Axillary metastatic disease as presentation of occult or contralateral breast cancer

Atypical axillary metastasis may arise from an occult ipsilateral or contralateral breast cancer or from primary non-breast tumour. The treatment of this entity is challenging and presents various options. We present our experience with a brief review of the literature.

A study of atypical axillary metastasis done at St Mary's hospital, from 1998 to 2008, identified six cases. Radiological investigations and immunohistochemistry excluded non-breast primary tumour. Three patients had occult breast cancer on presentation, two patients had previously treated contralateral breast cancer and one patient developed a primary metachronous contralateral breast cancer, which had a completely different histological profile from the involved lymph nodes on the same side. Axillary nodal clearance was done for all patients except for the patient with lymphoedema. Four patients were alive with no evidence of disease and two patients died of the disease at a median follow-up of 23 months.

Atypical axillary metastasis from ipsilateral occult or contralateral breast cancer should be treated with axillary node clearance and further endocrine or chemotherapy. Radiation treatment or a watchful policy to the ipsilateral breast should be validated by further studies.