Metástasis cutáneas de cáncer de mama: 8 años de revisión en un centro de tercera complejidad

Background and objectivesBreast cancer is the most common cause of cutaneous metastases. In our review of the literature, we found no studies that have investigated the prevalence of cutaneous metastases from breast cancer in Latin America or compared survival in relation to the site of cutaneous involvement or the presence of visceral metastases.The aims of this study were to characterize the prevalence and clinical features of cutaneous metastases from breast cancer and analyze survival in relation to site of involvement and the concomitant presence of visceral metastases.Materials and methodsRetrospective cohort study. We evaluated patients with breast cancer and histologically confirmed cutaneous metastases.ResultsData from 914 patients with breast cancer seen between 2007 and 2014 were analyzed. Thirty-one of the patients, all women, had cutaneous metastases (prevalence, 3.4%; 95% CI, 2.3%-4.7%). The most common form of metástasis was nodular, metachronous, and asymptomatic.There were discrepancies between the immunohistochemical findings for the primary tumor and the metastases in 5 of 21 women. The metastases were locorregional in 23 patients and distant in 8. No differences were observed between patients with locorregional and distant metastases for survival after diagnosis of the primary tumor (median of 4.7 vs. 4.8 years; P=.085) or the cutaneous metastases (median of 2.9 vs. 1.1 years, P=.06). Women with a simultaneous diagnosis of cutaneous and visceral metastases had the shortest survival.ConclusionsThis is the first study in Latin America to estimate the prevalence of cutaneous metastases from breast cancer and we found it to be lower than rates reported for other parts of the world.     

Metástasis cutánea de adenocarcinoma de ovario

—A 67-year-old woman without relevant past history and in good health developed numerous infiltrated erythematous plaques with a reticular pattern and a bruised appearance over her abdominal wall. Some of these plaques had 2 to 3 mm serohemorrhagic vesicles on their surface. Histopathologic study revealed metastatic papillary cystadenocarcinoma of ovarian origen.     

Metástasis cutáneas de origen visceral

Cutaneous metastases are relatively rare in clinical practice and their diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion because clinical findings can be subtle. These metastases reveal the presence of disseminated malignant disease and can lead to the diagnosis of unsuspected internal tumors or the spread or recurrence of an already diagnosed tumor. Early recognition of cutaneous metastases can facilitate prompt and accurate diagnosis resulting in early treatment; however, they are generally indicative of a poor prognosis. Some tumors have a predilection to metastasize to specific areas. Recognition of these patterns provides essential information that can guide the search for the underlying tumor.