Case series of concurrent occurrence of sarcoidosis and breast cancer – A diagnostic dilemma

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a multi-system granulomatous disorder characterized by involvement of multiple systems with or without lymphadenitis. Pulmonary complications are common and may lead to morbidity. Breast cancer is one of the commonest malignancy among women across the world. There is an increased risk of malignancies in sarcoidosis. This association with cancer creates a diagnostic dilemma due to the predominant involvement of nodes and organ systems in both conditions. Here we report three cases of sarcoidosis with breast cancer diagnosed over one year.

Is it possible to differentiate pulmonary sarcoidosis in tumor patients and pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis caused by extrapulmonary tumors on 18F-FDG PET/CT images?

“…Since the association between sarcoidosis and malignancy was first reported in the 1974, many studies have suggested that there is a correlation between the occurrence of sarcoidosis and tumors [ 1 – 5 ]. In addition, some antitumor drugs induce a sarcoidosis-like reaction (DISR), characterized by drug-induced systemic granulomas, that is consistent with the clinical, biological, radiological and pathological manifestations of sarcoidosis [ 6 – 8 ].…”