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Localized Morphea – a Rare but Significant Secondary Complication Following Breast Cancer Radiotherapy

Case Report and Review of the Literature on Radiation Reaction among Patients with Scleroderma/Morphea

Lokalisierte Morphaea – eine seltene, aber signifikante sekundäre Komplikation nach Brustkrebsbestrahlung. Fallbericht und Überblick über die Literatur der Strahlenreaktion bei Patienten mit Sklerodermie/Morphaea

  • Case Study
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Purpose and Approach:

To report a case of morphea (localized scleroderma) in a patient following breast cancer therapy and to summarize the current literature.

Results and Conclusion:

The occurrence of morphea is an unexpected late effect (approximately 1 year after the end of radiation therapy) which occurs frequently in the irradiated breast in women with breast-conserving therapy. The pathogenesis is unclear. The main differential diagnoses are recurrence of carcinoma and a radiogenic subcutaneous fibrosis (in most cases, the final diagnosis can only be made by means of a biopsy). Diagnosis and therapy must be performed in cooperation between dermatologist and radiooncologist.

Ziel und Vorgehen:

Die Autoren berichten über eine Patientin mit lokalisierter Sklerodermie (Morphaea) nach brusterhaltender Therapie und Bestrahlung und geben einen Überblick über die aktuelle Literatur.

Ergebnisse und Schlussfolgerung:

Das Auftreten einer Morphaea ist ein unerwarteter Späteffekt (etwa 1 Jahr nach dem Ende der Strahlentherapie), welcher häufiger in der bestrahlten Brust bei Frauen nach brusterhaltender Therapie auftritt. Die Pathogenese ist unklar. Die wichtigsten Differentialdignosen sind ein lokales Rezidiv und eine radiogene subkutane Fibrose (in den meisten Fällen kann die endgültige Diagnose nur bioptisch gestellt werden). Diagnose und Therapie müssen in Kooperation zwischen Dermatologen und Radioonkologen erfolgen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiotherapy and Radiooncology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, University of Technology, Dresden, Germany

    Thomas Herrmann & Peter Csere

  2. Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, University of Technology, Dresden, Germany

    Claudia Günther

  3. Klinik und Poliklinik für Strahlentherapie und Radioonkologie, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus der Technischen Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany

    Thomas Herrmann

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  2. Claudia Günther
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Correspondence to Thomas Herrmann.

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Herrmann, T., Günther, C. & Csere, P. Localized Morphea – a Rare but Significant Secondary Complication Following Breast Cancer Radiotherapy. Strahlenther Onkol 185, 603–607 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-009-2051-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-009-2051-3

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