[Two Cases of Stage Ⅳ Occult Breast Cancer]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Research

Background:

• Occult breast cancer presents a diagnostic challenge, as the primary tumor is not identifiable.
• Metastatic spread to lymph nodes, lungs, or bone can be the initial presentation.

Observation:

• Two cases of 62-year-old females diagnosed with occult breast cancer are presented.
• One patient had metastasis to axillary lymph nodes and lungs; the other to axillary lymph nodes and bone.
• Hormone receptor status (ER/PgR) and HER2 status were assessed for both patients.

Findings:

• Systemic therapy, including letrozole and fulvestrant, demonstrated effective disease control in metastatic occult breast cancer.
• One patient achieved 20 months of effective control with letrozole.
• Local therapy was deemed unnecessary for managing Stage IV occult breast cancer.

Implications:

• Systemic treatment approaches are crucial for managing advanced occult breast cancer.
• This suggests a potential shift in treatment paradigms, focusing on systemic control over aggressive local interventions.
• Further research into optimal systemic therapies for occult breast cancer is warranted.