Fibroadenoma in axillary ectopic breast

Abstract

Axillary lumps are common clinical presentations in surgery, which have various differential diagnoses. We encountered an unusual case of an isolated axillary mass. The patient was a young woman in her 20s with a 2 year history of right axillary swelling. Clinically, the lump measured 3 cm ×3 cm, mobile, non-tender, and there was no associated breast lump or skin changes. Our initial impression was an isolated lymphadenopathy, and further workup for tuberculosis lymphadenopathy returned negative. Ultrasound demonstrated a well circumscribed oval lesion, and fine needle aspiration could only identify a benign proliferative breast tissue. As it was increasing in size and causing discomfort, we decided for an excision biopsy for both diagnostic and therapeutic reasons. Intraoperatively, the lump was noted to have well defined, smooth surface along with whitish-grey appearance. The tissue surrounding it was also removed and sent for histopathological assessment. Results confirmed our diagnosis of fibroadenoma in an ectopic breast tissue.