Giant basal cell carcinoma of the breast mimicking paget's disease: complete remission after photodynamic therapy.
BACKGROUND
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in the nipple area is extremely rare and can be mistaken for Paget's disease.


METHODS
A 47-year-old woman complained of a slowly growing, scaly erythematous plaque around her right nipple which had developed over several years. Paget's disease of the breast was suspected. Biopsies revealed a superficial BCC. The maximum tumor thickness was measured as 1 mm. Considering the superficial character of the tumor, photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a non-invasive approach was performed. Complete remission (CR) with an excellent cosmetic result was achieved after 4 PDT sessions. In the follow-up, CR with no signs of a local recurrence was evident after more than 24 months.


CONCLUSIONS
In similar superficial cases of BCCs, non-invasive procedures such as PDT can be discussed as an alternative option to radical surgery or radiotherapy, with an excellent aesthetic outcome in carefully selected cases.
Klinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany. NMikhaimer@dermatology.uni-kiel.de
Nadia C
NC
Mikhaimer
Katharina C
KC
Kähler
Thomas
T
Schwarz
Christoph
C
Mundhenke
Axel
A
Hauschild
D021542:Amino Acids, Neutral / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010144:Paget's Disease, Mammary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D021542:Amino Acids, Neutral; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; C013809:5-aminovaleric acid