Breast cancer associated with neurofibromatosis type 1: a case series and review of the literature

Jihane Khalil, Mohamed Afif, Hanan Elkacemi, Meryem Benoulaid, Tayeb Kebdani, Noureddine Benjaafar

Neurofibromatosis type 1, also known as Von Recklinghausen's disease, is a rare neuroectodermal disease that mainly affects the skin and the nervous system. Patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 have a higher risk of developing various types of cancers, especially tumors derived from the embryogenic neural crest. However, its association with breast cancer has seldom been reported. We report the cases of three white Arabic women diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1, with a median age of 40-years-old (range: 39 to 43), who sought treatment at our centre for breast cancer. The association between neurofibromatosis type 1 and breast cancer is uncommon. In our case series we readdress this association through a literature review.