A Case of Bucillamine-induced Breast Hypertrophy

Abstract

A 50-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a 7-month history of progressive redness and swelling of both breasts. She received bucillamine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Breast ultrasonography revealed several low-echoic areas in both breasts. Needle biopsy specimens showed no evidence of malignancy. Blood tests revealed no evidence of obvious inflammation or elevated tumor marker levels. Therefore, drug-induced breast hypertrophy was suspected. After oral bucillamine treatment was discontinued, the patient's symptoms improved. She had no relapse of symptoms during the 12-month follow-up period. As the bucillamine is widely used as an antirheumatic drug, it is important to consider that breast hypertrophy is a side effect of bucillamine use.