Metastases to the breast from extramammary carcinomas

Metastases to the breast from extramammary carcinomas are rare. Only about 200 cases are reported in the literature. Fifteen additional cases are presented here and the literature is reviewed. Two of the patients had primary thyroid carcinoma, two adenocarcinoma of the colon, three bronchogenic carcinoma, four malignant melanoma, one a squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus, one an adenocarcinoma of the stomach, one a renal cell carcinoma and one a carcinoid of the terminal ileum. In three cases the breast lesion was the first manifestation of an extramammary cancer. Six of the patients died of disseminated cancer shortly after the breast metastasis was diagnosed. Although breast metastasis may be suspected clinically, exact histological diagnosis is important in order to avoid unnecessary surgical treatment and to guide further therapy.