PRIMARY SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA OF THE BREAST: A DIAGNOSTIC ENIGMA

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the breast is an uncommon malignancy and accounts for a very small proportion of breast cancers. Because of its rarity and non-specific clinical presentation, diagnosis is challenging and often requires correlation of imaging, cytology, and histopathology. Pure squamous cell carcinoma of the breast can arise from the epidermis, the nipple, or the epithelium of a deep-seated epidermoid cyst, or from squamous metaplasia in a chronic inflammatory background. We report the case of a 45-year-old female who presented with a painful lump in the left breast for three years. Imaging revealed a predominantly cystic lesion, and initial cytology suggested fibrocystic disease. However, histopathological and IHC examination of the lesion demonstrated features of primary squamous cell carcinoma. This case emphasizes the importance of histopathological confirmation in breast lesions that clinically and radiologically resemble benign conditions.