Article Details

Background: Carcinoma en cuirasse (CeC) is a rare and aggressive form of cutaneous metastasis, typically associated with advanced breast cancer. It usually occurs late in the disease course but can occasionally present at onset.
Case Presentation: We describe a 38-year-old African woman with a history of synchronous bilateral invasive ductal carcinoma, treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and bilateral radical mastectomy. Two years later, she presented with diffuse thoracic skin lesions, consistent with CeC, and concurrent pleuropulmonary and skeletal metastases. Despite recommendation for systemic chemotherapy, the patient declined treatment and died three months later.
Conclusion: CeC remains a rare but ominous manifestation of metastatic breast cancer, indicating advanced disease and poor prognosis. Early recognition and multidisciplinary management may improve survival outcomes in resource-limited settings.

Keywords: Breast; Cancer; Metastasis; Mastectomy