Breast metastasis of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma: a case report

Tomoyuki Fujita,Hajime Nishimura,Ryoichi Kondo,Kinya Furukawa,Minoru Fujimori,Yukio Morishita

doi:10.1186/s40792-017-0302-6

Tomoyuki Fujita, Hajime Nishimura + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40792-017-0302-6

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Abstract

BackgroundLung cancer rarely metastasizes to the breast, and breast metastasis of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma has not been previously reported.Case presentationThe patient was a 66-year-old woman who became aware of a mass in the right breast and visited a physician. She was referred to our department for close examination, upon which she was diagnosed with double cancer (right breast cancer and left lung cancer). Needle biopsy findings for the mammary tumor were similar to those for the lung biopsy specimen, but spindle cell or metaplastic carcinoma were possibilities. The initial diagnosis was primary breast cancer. Left upper lobectomy and lymph node dissection were performed for left lung cancer. Both the lung and mammary tumors grew rapidly during the wait for surgery. The white blood cell count was within the normal range at the first examination, but was markedly increased and remained at a high level after surgery for lung cancer. Preoperative chemotherapy was initially planned for the mammary tumor, but surgical treatment was selected in consideration of the clinical course, and right mastectomy and full thickness skin graft were performed. However, the disease rapidly aggravated and the patient died 5 months after the first examination.ConclusionThe final diagnosis was pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma with metastasis to the breast on postoperative histopathological examination. We describe this case as the first reported example of breast metastasis of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma.

Highlights

Lung cancer rarely metastasizes to the breast, and breast metastasis of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma has not been previously reported.Case presentation: The patient was a 66-year-old woman who became aware of a mass in the right breast and visited a physician
In a preoperative histological examination after diagnosis, the histology of the tumors in the mammary gland and lung were found to be similar, but there was a possibility that the mammary tumor was spindle cell or metaplastic carcinoma, and the lesions were initially diagnosed as double cancer of primary breast cancer and non-small cell lung carcinoma
If the tumor originated from the lung, these findings suggested pleomorphic carcinoma, but the histology was similar to that of the needle biopsy specimen of the right mammary tumor; Fig. 1 Mammography showing a shadow of an intense irregular mass in the inferior medial region of the right breast

Summary

Introduction

Lung cancer rarely metastasizes to the breast, and breast metastasis of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma has not been previously reported.Case presentation: The patient was a 66-year-old woman who became aware of a mass in the right breast and visited a physician. We describe this case as the first reported example of breast metastasis of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma. Left upper lobectomy and right mastectomy were performed, and the lesions were subsequently histopathologically diagnosed as pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma with metastasis to the breast.

Results

Conclusion