TITLE:
Secretory Carcinoma in the Axilla with Extensive Lymph Node Metastases: A Case Report
AUTHORS:
Twisha Oza, Jasmine Jefferson, Glenn Murray, Martin D. Fleming, Callie Grey
KEYWORDS:
SCA (Secretory Carcinoma), SCB (Secretory Carcinoma of Breast), IHC (Immunohistochemistry), ETV6-NTRK3, Lymph Node Metastases, Axilla, FISH Testing
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.14 No.10,
October
15,
2025
ABSTRACT: Secretory carcinoma is a unique kind of carcinoma, most commonly occurring in the skin, breast, and salivary glands. It has distinct histological features and a characteristic genetic alteration t (12; 15) (p13; q25) translocation, which leads to the expression of the ETV6-NTRK3 fusion gene. This report details the case of a 52-year-old woman who presented with a history of recurrent swelling and tenderness of the right axilla. On examination, an 11.2 × 8.0 cm mass was found deep in the axilla. The tumor was removed through extensive surgery, including lymph node resection. Given the axillary location of the secretory carcinoma, we considered its origin to be either from the skin or axillary breast tissue. In this case, however, the tumor was found deep beneath the dermis, extending into the subcutaneous fat, without any breast tissue identified on histomorphology. Seven out of eight resected lymph nodes showed evidence of metastasis. The axillary location of this large tumor, combined with the extent of lymph node involvement, makes this case particularly unique. We aim to present our experience regarding the diagnosis, pathological analysis, and management of this patient.