Tumour thrombosis of the left axillary vein due to infiltrative ductal carcinoma causing superior vena cava obstruction

Abstract

Invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common type of breast cancer and can affect any age group, predominantly females older than 55 years of age. We present a case of a female in her mid-30s complaining of a fungating mass in the upper outer quadrant of the left anterior chest wall. On workup of the patient, it was histopathologically found that the patient was affected by infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the left breast, which was causing tumoral thrombosis of the left axillary vein. Also, thrombosis of the right axillary vein, bilateral brachiocephalic veins, and superior vena cava with a focal hepatic hotspot sign were appreciated on contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan. No such case of tumoral thrombosis of the axillary vein causing superior vena cava obstruction has been reported in recent literature.

Keywords

• Breast
• Carcinoma
• Neoplasm
• Pathology
• Radiodiagnosis
• Thrombus