Published

2011-11-11

How to Cite

1.
Damin AP, Nascimento FC, Andreola JB, Cerutti TH, Roehe A, Damin DC. Primary epidermoid carcinoma of the breast presenting as a breast abscess and sepsis. Sao Paulo Med J [Internet]. 2011 Nov. 11 [cited 2025 Sep. 29];129(6):424-7. Available from: https://periodicosapm.emnuvens.com.br/spmj/article/view/1648

Issue

Vol. 129 No. 6 (2011)

Section

Case Report

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