TITLE:
Cystic Breast Cancer. A Confusing Entity. Study of 8 Cases at Dakar University Surgical Oncology Unit
AUTHORS:
Sidy Ka, Mamour Gueye, Mamadou M. Dieng, Salif Baldé, Samuel Kobinama, Jaafar Thiam, Ahmadou Dem
KEYWORDS:
Breast, Cyst, Carcinoma
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Breast Cancer Research,
Vol.11 No.1,
January
29,
2022
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Cystic breast cancer is a rare entity. Breast cysts are most often
benign. The clinical characteristics of malignancy are not specific. Objective: To report a series of malignant cystic
tumors of the breast and to describe their different characteristics. Materials
and Methods: This was an observational study carried out between January
2018 and October 2021 at the Dakar university
surgical oncology unit. We studied the clinical appearance, imaging, histopathology,
extent of disease and treatment. We did not include cases of pure,
single, or multiple chronically progressive cysts. Results: There were 8 patients, 6 women and 2 men. The average age
was 44. All patients presented with a palpable unilateral deforming skin
mass without inflammatory character. One
patient presented with a bloody discharge. The cyst was multilocular
without intracystic growth in 2 cases and
presented a growth signal in 6 cases. Imaging
was ACR 3 in 5 cases and ACR 4 in 3 cases. Histopathology found 6 invasive
carcinomas including 2 papillary, 3 Invasive Carcinoma of No Special Type (ICNST), 1 lobular carcinoma as well as one case of lobular carcinoma in situ of the comedocarcinoma type in
women and 2 ICNST in men. The extension workup
was found in only 1 male patient in the presence of metastases. Treatment included chemotherapy, mastectomy and radiotherapy for 6 of the patients. There wasn’t any complete response
for invasive cases. Survival is 100% to date. Conclusion: Cystic breast tumors sometimes hide the cancer that is difficult to diagnose. The prognosis seems favorable, however.