[Contralateral axillary lymph node metastasis of cancer of the breast]

Contralateral axillary metastases (CAM) of breast cancer are uncommon, they state some diagnostics and therapeutics problems. From February 1993 until June 1996, 6 cases of CAM were detected in 123 women having a breast's cancer (4.9%). The diagnostic of CAM, was retained after a normal clinical and mammographic examination of ipsilateral breast, and a anatomopathological proof confirming the carcinomatous infiltration of axillary ganglions. These metastases were synchronous for 3 patients and metachronous for the 3 others with an appearance's mean delay of 12 months. The 6 patients were treated for a breast's cancer locally advanced and a tumour with internal or central seat in 5 cases. The CAM were associated to others metastatic areas in 2 patients. Five patients have had a locoregional treatment of CAM (curage and/or axillary radiotherapy), associated to chemotherapy. The 6th patient, is multimetastatic, had refused the treatment. Only 1 patient has developed a tumor of ipsilateral breast after a mean delay of 7 months, others metastatic localizations are appeared in 2 patients after a mean delay of 8 months. The CAM are considered a scare entity with physiopathological mechanism not yet well elucidated. They are perhaps, the prerogative of advanced tumors and the often before metastatic spreading. A problem remains to be raised: is it a question of a real CAM, or an expression of a ipsilateral breast's occult carcinomatous?