Breast Cancer (Mammary Carcinoma): Or something else? Differential Diagnosis

Skin and subcutaneous (L00-L99).

  • Atopic eczema (neurodermatitis)* .
  • Chronic dermatoses* (including acne, Lyme disease (infectious disease caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi), herpes zoster (shingles), herpes simplex, psoriasis (psoriasis), urticaria (hives), bullous autoimmune dermatoses/blistering disease )
  • Cutaneous mycosis* (fungal disease of the skin).
  • Panniculitis* – localized inflammation of the subcutaneous fat tissue; the overlying skin is reddened.
  • Scleroderma* – group of rare diseases associated with leathery connective tissue hardening of the skin.

Infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).

  • Erysipelas* – nonpurulent infection of the skin and subcutaneous (subcutaneous) tissue, predominantly caused by group A ß-hemolytic streptococci (GAS (group A streptococci); Streptococcus pyogenes).
  • Tuberculosis

Circulatory system (I00-I99)

  • Venous thrombosis (complete or partial occlusion of a vein)* /Mondor’s disease* (synonyms: Mondor’s disease, iron wire phlebitis, phlebitis Mondor) – thrombophlebitis (acute thrombosis and inflammation of mostly superficial veins) of the thoracoepigastric veins or their branches at the front of the thorax (chest).

Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99).

Neoplasms – tumor diseases (C00-D48).

  • Cystosarcoma phylloides – very rare mammary tumor in adult women (about 1% of all mammary gland tumors).
  • Fibroadenoma or lipoma – benign changes.
  • Granuloma
  • Leukemic infiltration*
  • Metastases (daughter tumors)
  • Paget’s carcinoma* – form of malignant neoplasia (malignant neoplasm) of the mammary (breast); clinic: slowly progressive change in the nipple (breast) – brownish-red, scaly, weeping, crusted.
  • Paraneoplastic dermatoses* (including erythema gyratum repens (figured erythema that occurs paraneoplastic (“occurring in connection with a tumor disease”), especially in bronchial and breast carcinomas and malignant tumors of the female genitalia, esophagus or stomach), hypertrichosis lanuginosa acquisita / atypically strong, diffuse hairiness without preference for androgen-dependent zones).

Genitourinary system (kidneys, urinary tract – sex organs) (N00-N99).

  • Nipple eczema – eczema of the nipple.
  • Mamma abscess* – encapsulated pus cavity in the breast.
  • Mamma cysts – cysts in the breast.
  • Mastitis* (puerperal/puerperal concerning, non-puerperal/outside of puerperal, non-infectious: granulomatous mastitis, plasma cell mastitis).
  • Lactic congestion/engorgement (“constipation“)* .
  • Mastopathy – benign change in the glandular tissue of the breast.

Injuries, poisonings, and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T98).

  • Injury scars

Further

  • Skin reaction* due to bra, jewelry, piercing, intertrigo (soreness), manipulation, among others.

* Skin redness of the breast (red breast): differential diagnoses in suspected inflammatory breast carcinoma (breast cancer associated with diffuse, irregularly circumscribed erythema (extensive skin redness) and other signs of inflammation).