Cellulitis is a common bacterial skin infection causing redness, swelling, and pain. While usually treatable with antibiotics, symptoms resembling cellulitis can rarely indicate an underlying medical issue, such as certain cancers. Recognizing typical cellulitis helps identify when symptoms are unusual and warrant further investigation.
What Cellulitis Is
Cellulitis develops when bacteria, most commonly Streptococcus or Staphylococcus, enter the skin through a break like a cut, scrape, insect bite, or surgical wound. This infection targets deeper skin layers and subcutaneous tissue.
The affected area typically appears red, swollen, warm to the touch, and can be quite painful. Individuals often experience fever or chills. Cellulitis most frequently affects the lower legs, but can occur anywhere. Standard treatment involves oral antibiotics, usually leading to significant improvement within days.
Cellulitis-Like Conditions Linked to Cancer
While cellulitis is an infection, some cancers or their effects can present with similar symptoms or increase the risk of recurrent infections. Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) often mimics breast cellulitis, causing rapid redness, warmth, swelling, and skin thickening or dimpling, resembling an orange peel texture. These changes occur because cancer cells block lymphatic vessels, and unlike true cellulitis, IBC does not respond to antibiotic treatment.
Cancer or its treatments can also lead to lymphedema, chronic swelling due to lymphatic system damage. For example, surgical removal of lymph nodes or radiation therapy can disrupt lymphatic drainage. This impaired drainage makes the affected limb susceptible to recurrent cellulitis, signaling an underlying issue related to cancer or its therapy.
Rare malignancies like cutaneous T-cell lymphoma or skin metastases can also present with localized redness, swelling, and warmth, initially mistaken for cellulitis. These conditions are less common but highlight the importance of considering non-infectious causes when symptoms are persistent or unusual.
Recognizing Atypical Cellulitis
Atypical cellulitis symptoms warrant further medical investigation. A primary red flag is a lack of significant improvement or worsening despite a full course of antibiotics. This suggests the condition may not be a bacterial infection.
Cellulitis appearing in unusual locations, such as the trunk or face without a clear preceding injury, or presenting bilaterally without an obvious systemic cause, can also be atypical. The absence of a discernible entry point for bacteria, like a cut or scrape, should raise suspicion. Typical cellulitis usually has an identifiable break in the skin.
Persistent skin changes, such as thickening, hardening, or a distinct dimpling resembling an orange peel, particularly on the breast, are not common features of typical cellulitis. These specific skin alterations might indicate an underlying non-infectious process. Accompanying systemic symptoms like unexplained weight loss, persistent fatigue, new lumps, or swollen lymph nodes elsewhere, when combined with cellulitis-like symptoms, also suggest a broader underlying health issue requiring thorough evaluation.
When to Seek Medical Attention
It is always advisable to seek professional medical evaluation for any suspected case of cellulitis. Seek prompt medical attention if cellulitis symptoms spread rapidly, if you develop a high fever, experience severe pain, or feel generally unwell. These symptoms can indicate a rapidly progressing infection or a more serious underlying condition.
If cellulitis-like symptoms are atypical, do not improve with antibiotics, or are accompanied by other concerning signs, communicate these worries to your healthcare provider. They will conduct a thorough physical examination and may recommend various diagnostic tests. These tests could include blood work for infection markers, imaging studies like ultrasound or MRI to assess deeper tissues, or a skin biopsy to examine tissue samples for abnormal cells.