engleski

A case of amelanotic spindle-cell melanoma metastatic to the breast

BACKGROUND: Metastatic neoplasms to the breast are quite unusual (0.5-0.6% of all breast malignancies). Although malignant melanoma is one of the more common tumors to metastasize to the breast, the spindled pattern is very uncommon, more difficult to diagnose and can be confused with a wide range of sarcomatous lesions. CASE: A 75-year old woman presented with a firm, deep, nontender mass in the upper quadrant a left breast. Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology was performed, and the aspiration smears showed spindle-shaped neoplastic cells arranged singly or in clusters. Immunocytochemistry was positive for HMB-45 and vimentin and negative for BerEP4 and cytokeratin 19. Two years earlier, biopsy of a pigmented lesion on the back was diagnosed as a malignant melanoma. Conclusion: Metastatic disease should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of a tumor of the breast, especially if there is a history of extramammary malignant neoplasm. These findings emphasize the importance of the triple test, in which integration of cytological findings and clinical information playa key role, thus avoiding radical and unnecessary surgery.

Metastatic neoplasms to the breast; FNAC; malignant melanoma;

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