Breast carcinoma or sweat gland carcinoma? A report of two cases and a comparation with the literature

Primary apocrine carcinoma of the sweat gland is a neoplasm with a very low incidence that may represent a clinical and histological diagnostic challenge as well as for adequate local, adjuvant, and advanced disease management. The average age of presentation of the patients is around 67 years, without gender preference. It develops primarily at the axillary and scalp levels and is clinically characterized by slow growth, but can progress aggressively with local, nodal, and metastatic involvement (primarily lung, liver, and bone). The recommended management, once the histology is established, consists of a wide local resection with a clear margin of 1 to 2 cm, with regional lymphadenectomy if clinically positive nodes are detected. Adjuvant management (radiotherapy or chemotherapy) and advanced disease is not clearly established. Two female patients are presented, initially interpreted as breast cancer and in whom the diagnosis of apocrine carcinoma of the sweat gland was finally established.