Granuloma annulare temporally associated with carcinoma of the breast

Granuloma annulare is a skin condition characterized by the development of reddish nodules, or small aggregations of cells, arranged in a circular pattern. There are few reports of granuloma annulare associated with malignancy. A case is described of a 52-year-old woman who developed granuloma annulare before discovery of an abnormal breast mass. The skin lesion disappeared one month after mastectomy to treat breast cancer. One year later, the patient noted recurrence of the skin lesion, followed by recurrence of the breast cancer one month later. The granuloma annulare resolved within one month after chemotherapy to treat the cancer. Seven months later, the skin lesions reappeared; it was found that the cancer had metastasized to the brain. The patient underwent radiation therapy, which resulted in elimination of the brain tumor and the granuloma annulare. Studies have shown that granuloma annulare recurs at a rate of 41 percent, and frequently in the same location as the original lesion. The relation between the development of granuloma annulare and malignancy is not clear, but may be related to changes in the body's natural defense system. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)