Case Study: A young female with breast cancer
Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancers among women patients in Kurdistan Region-Iraq. Although majority of female breast cancer patients are over the age of 50 years, but some younger women are also diagnosed with breast cancer. In advanced breast cancer or metastatic breast cancer (i.e. stage IV) malignant cells from the primary tumor usually forms new tumors in distant organs. There will be a good chance of recovery if the disease is detected at an early stage, but when patients diagnosed when the disease progression is in stage IV, they usually have a lower 5-y survival rate.
Clinical History: 34 years female, recently diagnosed case of metastatic left breast cancer, no chemoradiation, FDG PET/CT for staging.
Our Findings: This is an abnormal baseline FDG PET/CT study.
· Solitary hypermetabolic soft tissue lesion is seen in outer half of left breast.
· No evidence of hypermetabolic regional nodal disease is seen.
· Hypermetabolic deposits are seen in both frontal and left cerebellum (doughnut lesion) region which are likely metastasis. However, MRI correlation is suggested.
· Hypermetabolic nodal disease is seen in neck, thorax and retroperitoneum.
· Evidence of bilateral pleural effusion with a hypermetabolic pleural deposit over right apex.
· Possibility of bilateral lymphangitis carcinomatosis more on left is seen.
· Solitary hypermetabolic metastasis involving segment VI of liver is seen.
· Extensive hypermetabolic marrow deposits involving axial and proximal appendicular skeleton.
· Stage IV
