Trichinella spiralis and breast carcinoma--a case report

Coll Antropol. 2005 Dec;29(2):775-7.

Abstract

Authors report about a patient with recurrent ductal invasive breast carcinoma and trichinosis. The patient underwent mastectomy of the left breast with evacuation of the axilla because of the cancer. Radiation therapy was received. An infestation with Trichinella spiralis was diagnosed two years after The patient was treated with mebendazole. A local recurrence of the tumor was found on the chest wall six years after the surgery. Tumor excision was performed. Histological analysis pointed at a ductal invasive carcinoma with numerous parasites of Trichinella spiralis present within both the muscle and the tumor tissue. The finding of parasites in the tumor tissue witnesses in favor of infestation, and the parasite morphology preserved in the tumor shows at the protective effects of the cysts, i.e. preventing parasite necrosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / parasitology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / surgery
  • Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / parasitology*
  • Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / parasitology*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / surgery
  • Trichinella spiralis*
  • Trichinellosis / complications*
  • Trichinellosis / pathology