[A case of breast cancer 5 cm in diameter treated with a breast preserving approach after preoperative intra-arterial chemotherapy].

The patient was a 59-year-old female with a mass in the right breast (area C). At the initial examination, the mass was 5.0 x 4.5 cm on palpation, aspiration cytology was Class V, and a diagnosis of T2aN1aM0, Stage II breast cancer was made. Since the patient strongly desired a breast preserving treatment, a reduction in the size of the mass was attempted by local intra-arterial chemotherapy. Docetaxel (TXT) was administered at 60 mg into the internal thoracic artery and lateral thoracic artery at a rate of once a month for a total of 5 times. After the fifth treatment, the mass was reduced in size to 2.8 x 2.5 cm on palpation, and breast-preserving resection was then carried out. On histopathological examination, cancer was observed in an area of 3.0 x 2.2 cm. Careful follow-up is still needed, but preoperative intra-arterial chemotherapy is considered to be significant as a step before breast preserving surgery for breast cancer with a diameter of 3-5 cm.