Melanocyte colonization and pigmentation of breast carcinoma: A case report

J Cutan Pathol. 2024 Apr;51(4):280-283. doi: 10.1111/cup.14564. Epub 2023 Dec 19.

Abstract

Pigmented mammary Paget disease is a rare variant of mammary Paget disease that is often clinically misdiagnosed as a melanocytic lesion of the skin or nipple-areolar complex. Careful morphological assessment, along with the performance of adequate immunohistochemical stains, will help in achieving the right diagnosis and avoiding misdiagnosis of the entity as malignant melanoma. We report a rare case of pigmented mammary Paget disease with concomitant colonization of the underlying invasive ductal carcinoma by melanocytes mimicking melanoma.

Keywords: breast carcinoma; malignant melanoma; pigmented mammary Paget disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Melanocytes / pathology
  • Melanoma* / diagnosis
  • Melanoma* / pathology
  • Paget's Disease, Mammary* / pathology
  • Pigmentation
  • Pigmentation Disorders* / pathology