title: Report of a metaplastic carcinoma of the breast with multi-directional differentiation: an adenoid cystic carcinoma, a spindle cell carcinoma and melanoma.
abstract: Metaplastic carcinoma of the breast is a heterogeneous neoplasia, generally composed of both epithelial and mesenchymal components. We report an unusual case of mammary metaplastic carcinoma in a 51-year-old female patient. Needle core biopsy from the tumour mass showed malignant epithelial and sarcomatous features. The resection specimen revealed a multi-directional tumour differentiation consisting predominantly of: firstly, a poorly differentiated basaloid epithelial cell type, consistent with an adenoid cystic carcinoma; secondly, areas of a spindle cell carcinoma; and, thirdly, areas with a melanocytic differentiation. This is the first report on a metaplastic carcinoma of the breast presenting as an admixture of an adenoid cystic carcinoma and melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Charité University Hospital Berlin, Campus Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin 10117, Germany. aurelia.noske@charite.de
authors.forename: Aurelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noske
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwabe
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pahl
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fallenberg
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Richter-Ehrenstein
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dietel
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
mesh_terms: D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged