title: Postirradiation morphea in a breast cancer patient.
abstract: We present the case of a 52-year-old woman who underwent lumpectomy and radiation therapy for breast carcinoma and 2 years later presented with changes limited to the breast radiation field including hyperpigmentation, retraction, and skin thickening. These clinical features, along with pathologic findings, were diagnostic of postirradiation morphea. It is important to be aware of this rare complication of radiation therapy because it clinically presents with symptoms mimicking malignancy and may be misinterpreted as recurrent carcinoma or even angiosarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dubner
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bovi
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Susnik
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000209:etiology*; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D013997:Time Factors