ABSTRACT
Breast cancer might be complicated by distant metastases accompanied by hypercalcemia, but hyperparathyroidism is not commonly considered in the differential diagnosis. We present a case of 38 years old female patient who was diagnosed with ductal breast carcinoma. Eight months after the initial diagnosis the patient was diagnosed with distant bone metastases. However, this diagnosis was reconsidered at follow up, because we identified elevation of PTH 137.2 pg/ml, Ca2+ 1.19 mmol/l, albumin corrected calcium 2.42 mmol/l, 25(OH)D 39.4 nmol/l, indicating hyperparathyroidism. Scintigraphy with 99mTC-sestamibi confirmed parathyroid adenoma. Postoperative histopathology confirmed 1.2 g chief-cell PTA. Two months after the operation both PTH and Ca2+ levels were within the normal ranges. This study emphasizes the importance of considering possible hyperparathyroidism in patients with breast cancer and hypercalcemia. Routine evaluation of PTH is considered as a reasonable test in patients with breast cancer accompanied by bone lesions.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim: The aim of our study was to determine if digital breast tomosynthesis improves breast cancer detection associated with architectural distortion in comparison with full-field digital mammography in the absence of appropriate history of trauma or surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: The overall rate of breast cancer involvement for the 34 patients with architectural distortion was 15 cases (44,1%) (invasive breast cancers, n=12 (36,4%); ductal cancer in situ, n= 3 (8,8%)) other findings associated with architectural distortion were high-risk lesions and benign findings (radial scar, n=5 (14,7%); sclerosing adenosis, n=9 (26,5%); typical lobular hyperplasia, n=3 (8,8%); typical ductal hyperplasia, n=2 cases (5,9%)). RESULTS: Results: Overall of 17/34 (50.0%) architectural distortions were identified at digital breast tomosynthesis that were missed at full-field digital mammography what was statistically significant difference ([95% CI, 2.56-7.45]; p=0.00001). Analysis of the results showed that sensitivity of full-field digital mammography for digital breast tomosynthesis detected breast cancers associated with architectural distortion was 53.3% [95% CI, 26.59% to 78.73%] and specificity was 52.63% [95% CI, 28.86% to 75.55%]. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Our study suggests that digital breast tomosynthesis detects more breast cancers represented as architectural distortion which are occult on full-field digital mammography. Presence of microcalcifications within architectural distortion, in the absence of appropriate history of trauma or surgery, has a high likelihood of malignancy and obligatorily requires biopsy.
