Solitary pancreatic lymph node metastasis from carcinoma of the breast: case report

BACKGROUND: We report the first case of isolated pancreatic lymph node recurrence in a locally advanced breast cancer patient. CASE: A 41-year old woman underwent radical mastectomy according to Madden and removal of axillary lymph nodes for multicentric infiltrating ductal carcinoma pathologically staged as pT2N2M0. After six years from primary diagnosis, and four years from the diagnosis of lung recurrence, she developed an isolated metastatic lesion to pancreatic lymph node. After surgical excision of metastasis, hormone therapy with Exemestane was begun. At 16 months of follow-up, the patient appears free of disease. CONCLUSION: Because metastatization to visceral organ carries a very unfavorable prognosis, we think that the clinical significance of the elevation of CA 15.3 serum levels in the early detection of recurrence and in monitoring metastatic disease during follow-up, should be not underestimated.