title: Recurrent pyoderma gangrenosum precipitated by breast cancer: a case report and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare clinical entity of poorly understood pathogenesis, characterized by rapidly progressing skin necrosis. In around half of patients pyoderma gangrenosum is a manifestation of underlying systemic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease or myeloproliferative disorders. There have been very few reports on the association of pyoderma gangrenosum with solid malignancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of a 68-year-old Caucasian woman in whom pyoderma gangrenosum first appeared around 30 years earlier, at the time of exacerbation of rheumatoid arthritis, and recurred as a manifestation of locally advanced breast cancer. The causative role of the neoplastic process was partly confirmed by the healing of the skin ulceration only following effective endocrine cancer therapy, whereas earlier attempts with standard anti-inflammatory therapy were unsuccessful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pyoderma gangrenosum has a recurrent nature and may be reactivated by various causes within several years. Therefore, a prompt and thorough diagnosis accompanied by treatment of the underlying disease is necessary.
authors: Department of Oncology, Military Institute of Medicine, Szaserów 128 Street, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland. rdtt@wp.pl.
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: Duchnowska
authors: Ewa
authors: E
authors: Ziajka
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Góralska
authors: Bartłomiej
authors: B
authors: Grala
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000209:etiology*; D017511:Pyoderma Gangrenosum / Q000209:etiology*; D012008:Recurrence