Bilateral fat necrosis of the breast: report of a case

Abstract

A rare case of bilateral fat necrosis of the breast is reported. The patient was a 50-year-old unmarried woman having no history of trauma, disease or surgery of the breast. In the bilateral breasts, ill-defined, firm masses with skin retraction were noted. Bilateral breast cancer was diagnosed clinically. However, both lesions showed histologically chronic granulomatous inflammation with foci of fatty necrosis, infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells, lipid containing foamy cells, foreign body giant cells engurfing choresterol-crystals, and calcification. "Paraffinoma" was thus suspected, but there was no history of cosmetic mammoplasty and histochemical studies failed to demonstrate saturated lipid indicating paraffin or other mineral oils.