Clinicopathological analyses of accessory breast cancer: a report of 22 cases

Abstract

To explore the clinicopathological characteristics, diagnosis, multi-disciplinary therapy and prognosis of accessory breast cancer. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed for 22 patients with accessory breast cancer from December 2000 and September 2013. Three patients underwent breast-conserving local wide excision of tumor plus axillary lymph node dissection while the remainder had Auchincloss or Halsted mastectomy. The most common histological type was infiltrating ductal carcinoma (n = 16, 72%) and one of them was associated with mucous adenocarcinoma. There were carcinoma simplex (n = 1), papillary adenocarcinoma (n = 1) and adenocarcinoma (n = 4). The most common pathological stages (according to AJCC Staging of Breast Cancer, 2002, 6th edition) were II (n = 15, 68%),I(n = 3), III (n = 4) and IV (n = 0). The median follow-up period was 3 (1-14) years. And the follow-up rate was 100%.Until October 2014, 2 patients died from metastasis and the remainder survived. Accessory breast cancer is rare and has a worse prognosis.Now the clinical diagnostic criteria to it remains controversial and the diagnosis is often late. A definite diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical characteristics, postoperative pathology and imaging examinations. And surgery remains a major option.