Malignant Phyllodes Tumor of the Breast with Metastasis to the Pancreas: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Nipple-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction by prepectoral implant for the management of giant phyllodes tumors: A case series

Phyllodes tumor is an uncommon breast neoplasm that is present in variable sizes. Giant phyllodes are those larger than 10 cm in diameter. Clinically, giant phyllodes tumors present as a visible, rapidly growing mass distorting the breast contour. Such tumors with large size and rapid growth rate suggest a phyllode diagnosis of fibroadenoma. Planning a standard treatment strategy for these tumors is quite challenging. While adequate surgical excision with tumor-free resection margins is the standard of care for most giant phyllodes cases, borderline and malignant giant phyllodes tumors might require wider resections given their high recurrence rates. Some authors described total mastectomy as the treatment option for giant borderline and malignant phyllodes to obtain wide, clear margins. Between March 2022 and September 2023, our surgical oncology department presented and operated on three cases of giant phyllodes. They underwent a nipple-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction using pre-pectoral silicone implants. We think that with such a procedure, we can benefit from the wide, safe margins of mastectomy that have been proven to decrease local recurrence rates while considering the aesthetic outcome.

Malignant Phyllodes Tumor: Report of Two Cases and Review of Literature

Phyllodes tumuor (PT) is a rare biphasic breast neoplasm. It constitutes <1% of the entire tumours of the breast. Based on the World Health Organization's (WHO) proposal, premised on multiple histological features, phyllodes tumour is categorized into benign, borderline, and malignant breast neoplasms. Malignant phyllodes tumor (MPT) is even a rarer neoplasm. It occurs more commonly in older patients. However, it can uncommonly occur in younger individuals. The transformation of benign phyllodes into malignant forms is extremely rare. Here, we present two cases of young females (aged 20 and 27 years, respectively) who individually presented with rapidly progressive breast lumps. The two breast lumps were huge while one was recurrent and underwent a malignant transformation in approximately 7 weeks interval following an initial complete excision and histological diagnosis of benign PT. Indeed, even in young females below the modal/peak age of phyllodes, the suspicion should be high. Additionally, breast ultrasonography findings, although not common, can be highly suggestive of PT. Furthermore, every breast lump should be further evaluated, and even more so, histologically, irrespective of the patient's age as our first patient had an excision without histology.

Pancreatic metastasis from malignant phyllodes tumor of the breast

Pancreatic metastasis from malignant phyllodes tumor (PT) of the breast is rare, and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. Here, we report a case of pancreatic metastasis from malignant PT of the breast in a 48-year-old woman. She had had three episodes of recurrence of malignant PT in her right breast. She presented with epigastric pain for 2 months. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 6 cm-sized, well-defined, heterogeneous mass with peripheral enhancement in the body of the pancreas. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration was performed, and the pathologic report suggested spindle cell mesenchymal neoplasm. Subsequently, surgical excision was performed, and the mass was confirmed as a metastatic malignant PT. The imaging findings are discussed and the literature is briefly reviewed in this report.

Pancreatic metastases and first reported gallbladder metastasis from phyllodes tumor of the breast

Distant metastases from breast phyllodes tumor (PT) are very rare. They usually occur in lung and bones. We report a case of a 51-year-old woman who was hospitalized in the digestive surgical department for atypical epigastric pain. Her medical history started 2 years ago when she underwent a curative left mastectomy for a malignant PT of the breast. Radical surgery was indicated to her resectable pancreatic tumor diagnosed on computed tomography. Histological exam confirmed that it was pancreatic metastases of her breast PT. Adjuvant chemotherapy was indicated. Three months after the surgery, the patient developed gallbladder and brain metastases. She died 5 weeks later. With this case, we enrich the literature with another example of pancreatic metastasis from PT and we report, for the first time, gallbladder metastasis. The very high aggressiveness of this tumor suggests that markers of tumor malignancy need to be sought after by subsequent studies.