[A difficult diagnosis of asynchronous both side breast cancers]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Breast Cancer Research
• Pathology

Background:

• A 53-year-old woman with Stage IIA left breast cancer underwent surgery, chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil), and radiation therapy.
• Two years post-treatment, a benign fibroadenoma was detected in the right breast via ultrasonography.

Observation:

• Nine years after initial diagnosis, the patient presented with right axillary lymph node swelling, indicative of metastasis.
• Biopsies confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma within a fibroadenoma in the right breast, with no distant metastases detected.

Findings:

• The right breast cancer was diagnosed as T2N1M0, Stage IIB, estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-negative, and HER2-negative.
• Treatment included breast-conserving surgery, axillary lymph node dissection, chemotherapy (taxotere, cyclophosphamide), and radiation therapy.

Implications:

• This case underscores the potential for late recurrence and the occurrence of new primary breast cancers in patients with a history of breast cancer.
• Accurate pathological diagnosis, including distinguishing primary tumors from metastases and identifying specific tumor subtypes, is crucial for effective treatment planning and patient management.