title: Sarcoid-like reaction in breast cancer: a long-term follow-up series of eight patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Finding an intrathoracic or axillary mass in a breast cancer patient should raise suspicion of a pulmonary or mediastinal nodal metastasis or axillary recurrence. Surprisingly, noncaseating epithelioid cell granuloma can be found in this type of lesion, as in sarcoidosis or a sarcoid-like reaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  This series included eight breast cancer patients in whom a late sarcoid-like reaction developed: as an intrathoracic lesion in six, and as an ipsilateral axillary lesion in two. The latency period from oncological surgery to the diagnosis of sarcoidosis was 40 months and the average follow-up after the diagnosis of sarcoidosis was 63.38 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the patients suffered relapse or oncological events during the period of this study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To avoid misdiagnosis and overtreatment, pathological examination should always be carried out. We do not recommend any specific treatment for sarcoidosis in a breast cancer patient, but routine oncological follow-up is appropriate. A larger series with statistical analysis is necessary to evaluate the prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti, 435, 20141, Milan, Italy. stefano.martella@ieo.it
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martella
authors.forename: Visnu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lohsiriwat
authors.forename: Daniel Meirelles
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Barbalho
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Della Vigna
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bottiglieri
authors.forename: Tito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brambullo
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gottardi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rietjens
authors.forename: Jean Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Petit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006099:Granuloma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013909:Thorax