A Case of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Breast in a Patient with Crohn's Disease Taking Azathioprine.
10.4166/kjg.2012.60.6.373
- Author:
Kyoung Chan PARK
1
;
Dong Uk JU
;
Seong Wook HEO
;
Jung Il RYU
;
Ju Youn CHO
;
Eui Jung KIM
;
Hoon Kyu OH
;
Eun Young KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. kimey@cu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Reports ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Crohn's disease;
Azathioprine;
Breast cancer;
Squamous cell carcinoma
- MeSH:
Adult;
Azathioprine/*therapeutic use;
Breast Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/therapy;
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/*diagnosis/pathology/therapy;
Colonoscopy;
Combined Modality Therapy;
Crohn Disease/*drug therapy;
Female;
Humans;
Immunosuppressive Agents/*therapeutic use;
Mesalamine/therapeutic use;
Positron-Emission Tomography
- From:The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology
2012;60(6):373-376
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Azathioprine (AZA) treatment in transplant or autoimmune patients and subsequent appearance squamous cell carcinomas at various sites, particularly skin and cervix, has shown a close relationship. However, it remains uncertain whether this is true for the patients with Crohn's disease. We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the breast occurred in a 35-year-old female with Crohn's disease taking AZA. She was first diagnosed with Crohn's disease 10 years ago and has taken AZA with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) on regular follow up in gastrointestinal department for 9 years. She had no family history of breast cancer. She visited breast cancer clinic due to incidentally found right breast mass. A mastectomy on the right breast was performed and 6.3x5.5 cm mass was removed. The mass was microscopically proven to be poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma with focal keratin pearl formation. At age of 25, she was first diagnosed with active Crohn's disease. 5-ASA and corticosteroid induced remission. Then, steroid was tapered off and AZA was maintained at 1 mg/kg due to leukopenia at higher dose. She stopped taking AZA at her discretion during her two pregnancies and reported total of 67 months of AZA medication on her breast cancer diagnosis.
