Giant Axillary Fibroadenoma: A Rare Case Report

Fibroadenoma is commonest breast lump constituting about 50% of all breast pathologies in young females. About 2-4% of the fibroadenomas more than 5 cm in size or 500 gm in weight and are called giant fibroadenomas [1]. The axillary ectopic breast tissue is common in women as 95% of women are having it [2]. The clinical presentation is during lactation when this tissue gets enlarged commonly called as axillary breast [3]. This axillary breast tissue is affected by the hormonal status of woman as the normal breast tissue gets. This axillary breast tissue can develop the diseases similar to normal breast. The development of benign pathology like fibroadenoma has been reported in this axillary ectopic breast tissue occasionally [4]. Other benign disorder like duct ectasia has also been reported [5]. Even development of carcinoma has been reported in axillary breast tissue [6]. Such large size lumps in breast need to be differentiated from phylloid tumours and axillary lymphadenopathy [7]. Isolated case reports of fibroadenoma in axillary ectopic breast tissue are available in surgical literature [a reference]. These occasional case reports of fibroadenoma occurring in axilla have a small size but giant fibroadenoma with a large size of more than 5 cm has been reported once only [8]. We present another case report of giant fibroadenoma occurring in axilla in a non lactating woman with very large dimensions. This case report includes clinical, operative and pathological images.