title: Upper extremity vein thrombosis: an alert symptom of breast cancer in elderly patients. Experience on personal casuistry and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast Cancer in elderly patients is a significant health problem representing an important source of morbidity and mortality. Although the most common presentation is the presence of a palpable lump there may be, especially in the elderly population, rare clinical manifestations such as thromboembolic events that often involve the upper limbs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed a ten year clinical casuistry of patients with Breast Cancer who presented for an initial diagnosis of upper extremity vein thrombosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  13 patients with initial diagnosis of upper limbs vein thrombosis (1M-12 F; age range 48-76; median age 70 years) resulted affected from Breast Cancer. The diagnosis of vein thrombosis represented the first clinical manifestation related to thier malingancy. All patients of our casuistry had positive ER/PR receptor status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A case of upper vein extrmity thrombosis in an elderly patient should prompt a high index of suspicion for breast malignancy in order to avoid diagnostic delay that may retard appropriate treatment.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Compagna
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grande
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perri
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buffone
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gasbarro
authors.forename: Antonello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Accurso
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danzi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aprea
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Franciscis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062706:Prodromal Symptoms; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*