A 55-year-old woman presents with erythema, peau d'orange appearance, and diffuse tenderness of the right breast for 3 weeks. Mammography shows diffuse skin thickening, trabecular thickening, and diffuse increased density without a discrete mass. The most likely diagnosis is:

• A Mastitis
• B Lymphoma of the breast
• C Inflammatory breast carcinoma ✓
• D Radiation-induced changes

Explanation

Inflammatory breast carcinoma presents with erythema, peau d'orange, and diffuse skin thickening due to tumor emboli obstructing dermal lymphatics. Mammography shows diffuse skin thickening, trabecular thickening, and increased density without a discrete mass. While mastitis can mimic this, the absence of fever, lack of response to antibiotics, and peau d'orange favor malignancy. Biopsy of the skin showing dermal lymphatic tumor emboli confirms the diagnosis.

Reference: Harrisons Principles of Internal Medicine, 21st ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.