Breast Cancer and Sarcoidosis: Case Series and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Background: Sarcoidosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology, which can involve different organs and systems. Accordingly, sarcoidosis can mimic breast cancer, making the differential diagnosis very difficult. Case Report: 5 patients with a diagnosis of both sarcoidosis and breast cancer followed by the Rabin Medical Center between January 1993 and June 2012 were enrolled in this study. Additionally, a comprehensive literature review which identified 104 patients diagnosed with breast cancer and sarcoidosis was carried out. In both populations reviewed, the average age at diagnosis of sarcoidosis and breast cancer was 57 years. Among the 66 patients with both sarcoidosis and breast cancer, sarcoidosis preceded breast cancer in 31 cases, followed it in 23 cases, and appeared concurrently in 10 cases. Conclusion: Based on our clinical cases and literature review, a histological study is recommended over imaging if sarcoidosis or breast cancer may be present. Furthermore, breast cancer is rarely associated with sarcoidosis or sarcoidosis-like reaction.

Sarcoid Like Reaction Following Adjuvant Chemotherapy of Breast Cancer

“…In 22% the cancer presented first, and in 10% both diseases occurred within less than one year of each other [8].…”

Cardiac sarcoidosis in a patient with testicular seminoma

“…They have been attributed to tumour-derived antigens provoking CD4+ T lymphocyte activation and granuloma formation and have identical histological appearances and cellular composition to granulomas in sarcoidosis 5 6. Pragmatically, sarcoid-like reactions are diagnosed when there is an identifiable precipitant, histological evidence of non-caseating granuloma and a lack of other features of sarcoidosis, although such features are not well defined 7. Furthermore, patients with sarcoid-like reactions typically have normal vitamin D, calcium and ACE concentrations, without cardiac or central nervous system involvement 8.…”

Sarcoidosis and breast cancer: A retrospective case series

“…Recently, Chen et al reported 5 cases of sarcoidosis and breast cancer median age of whom was 49 years old when sarcoidosis was diagnosed. The authors suggested that an association between two diseases is uncommon and should be confirmed histologically [ 6 ]. Schweitzer et al reported 10 such cases, where sarcoidosis was diagnosed at 61 years old females, on average 4 years after breast cancer diagnosis.…”