Morphea of the breast—an uncommon cause of breast erythema

BackgroundBreast-associated morphea (BAM) can mimic benign and malignant inflammatory breast disorders. The aim of the current study was to document our experience with this rare sclerosing dermatologic disorder.MethodWe conducted a retrospective study at a single institution of all patients who had pathological diagnosis of morphea between January 1995 and October 2007.ResultsWe identified 15 patients with pathological evidence of morphea involving the breast. Two thirds of these patients were initially misdiagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer or breast infections. While 2 patients had previous exposure to external beam radiation, the remaining patients had no identifiable predisposing risk factors. BAM resulted in limited morbidity and did not result in significant disfiguration. Treatment included topical steroids, topical calcineurin inhibitor, and surgical excision.ConclusionsOur experience with BAM emphasizes the benefit of early tissue biopsy in patients with unexplained breast erythema to confirm a clinical diagnosis and thus guide subsequent therapeutic interventions.