Congestive heart failure mimicking inflammatory breast carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract: Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare but highly malignant form of breast cancer. Biopsy and histologic examination usually confirm the diagnosis. There are rare reports of difficulties in differentiating this particular type of breast malignancy from congestive heart failure (CHF). This difficulty arises when CHF is associated with unilateral breast edema and skin thickening. However, inflammatory breast carcinoma has distinctive histologic and microscopic characteristics allowing the establishment of a proper diagnosis. We report the case of a 65-year-old woman with CHF associated with unilateral breast edema and skin thickening simulating inflammatory breast carcinoma on mammography.