Breast conservation treatment for patients presenting with axillary lymphadenopathy from presumed primary breast cancer: the role of breast magnetic resonance imaging for staging.
Three female patients presented with malignant axillary lymphadenopathy presumed to be from primary breast cancer. No evidence of primary cancer was found in the breast on either mammography or breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All 3 patients underwent axillary lymph node dissection and systemic chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy to the breast and regional lymph nodes. Two patients remain relapse free with a follow-up of 3.7 years each. The third patient achieved locoregional control in the ipsilateral breast and regional lymph nodes but relapsed in the contralateral axilla. These 3 cases illustrate the potential for breast conservation treatment for patients presenting with axillary adenopathy from a presumed primary breast cancer but without either mammographic or breast MRI findings.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Changhu
C
Chen
Susan G
SG
Orel
Mitchell D
MD
Schnall
Eleanor
E
Harris
Lawrence J
LJ
Solin
D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000592:standards*; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests