[Occult breast cancer]

Abstract

In 20 years we registered seven observations of breast cancer presenting as an axillary mass (BCAM), meaning 0.9% out of the global breast cancer series (767 cases). All the cases were females. The main clinical sign was only the presence of axillary lymph nodes. Diagnosis was precised by the pathological examination of the excised nodes (six observations) or needle aspiration of the axillary lymph nodes. Mammography showed tumors less than one centimeter in three out of the seven cases. As for the stadialisation, we had two cases in the II-nd stage, four patients in the III-rd stage and one in IV-th. All the patients were operated on. There were four simple mastectomies anti three Patey radical modified mastectomies. Postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy were performed to all the patients. Only two of the seven patients survived five years after surgery.