Granulomatous lesions of the homolateral limb after previous mastectomy.
BACKGROUND
Granulomas may be classified as palisaded, sarcoidal, tuberculoid, suppurative and foreign body. In cancer patients they are defined as tumour-related sarcoid granulomas. Otherwise they are classified as granulomatous lesions of unknown significance. It is still unknown why neoplastic diseases are sometimes associated with granulomas.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate granulomas found on the same side as a previous mastectomy.


METHODS
We studied four women who had previously undergone mastectomy and presented with epithelioid cell granulomas of the same side as the previous mastectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
The association between breast cancer and host granulomatous reaction is uncommon. The cases discussed may correspond to cutaneous tumour-related sarcoid granuloma reactions.
Virgili
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A
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Dermatology, University of Ferrara, Via Savonarola 9, 44100 Ferrara, Italy. vri@unife.it
Maranini
C
C
Califano
A
A
D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011184:Postoperative Period