Axillary metastases from occult breast cancer. Our experience
Alessandro Sanguinetti 1, Andrea Polistena 2, Giuseppe D’Ermo 2, Roberta Lucchini 1, Roberta Triola 1, Claudia Conti 1, Stefano Avenia 1, Giuseppe Cavallaro 2, Giorgio Toma 2, Nicola Avenia 1
Affiliations
Article Info
1 Department of General Surgery and Surgical Disciplines University of Perugia, Italy Azienda Ospedaliera, Terni, Italy
2 Department of Surgery “Pietro Valdoni” University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
Abstract
We report the case of a 63-year-old woman with occult breast cancer who presented with a hard metastatic nodule in the left axilla. Although histology identified a metastatic carcinoma in the lymph nodes, numerous tests failed to detect the primary tumor. Resected lymph node was positive for both estrogen and progesterone receptors, suggesting the breast as the site of the primary tumor. Left modified radical mastectomy was performed. Pathology revealed an invasive lobular carcinoma (2.5 x 2mm in size) with extensive lymphatic involvement, which strongly expressed both vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and VEGF-D.
Keywords
- Occult breast carcinoma
- Axillary metastases
- Hormone receptors
- Vascular endothelial
- Growth factors