Post-Irradiation Morphea: Case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Post-irradiation morphea (PIM) is an entity documented in the literature although still not mentioned in most of the dermatological textbooks with a frequency approximately 2 out of every 1000 patients who received radiotherapy. Most of the cases are misdiagnosed as recurrent or metastatic carcinoma. MAIN OBSERVATIONS: We report on a 64-year-old woman who was treated with radiotherapy for breast cancer. Two years and eight months after the first dose of radiotherapy, she developed localized morphea in the irradiated area. CONCLUSION: We report on a new case with a literature review and discuss pathogenesis, treatment modalities and post irradiation subcutaneos reactions mimicking PIM. Around 54 cases of post-irradiation morphea (PIM) were identified in the literature.