Primary carcinoma of ectopic breast tissue

Clin Breast Cancer. 2008 Apr;8(2):189-91. doi: 10.3816/CBC.2008.n.021.

Abstract

We describe a case of a 37-year-old woman with a left axillary mass. Often, the initial differential diagnosis of an axillary mass is not easy to make. We performed fine-needle aspiration of the axillary mass that revealed the presence of numerous epithelial neoplastic cells. A bilateral digital mammography, chest and abdomen computed tomography scan, and a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI) of the axillary region were performed. In our case, the MRI was able to exclude the presence of neoplastic tissue in the breast; moreover, it confirmed the presence of metastatic lymph nodes and recognized a second type of nodular lesion in the axilla, showing on the MRI a radiologic pattern similar to breast tissue.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Axilla / pathology*
  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle
  • Breast*
  • Carcinoma / pathology*
  • Choristoma / pathology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging