Clinical study of dermatologic disorders in patients with breast cancer

Background: In Korea, breast cancer is the most common cancer in female and its incidence is increasing recently. Moreover, breast cancer is the most common cutaneous metastasis in female. However, dermatologic disorders manifested in patients with breast cancer have not been investigated yet. Objectives: Our purpose was to study the clinical characteristics of dermatologic disorders in patients with breast cancer. Methods: A clinical observation and review of medical records were made by analyzing 359 cases of breast cancer who visited Our Lady of Mercy hospital from 1994 to 2003. Among them, 91 cases of the patients with breast cancer showed dermatologic disorders. Their photographs of cutaneous findings and histologic specimens were reviewed by more than 2 dermatologists. Results & Conclusions: 1. The mean age at the diagnosis of breast cancer was 48.74±11.28 years old. 2. The stages of patients with breast cancer were as follows: stage 0 (4 cases), stage 1 (48 cases), stage 2 (196 cases), stage 3 (94 cases), stage 4 (2 cases), and others (15 cases). 3. The treatments of patients with breast cancer were as follows: surgery (358 cases), radiation therapy (115 cases), chemotherapy (256 cases), combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy (82 cases), and others (9 cases). 4. The numbers of patients developing cutaneous infections among the patients with breast cancer were as follows: bacterial infection (18 cases), fungal infection (18 cases), and viral infection (14 cases). 5. The numbers of patients developing pruritus and eczema among the patients with breast cancer were as follows: contact dermatitis (7 cases), seborrheic dermatitis (3 cases), neurodermatitis (2 cases), and others (9 cases). 6. The numbers of patients developing treatment-associated dermatologic disorders among the patients with breast cancer were as follows: urticaria (11 cases), radiodermatitis (8 cases), drug eruption (6 cases), and lymphedema (1 case). 7. The number of patients developing skin metastasis among the patients with breast cancer was 10 cases. 8. The numbers of patients developing other dermatologic disorders among the patients with breast cancer were as follows: psoriasis (4 cases), erythema multiforme (2 cases), and others (16 cases). 9. The numbers of patients developing postoperative dermatologic complications were as follows: seroma (28 cases), arm swelling and lymphedema (9 cases), wound infection (6 cases), and others (5 cases).