Breast mass in a 69-year-old woman

A 69-year-old woman was initially seen with constant abdominal pain in the epigastrium and right upper quadrant, with nausea and vomiting of three days' duration. On examination, moderate tenderness and guarding in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen were noted. A leukocytosis of 11,000/cu mm, with a mild shift to the left, was present. Findings from a sonogram and hepatobiliary scan were consistent with a diagnosis of acute cholecystitis for which intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy was instituted. Results of radiological studies performed on the second hospital day showed a small-bowel obstruction. On surgical exploration, a gangrenous segment of the terminal ileum was resected and an end-to-end anastomosis was performed. The resected bowel demonstrated hemorrhagic infarction with evidence of focal organizing venous thrombosis in the mesentery. The patient was initially started on a regimen of IV heparin and then switched to oral coumarin. On the fourth day of coumarin therapy, massive swelling, tenderness, and erythema were noted to involve the entire right breast. Six months later, the patient was readmitted because of an acute pulmonary embolism. A residual 4x5-cm mass was present in the central portion of the right breast. The overlying skin was slightly retracted. Mammography showed an extensive masslike density behind the right nipple, with evidence of periareolar retraction. Coumarin-induced mammary necrosis was diagnosed