Diagnostic dilemma: Milk leaking from a woman’s armpit reveals ‘ectopic breasts’

the patient: A 35-year-old woman in the Philippines

Symptoms: The woman visited the hospital because of swelling in her armpits. The masses were irregular in shape and skin-colored, and measured 2.2 x 1.7 inches (5.5 x 4.2 cm) in the right axilla and 1.5 x 0.4 inches (3.9 x 0.9 cm) in the left axilla. The lumps were not painful or bleeding, and were not unusually warm to the touch.

Diagnosis: After examining the lumps under the armpit — noting their locations, shapes and other characteristics — doctors performed a biopsy. Tissue analysis confirmed that the masses were multiple breasts, also known as ectopic breasts or accessory breasts. (The term “ectopic” refers to tissue that appears in places other than where it is normally found.)

Ectopic breasts arise from a thick line of tissue called the mammary torus, which forms in the uterus. Also called the milk line, this ridge is where the primitive precursors of the mammary glands develop. The ridge runs perpendicular to the fetal body wall from the axilla to the inner thigh. Sometimes, remnants of this tissue may appear that were not reabsorbed during fetal development They can become additional breastsWhich usually appears during puberty.

Breast tissue may grow outside the uterus men Or women anywhere along the milk line, including the perineum (around the genitals), groin, groin or relief. However, it is most commonly found in the underarm area. In rare cases, it forms on… Face or back. Sometimes the accessory breast develops enough to include Areola and nipple.

Treatment: In the woman’s case, doctors suggested surgical removal of breast tissue located in the armpits. However, because her previous experience indicated that the engorged tissue would shrink once she stopped breastfeeding, she decided against surgery.

The doctors then recommended continuing to monitor the underarm areas for any further swelling and examining these areas during the course Regular breast cancer screenings.

What makes the case unique: It is very rare for breast tissue to grow in parts of the body where it is not supposed to. According to the case report, the condition affects about 2% to 6% of women and 1% to 3% of men. This condition can run in families and is estimated to be inherited in about 6% of cases. But according to the woman in this case, no one in her family had a history of similar swellings.