Diffuse Dermal Angiomatosis of the Breast Clinically Mimicking Cellulitis and Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Abstract

A 40-year-old woman admitted for hyponatremia and anasarca due to decompensated cirrhosis after a recent steroid taper developed extremely painful cutaneous breast lesions clinically mimicking cellulitis and inflammatory breast cancer and was biopsy-diagnosed instead with diffuse dermal angiomatosis (DDA) of the breasts, a rare and painful disease that can be a diagnostic chameleon. This case highlights the importance of early surgical consultation and tissue biopsy to correctly diagnose the etiology of severely painful mastitis and prevent prolonged symptomology and repeated administrations of ineffective treatments. Diffuse dermal angiomatosis should be considered when suspected breast cellulitis is refractory to treatment or there is concern for inflammatory breast cancer, especially in pendulous-breasted women with comorbidities that increase susceptibility to local tissue hypoxia.