Invasive carcinoma of the breast with granulomatous response

Three patients are described who had invasive ductal carcinoma associated with noncaseating epithelioid granulomas. Multinucleated giant cells, predominantly of Langhans' type, were present in the granulomas. The granulomas were restricted to the carcinoma, and no granulomatous response was evident in regional lymph nodes. None of the patients had clinical evidence of systemic granulomatous disease, although one patient subsequently was found to have hepatic portal granulomas. This uncommon tissue response to neoplasm is distinct from carcinomas with osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells. Similarly, the process differs from the granulomas presenting in axillary lymph nodes that drain a carcinoma.