Association Between Breast Carcinoma and Homolateral Axillary Lymph Node Tuberculosis: A Case Report.

Abstract

Introduction: The association between axillary tuberculosis and breast cancer is rare, and only about thirty cases have been described in the literature. This entity must be mentioned in an endemic country faced with the notion of tuberculosis contagion. Case presentation: We report the case of a patient in whom the association between breast carcinoma and axillary tuberculosis discovery was fortuitous postoperatively. But retrospectivly her husband contracted the tuberculosis 30 years ago. She had mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection because the tumour was multifocal. The carcinoma was classified as pT2N0M0 (stage IIA classification TNM) and she was only put on hormone therapy. After 5 years of follow-up, no recurrence was noted despite the therapeutic insufficiency. Conclusion: Mammary lymph node tuberculosis is rare; it must be mentioned in the context of tuberculosis contagion or in front of the the presence of calcifications in the axillary area on the x-ray. At the slightest suspicion of this diagnosis, the operating parts should not be fixed but sent in the fresh state for a ZIEHL-NELSEN staining for the detection of Koch's bacillus or for a culture. The anti-tuberculosis treatment should be immediately started after the surgery. If the cancer target is indicated, it should not be started until after 1 month of tuberculosis treatment, given the risk of tuberculosis outbreak.