Nodular fasciitis in the axillary tail of the breast

Breast Nodular Fasciitis: A Comprehensive Review

BACKGROUND

This article describes the demographic, clinical, pathological and prognostic features of breast nodular fasciitis through a comprehensive review of the cases reported in modern literature.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

English-language articles published from January 1970 to October 2015 and related to breast nodular fasciitis were non-systematically retrieved using the PubMed database. Titles, abstracts and references were evaluated in order to include the most relevant studies. The demographic characteristics of the patients and the signs and symptoms of the disease were reviewed, as well as the results of the radiological and diagnostic procedures employed and of the treatments adopted.

RESULTS

26 papers reporting on 28 cases were enrolled; however, manuscripts published before 1990 were excluded because of old methodologies, technologies and clinical approaches. Thus, 22 cases included in 20 papers were analyzed in detail.

CONCLUSION

The rarity and the unspecific clinical and radiological characteristics of breast nodular fasciitis make the differential diagnosis and management challenging. Knowledge of the clinical, pathological and prognostic aspects of this condition is crucial for breast care specialists in order to improve their diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.

Nodular Fasciitis of the Breast

Nodular fasciitis of the breast is a rare benign pathology of soft tissue that is a consequence of fibroblastic hyperplasia within breast. It can mimic breast cancer clinically, radiologically, and histopathologically.

A-43 year-old female with a painless mass within upper-lateral quadrant of her left breast complained of rapid and progressive growth during previous few days. No evidence of nipple discharge or sensation of pain was expressed. The mass was tender to palpation, but the size was too tiny to detect. The definitive diagnosis was established with sonography, which detected a hypoechogenic lesion, 10 mm in diameter. The excisional biopsy delivered a tissue composed of fusiform fibroblastic cells with bright ellipsoid-like nuclei and elevated nucleolus. Mitotic formations were also obvious. Low cellular and high cellular zones with hyaline fibrosis and erythrocyte accumulation existed, as well as a light lymphocytic infiltration. All of these features, in addition to adipocytic accumulation within the margins of this lesion, suggested a definitive diagnosis of Nodular fasciitis. The diagnosis of nodular fasciitis is difficult and often is indiscriminable from breast cancer, so paying close attention to this matter is critical.

Benign granular-cell tumor of the breast: Case report and literature review

Granular-cell tumor is an uncommon cause of breast mass in premenopausal women that presents as a painless chronic lump. It mimics infiltrating carcinoma clinically and radiologically. Granular-cell tumor is usually benign, and the treatment is wide local excision. Definitive pre-operative diagnosis helps to avoid unnecessary mastectomy. We present clinical, mamographic, and sonographic characteristics of a benign granular-cell tumor of the breast in a 57-year-old woman.

A spontaneously resolving breast lesion: imaging and cytological findings of nodular fasciitis of the breast with FISH showing USP6 gene rearrangement

We report a case of nodular fasciitis of the breast in a 48-year-old woman who presented with a tender rapidly growing right breast lump. Ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the solid mass was performed. Cytology was reported as atypical spindle cell neoplasm and the patient was referred to a breast surgeon at a tertiary institution for a definitive diagnosis and further management. Follow-up ultrasound showed partial regression and MRI, mammogram after 2-3 weeks confirmed spontaneous and total resolution of the lesion. Nodular fasciitis of the breast is rarely diagnosed on cytology alone and a histological diagnosis is usually required for a definitive diagnosis. However, in this case, the lesion spontaneously resolved prior to core biopsy or diagnostic open biopsy. The cytological features in conjunction with immunohistochemistry and the clinical history strongly suggest nodular fasciitis, which is further supported by a USP6 FISH positive result.