Neoplasms in skin and subcutis over the breast, simulating breast neoplasms: case reports and literature review.

Twenty cases of neoplasms in skin and subcutaneous tissue over the breast were reviewed. There were 17 women, from 15 to 70 years of age, and three men, from 25 to 66 years of age. Among the benign skin neoplasms, superficial leiomyoma, granular cell tumor, and eccrine acrospiroma were misdiagnosed clinically as primary breast carcinoma. Among the malignant neoplasms in subcutaneous tissue, there were three metastatic malignant melanomas, one metastatic epidermoid bronchogenic carcinoma, and two malignant lymphomas. It is interesting that four of these six patients had no prior history of malignant lesion, the subcutaneous nodule presenting as the first manifestation of an occult primary. It is concluded that histological diagnosis of such tumors may lead to avoidance of unnecessary radical surgery.