Abstract
BackgroundBreast Cancer in elderly patients is a significant health problem representing an important source of morbidity and mortality. Although the most common presentation is the presence of a palpable lump there may be, especially in the elderly population, rare clinical manifestations such as thromboembolic events that often involve the upper limbs.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed a ten year clinical casuistry of patients with Breast Cancer who presented for an initial diagnosis of upper extremity vein thrombosis.Results13 patients with initial diagnosis of upper limbs vein thrombosis (1M-12 F; age range 48-76; median age 70 years) resulted affected from Breast Cancer. The diagnosis of vein thrombosis represented the first clinical manifestation related to thier malingancy. All patients of our casuistry had positive ER/PR receptor status.ConclusionsA case of upper vein extrmity thrombosis in an elderly patient should prompt a high index of suspicion for breast malignancy in order to avoid diagnostic delay that may retard appropriate treatment.
Highlights
Breast Cancer in elderly patients is a significant health problem representing an important source of morbidity and mortality
Aim of this study is to review our clinical casuistry of patients with breast cancer (BC) who presented at our clinical departments with initial diagnosis of upper extremities vein thrombosis
After obtaining institutional review board approval, we retrospectively reviewed the charts of 13 patients (1M12F; age range 48-76; median age 70 years) presented with a new breast cancer diagnosis together with a concomitant upper extremity vein thrombosis
Summary
Breast Cancer in elderly patients is a significant health problem representing an important source of morbidity and mortality. The most common presentation is the presence of a palpable lump there may be, especially in the elderly population, rare clinical manifestations such as thromboembolic events that often involve the upper limbs. The number of elderly patients with breast cancer (BC) is increasing, knowledge regarding clinical characteristics and biology of this disease in old age is limited [1]. BC and Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) are two conditions often correlated more than expected [2,3,4,5,6]. Some studies demonstrated a higher number of ER/PR expression in older patients [1] and another recent retrospective cohort ctudy showed that clinical manifestations related to alterations of circulatory venous system
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