Increasing the dose of radiation by HDR brachytherapy boost appears to improve the RO resection and pCR rates compared with conventional CRT. The follow up is too short to judge its effect on disease-free survival. This study will be extended to compare this strategy in a randomized phase III trial with conventional CRT in patients who are not fit for more intensive CRT (HERCULES).

Coexistence of tuberculosis (TB) in the breast or axillary lymph nodes with breast carcinoma though rare is not unknown. A 55-year-old woman presented with right axillary and left supraclavicular lymphadenopathies with no detectable lesion in either breasts or left axilla. Right axillary lymph node excision biopsy revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma. Diagnostic workup showed intense fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-avid lymph nodes on the left side neck at level V, supraclavicular, axillary, subpectoral and para-aortic regions, and low FDG activity in the right breast. Core biopsy of right breast lesion was reported as invasive ductal carcinoma and cytology of multiple left axillary lymphadenopathies as reactive hyperplasia. Excision biopsy of the supraclavicular lymph nodes unveiled the diagnosis of TB. She underwent right-modified radical mastectomy followed by external beam radiotherapy, has completed antituberculous treatment and is on follow-up. Extrapulmonary TB though uncommon; may be found in certain cases. Clinicians must be aware of its existence.