An Unusual Presentation of a Breast Lump

Indian J Surg. 2017 Jun;79(3):256-258. doi: 10.1007/s12262-016-1547-1. Epub 2016 Aug 19.

Abstract

Trichilemmal cyst also known as pilar cyst is a rare cyst arising from the external root sheath of the hair follicle. These cysts are observed on the scalp most commonly in females. The occurrence of trichilemmal cysts in areas other than the scalp is extremely rare. We report a case of an 80-year-old female with trichilemmal cyst of the breast which was first misdiagnosed as a sebaceous cyst because of the unusual disease site and our unfamiliarity with the disease. The patient underwent excision of cyst along with the cyst wall and histopathological diagnosis was trichilemmal cyst of the breast. A review of literature shows that trichilemmal cyst of the breast is an extremely rare condition which accounts for 0.1 % of the skin biopies reported till to date. We report a case of trichilemmal cyst of the breast with relevant discussion on trichilemmal cysts.

Keywords: Breast; Pilar cyst; Scalp; Trichilemmal cyst.