Metastatic Breast Cancer Manifesting as Alopecia: A Case Report

Abstract

Breast cancer affects approximately 1 in 8 women and is the most common malignancy among women. Alopecia neoplastica is a rare cutaneous manifestation of breast adenocarcinoma with less than 30 reported cases worldwide. The skin is typically not a target organ for cutaneous metastasis, however, breast adenocarcinoma carries a higher risk. Here, the author describes the case of woman with a history of breast carcinoma who was clinically disease free for over 11 years. She presented to Dermatology with rapid-onset alopecia and was diagnosed with alopecia neoplastica and subsequent diagnosis of metastatic disease. This case illustrates the importance of considering alopecia neoplastica as a differential diagnosis in adult women presenting with localized alopecia who also have a history of breast carcinoma.