Fibroadenoma in Axillary Supernumerary Breast: Case Report

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Supernumerary breast tissue is subject to the same alterations and diseases, whether benign or malignant, that affect normal breast tissue. Since publications describing this anomaly are rare in the literature, we decided to report on a case of fibroadenoma in axillary breast tissue. CASE REPORT: A 34-year-old white female patient was reffered to the mastology clinic at Barao de Lucena Hospital in June 2012. She complained of masses in the axillary region, unilaterally, which were associated with local pain and discomfort, especially during her menstrual periods on physical examination, alterations compatible with unilateral axillary accessory breasts, with palpable nodules, were observed. Supplementary examinations (ultrasonography) revealed a 3. 9 cm mass in the right axillary breast. The paciente underwent a histopathological examination (core biopsy) showed fibroadenoma of the right axillary breast tissue. DISCUSSION: Supernumerary breast tissue is well documented in the medical literature, and polymastia is one of its most common presentations. However, reports of benign and malignant tumors in supernumerary breast are rare. Although the benign nature and natural history of fibroadenoma are well known, biopsy should be considered for women of this age, if conservative management is chosen, periodic clinical and mammographic control is required, following negative cytological tests. The need for careful investigation of supernumerary breast tissue should be emphasized, because it may be affected by benign and malignant diseases.