Traumatic neuroma in a patient with breast cancer after mastectomy: a case report and review of the literature

• Published in: World journal of surgical oncology Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 35
• Main Authors: Li, Quan, Gao, Er-Li, Yang, Yin-Long, Hu, Hong-Ye, Hu, Xiao-Qu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 13.02.2012; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Acute stress disorder; Adult; Breast cancer; Breast neoplasms; Breast Neoplasms - complications; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - surgery; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - complications; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - pathology; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - surgery; Care and treatment; Case Report; Case studies; Complications and side effects; Diagnosis; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Mastectomy; Mastectomy - adverse effects; Neoplasms, Post-Traumatic - etiology; Neuroma - etiology; Postoperative Complications; Prognosis; Review Literature as Topic; Risk factors; Traumatic neuroma; China
• ISSN: 1477-7819; 1477-7819
• DOI: 10.1186/1477-7819-10-35

The incidence of traumatic neuroma is extremely low, especially in those patients with breast cancer after mastectomy. There are only 10 cases reported in the literature. We report a patient who developed a palpable nodular mass near the mastectomy scar. The result of excisional biopsy was traumatic neuroma. Review of the literature reveal 10 cases with breast cancer of traumatic neuromas after mastectomy. Traumatic neuroma is a benign lesion and a reparative response of the nerve to injury, either direct/indirect trauma or chronic inflammation. Benign lesions as traumatic neuromas are more rarely seen after mastectomy. However, in order to manage patients' treatment, the most critical problem is to distinguish it from recurrent breast carcinoma. Although assistant examination methods such as ultrasound and computed tomography are valuable to a certain extent, the final diagnosis can only be confirmed on pathologic examination.