Neurilemmoma arising in the brachial plexus in association with breast cancer: Report of case

A 48-year-old woman without von Recklinghausen's disease presented to our d epartment for investigation of a left breast lump and a lump in the left ax illa. A presumptive diagnosis of left breast cancer with axillary lymph nod e involvement was made based on the findings of physical examination and ne edle biopsy of the left breast lump. However, on exploration we discovered that the axillary lump was a neurogenic tumor arising in the brachial plexu s. Enucleation of the neurogenic tumor, which was subsequently histological ly confirmed as neurilemmoma, as well as a modified radical mastectomy, was performed. Postoperatively, the patient experienced slight numbness in her left second and third fingers, but this symptom improved within 5 months. When last seen 21 months after her operation, there were no signs of recurr ence of either the breast cancer or the neurilemmoma.