Livedoid presentation of erysipeloid metastatic breast carcinoma: a case report and short review of the literature

Breast cancer cutaneous metastases (BCCM) have variable clinical presentations that are often non-specific, and usually occur in patients with advanced malignancies. Occasionally, BCCM precede the detection of internal metastases. We present a 41-year-old woman whose BCCM reappeared in a nonspecific, livedoid pattern four years after she underwent a mastectomy. Despite aggressive therapy and the fact that she had no internal metastases, there was a rapid deterioration in her illness. This case demonstrates the value of following up with patients to evaluate cutaneous lesions for signs of breast cancer in spite of their sometimes benign clinical representation.