T1 Breast Cancer Associated with Von Recklinghausen's Neurofibromatosis

A rare case of breast cancer associated with von Recklinghausen s neurofibromatosis is reported. This case and review of the literature illustrate the problems of clinical diagnosis. A 66-year-old woman who had undergone sigmoidectomy for sigmoid colon cancer two years previously, was admitted to the hospital because of a left breast skinretraction in October, 1998. The patient had von Recklinghausen fs disease (neurofibromatosis type 1). The TNM clinical staging was T1cN0M0. Modified radical mastectomy was performed. The histopathological diagnosis of the breast tumor was invasive ductal carcinoma and the skin tumor was neurofibroma. The pTNM pathological staging was pT1cN1aM0. Among patients similar to our case, almost all were staged higher than T2. This may be because multiple neurofibromas obscure breast mass at palpation, leading to delayed detection of the cancer. Systemic and careful exploration is essential for patients with von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis to detect breast cancer at an early stage.