Pyoderma Gangcrenosum in a Breast Cancer Patient: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a primarily sterile neutrophilic dermatosis. It starts spontaneously or due to pathergy (25-50%) with very painful ulcers with bluish borders, which grow rapidly and give expanding tissue necrosis. General incidence is estimated at 1/100000 per year. In this report a breast cancer patient developed PG due to surgical correction of a retracted scar of a lumpectomy. Diagnosis was made after her apparent inflammatory breast did not respond to broad spectrum antibiotics and became rapidly necrotic. This remained limited to the area of prior radiotherapy. Good response to systemic corticosteroids confirmed diagnosis of PG.