Left axillary lymphadenopathy as initial presentation of metastatic prostate cancer: A rare case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Advanced prostate cancer often presents with lower urinary tract symptoms together with features of cancer on digital rectal examination. The commonest sites of metastasis include bone, liver and lungs. Metastasis to axillary lymph nodes is extremely unusual particularly as initial presentation of the disease. CASE PRESENTATION: We report an atypical case of a 40-year male patient presented with left axillary mass and normal initial urological evaluation. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry of the biopsies from the axillary mass and prostate confirmed the diagnosis of prostate adenocarcinoma. The patient declined anti-androgen monotherapy treatment and succumbed two months after establishment of the diagnosis. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Prostate cancer contributes significantly to the overall global cancer burden. Lymphatic metastasis to axillary lymph nodes is a very rare manifestation of prostate cancer and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. Therefore, clinical diagnosis of patients presenting with axillary lymphadenopathy may cause diagnostic delay. Careful physical and imaging examinations combined with pathological analysis are essential in the diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer with unusual presentation. CONCLUSION: In theory, prostate cancer can cause metastatic spread to any part of the body. However, metastasis to axillary nodes has not been frequently noticed. Our report highlights the importance of considering prostate cancer among differential diagnoses in Afro-Caribbean males presenting with symptoms suggestive of chest and abdomino-pelvic cancer.