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.
Mikhaimer
Nadia C
NC
Klinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany. NMikhaimer@dermatology.uni-kiel.de
Kähler
Katharina C
KC
Schwarz
Thomas
T
Mundhenke
Christoph
C
Hauschild
Axel
A
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