Invasif lobular carcinoma of the breast revealed by an inaugural medullary metastatsis

Mustapha Azzakhmam, Mohamed Oukabli

PAMJ-CM. 2020; 2:78. Published 28 Feb 2020 | doi:10.11604/pamj-cm.2020.2.78.21876

The Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) represents the second most common histological variant after the Ductal Infiltrating Carcinoma (IDC). The exact clinical aspects of the ILC are controversial. The studies showed a great frequency among menopaused women. The ILC is relatively difficult to diagnose by palpation or mammography because of its imprecise margins. We report the case of 69 years old woman which was presented in clinical hematology consultation for non-regenerative anaemia. Osteomedullar biopsy (BOM) (A,B) showed a rich-infiltrated bone marrow by non-cohesive tumoral cells, generally isolated or forming "Indian file" pattern. Many plasma cells were observed and of broad beaches of small lymphocytes also. Immunohistochemical study to confirm the diagnosis showed: positive staining of tumoral cells with CKAE1/AE3-antibody highlighting the "Indian file" pattern (C). A focal staining with CD138-antibody showing few plasmocytes (D). Nuclear weak and focal staining by the oestrogens-receptor antibody (E). The small reactional lymphocytes indeed were stained with CD5 antibody (F). At last, negative staining with the E-cadherin. Thus, the final diagnosis of medullary invasion by an ILC was retained. The meticulous clinical and Para clinical explorations of the patient were taken again and ended up detecting a left axillar ganglionic cluster with nodule of permeation, whom the histopathological study confirmed the diagnosis. Thus, the patient underwent mastectomy and the later histopathological exam confirmed mammary infiltration by a lobular carcinoma without formation of any macroscopic tumour. These, is an exceptional revelation mode of lobular carcinoma; as far to our knowledge it may be the first reported case.
Corresponding author
Mustapha Azzakhmam, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Military Hospital of Rabat, Rabat, Maroc (mustapha_azzak@hotmail.com)

This image

Articles published in PAMJ-CM are Open Access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

eISSN: 2707-2797


The PAMJ - Clinical Medicine (ISSN: 2707-2797) is a subsidiary of the Pan African Medical Journal. The contents of this journal is intended exclusively for professionals in the medical, paramedical and public health and other health sectors.

Currently tracked by: DOAJ, AIM, Google Scholar, AJOL, EBSCO, Scopus, Embase, IC, HINARI, Global Health, PubMed Central, PubMed/Medline, ESCI

Physical address: Kenya: 3rd Floor, Park Suite Building, Parkland Road, Nairobi. PoBox 38583-00100, tel: +254 (0)20-520-4356 | Cameroon: Immeuble TechnoPark Essos, Yaounde, PoBox: 10020 Yaounde, tel: +237 (0)24-309-5880