title: Breast metastasis from cutaneous malignant melanoma mimicking a breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast metastases are very uncommon, either from solid tumors or malignant melanoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present the case of a 42-year-old woman with a history of cutaneous melanoma of the shoulder excised 21 years ago. She presented with a palpable lump in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast. Ultrasound demonstrated a solid mass within a cystic lesion. A core biopsy was taken and first histology reported a poorly differentiated primary breast cancer suspected to be triple negative. MRI detected a satellite lesion in the same breast, a focus of suspected enhancement in the other breast, and the extramammary finding of an enhancing pulmonary lesion. Staging computed tomography detected widespread metastases to the lungs, brain, subcutaneous left shoulder, liver, pancreas, and hepatorenal recess. A core biopsy was taken from the left breast lesion and the previous slides were reviewed; histopathology and immunohistochemistry were in keeping with metastasis from melanoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The possibility of a metastatic lesion to the breast should be taken into account in any patient presenting with a breast lump and a previous history of melanoma. Breast involvement cannot be considered an isolated finding, as it might be the first manifestation of widespread disease.
authors.affiliation: 1 Radiology Specialization School, University of Milan, Milan - Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maniglio
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capalbo
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viganò
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trecate
authors.forename: Gianfranco Paride
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Scaperrotta
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panizza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D062005:Biopsy, Large-Core Needle; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D012782:Shoulder; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*