Doctor Huynh Ba Tan, from the Breast and Head-Neck Surgery Department at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, described Quynh's breast lump as small and hard, like a peanut. Ultrasound and mammogram images revealed an irregular mass with increased blood vessel growth, classified as BIRADS 4C. BIRADS is a classification system used to categorize breast lesions based on ultrasound, mammograms, and MRI scans, assessing the level and risk of cancer. A biopsy confirmed stage one breast cancer.

Quynh was scheduled for breast cancer surgery. However, pre-operative tests revealed a tumor in the left lobe of her thyroid, located near the isthmus, classified as TIRADS 5 (the highest level on the thyroid lesion classification scale), indicating a 90% risk of cancer. A biopsy confirmed papillary thyroid cancer. Doctors advised Quynh to undergo a combined surgery to remove both the cancerous breast tissue and the left thyroid lobe. They also biopsied the sentinel lymph node to determine if the breast cancer had spread to the axillary lymph nodes.

Doctor Tan and the surgical team operating on Quynh. Photo: _Tam Anh General Hospital_

The Breast and Head-Neck Surgery team removed Quynh's left thyroid lobe. Because the tumor was contained within its capsule and hadn't spread, the right lobe was preserved. Doctor Tan also removed the sentinel lymph node for pathological analysis. While awaiting the results, the team proceeded with the breast tumor removal. After 30 minutes, the pathology report showed no cancer cells in the sentinel node, so axillary lymph node dissection wasn't necessary. The "3-in-1" surgery was completed in two hours.

Post-operative pathology confirmed stage one, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Quynh will require 5 years of endocrine therapy to suppress estrogen and prevent cancer progression or recurrence. Her thyroid cancer was also caught early, contained within its capsule, with clear margins, so radioactive iodine therapy wasn't needed.

Breast cancer and thyroid cancer are common cancers in women. Both have a good prognosis, according to Doctor Tan. Although the reasons for their prevalence in women aren't fully understood, hormonal factors are believed to play a role.

Bao Tram

*The patient's name has been changed.