Breast carcinoma arising within fibroadenomas. Report of four observations.

BACKGROUND: Fibroadenoma is a frequent benign breast tumor affecting young woman. The incidence of a carcinoma within adenofibromas is estimated at 0.1 to 0.3%.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of patients with breast carcinoma arising within adenofibroma and to determine the clinical characteristics and the prognosis of this rare entity.

OBSERVATIONS: We retrospectively report on four cases of carcinomas arising in mammary fibroadenomas. The mean age was 41 years (26-53). In two cases, fibroadenomas was complex, containing cysts, adenosis and apocrine metaplasia. The adjacent parenchyma contained fibrocystic dystrophy lesions associated in one case to intralobular neoplasia lesions. The treatment consisted of a conservative treatment in two cases and a mastectomy plus axillary node dissection in the two others. Radiotherapy was indicated in all cases and chemotherapy done in three cases. All patients are alive with a mean follow up of 4.25 years (3-7) without any sign of recurrence.

CONCLUSION: Every benign mammary nodule must necessarily be verified surgically to avoid misdiagnosing any carcinomatous area because at this stage its prognosis is better.