Korean J Med.  2006 Jul;71(1):108-113.

A case of toxoplasmosis mimicking systemic recurrence in a patient treated with breast cancer

Affiliations
  • 1Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. unchung8@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Cancer Metastasis Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Left cervical lymphadenopathy was found in a 48-year-old Korean female patient who had been treated for breast cancer 3 years ago. A presumative diagnosis was lymph nodal and lung metastasis of breast cancer during chest CT and neck CT. Core needle biopsy was undertaken. Pathological examination of lymph node revealed reactive hyperplasia consistent with toxoplasmosis, and toxoplasma Ig M antibody was also positive. Finally, she was diagnosed as toxoplasmosis, not metastasis of breast cancer. As she had no symptoms, no specific treatment was necessary. Follow up chest and neck CT scan after 5 months later showed resolved lung lesion, and size decrement of cervical lymph node. So, she has no evidence of recurrence and is now under clinical follow up. Recognition that toxoplasmosis can mimic metastasis is important in reaching the correct diagnosis and treatment.

Keyword

Toxoplasmosis; Carcinoma; Breast; Metastasis

MeSH Terms

Biopsy, Large-Core Needle
Breast Neoplasms*
Breast*
Diagnosis
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Hyperplasia
Lung
Lymph Nodes
Lymphatic Diseases
Middle Aged
Neck
Neoplasm Metastasis
Recurrence*
Thorax
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Toxoplasma
Toxoplasmosis*
Full Text Links
  • KJM
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr