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Kenneth A. Lipshy, MD
Author Affiliation: VA Northern Indiana Health Care System, Fort Wayne.

Arch Surg. 2005;140:95.

INTRODUCTION
A 64-year-old woman had a right-sided breast mass that had been present for 25 years. She noted a purulent, malodorous discharge. On physical examination, she had a 40-cm mass involving the entire right chest wall (Figure 1 and Figure 2). The mass was not fixed to the underlying chest wall. She had no adenopathy. There was a purulent exudate on the surface and several necrotic abscess cavities. An incisional bi-opsy was performed in the office, and she was admitted to the hospital. A chest x-ray film and a thoracic computed tomographic scan were normal, excluding the fungating mass on the chest wall. The patient died in the hospital 4 days after her admission.

View larger version (119K): [in this window] [in a new window] Figure 1.

View larger version (140K): [in this window] [in a new window] Figure 2.

What Is the Diagnosis?

Jump to Section  • Top  • Introduction  • What is the diagnosis?

A. Invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast

B. Chronic breast abscess

C. Stromal cell sarcoma of the breast

D. Squamous cell carcinoma of the breast

Answer

SECTION EDITOR: GRACE S. ROZYCKI, MD

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Arch Surg. 2005;140(1):96.
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