title: [Occult cancer as a special form of breast carcinoma].
abstract: Occult carcinoma of the breast is characterized as a diagnosis made when the finding of axillary metastasis precedes the identification of the primary mammary lesion. This concept must be distinguished from subclinical breast cancer, in which a non-palpable tumor is discovered through radiological image. In 1975, a 56 years old patient presented an axillary metastatic lesion not detected by a conventional mammogram, but revealed by specialized equipment. After a modified radical mastectomy performed at that time, she has remained asymptomatic for 14 years. In 1985, a 51 years old patient, had an axillary clearance after a diagnosis of a malignant lymph node without the identification of the primary lesion on her homolateral breast, in spite of several tests. After 40 months, during her frequent follow-up, a small lump was identified by mammography. The patient underwent a quadrantectomy followed by radiotherapy and is asymptomatic after 2 years. These 2 cases, added to others mentioned in international literature, allow us to consider occult breast carcinoma as a particular type belonging to the special category of Unknown Primary Tumors (UPT), in which the biologic aspects and prognostic index authorize a less aggressive management than is usually accepted for the UPTs.
authors.affiliation: Clín. de Mastol., Hosp. Osvaldo Cruz, São Paulo.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Montoro
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Montoro
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000175:diagnosis*
vernacular_title: Câncer oculto como forma especial dos carcinomas mamários.